Opera
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Email ThisOpera Basics
Below, you’ll find databases for researching operas, their various components, and related events. You’ll also find information on some of the more famous artists.
Dulcinea's Insight
- An essential component of opera is venue. Acoustics are a significant topic in opera, as the music is best appreciated in live performance. Concert Halls and Opera Houses: Music, Acoustics, and Architecture by Leo Beranek goes into depth about acoustics and the technical design of various international opera houses. Dr. Beranek is both a renowned engineer and avid opera fan; his book was met with great praise from critics across the board.
- Many current opera performers have Web pages run by them or their managers. If you’re interested in a particular artist, try entering his or her name + homepage into a search engine.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an overview of opera …
Allmusic
has a basic definition and history of opera. At the bottom of the page, find featured albums and top performers, albums, and composers.
For opera databases …
Operabase
lets you search for artists, opera companies by name or address, and performances since 2006. You can also look for rare or premiere performances or find opera festivals listed by country and type.
OperaGlass
, Stanford University’s database, is probably one of the most comprehensive opera resources available. It’s excellent for detailed information about individual operas, including libretti, synopses, and performance history. You’ll also find a directory of composers and opera-related events, and many other useful research tools. Though the site isn’t organized very well, it’s chock-full of information and well worth your time.
Operissimo Concertissimo
is an opera and concert database full of information on composers, artists, agencies, opera houses, and recordings. Unfortunately, there’s no index, so you must have search terms in mind before you start. If you know what you’re looking for, the information you’ll get is extremely comprehensive. Remember to select the British flag near the top of each page to see it in English.
Music With Ease
doesn’t have a particularly fancy design or smooth navigation, but you’ll find many of the best-known opera composers listed. Read their bios and find lists of their most famous works.
Who knew?
Streetwise Opera
was started in the 1990s when a British Member of Parliament claimed that homeless people were the ones you stepped over on your way out from the opera. Radically altering that perception, Streetwise provides singing and acting lessons for the homeless, culminating in one opera performance per year. The organization operates across the United Kingdom and in Boston, Massachusetts.
News and Reviews of Opera
Opera is an international art, and using the Internet as your source for news and reviews puts the... read more»
Buying Opera Tickets
You might think going to the opera is an old-fashioned activity, but you certainly don’t have... read more»
Libretti and English Translations of Opera
Unless you’re fluent in the language of the opera’s libretto, it might be difficult to... read more»
Buying Opera Recordings
Despite the high value placed on live opera performance, many opera buffs are almost as... read more»
Opera Communities and Blogs
Although opera tends to be focused on singing and listening, you can also share your love of it by... read more»
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