World Opera Day 2020 Facts: We have all heard about ‘Opera’, but do we know what is it exactly? Well, a simple search on Google will tell you that “Opera is a form of theatre in which music has a leading role and the remaining parts are taken by singers, and it is also distinct from the usual musical theatre.” We all know about the Sydney Opera House in Australia, which is among the UNESCO World Heritage Site, but there are many important aspects about Opera, not many people know of. The origin of Opera dates back to the 16th century, or even beyond. To celebrate and cherish a form of theatre and music, which is popular all over, the people around the globe, observe the World Opera Day, every year, on October 25. As we celebrate Opera Day 2020, we at LatestLY, bring you some of the little-known and incredible facts about the World Opera Day.

1. If you translate the Italian word ‘Opera’, it would mean that it is a collaboration between a composer and a librettist and along with it has a number of the live performing arts, be it dancing, acting, ballet, scenery, or in different costumes.

2. Opera had its origins in the 16th century. It is said that Jacopo Peri produced his first composition in Florence, Italy, in the year 1598.

3. Opera initially gained popularity throughout Europe through the works of Claudio Monteverdi (for his work L’Orfeo) in Italy, Jean-Baptiste Lully in France, Henry Purcell in England, and Heinrich Schutz in Germany.

4. Opera is an important part of Western culture. People hold the performers, musicians, and singers in high regards.

5. It is believed that the golden period for the Opera was during the mid-to-late 19th century, which was heralded by Richard Wagner in Germany and Giuseppe Verdi in Italy.

6. Not many people know that traditional Opera has two different modes of singing – recitative and aria.

7. The oldest known Opera is said to be ‘Dafne’ sung by Jacopo Peri around 1597. It was written drawing inspiration from a circle of literate Florentine humanists, who were popularly known as “Camerara de’ Cardi”.

8. It is a little-known fact that Opera singers can project their voices over a full-blown orchestra as they sing on a different frequency altogether.

9. Not many people know that Jean-Baptiste Lully is widely regarded as ‘Father of French Opera’. He was a pioneer of the concept of conducting stick, but, unfortunately, the same act cost him his life after an accident during the performance.

10. The 1st public Opera house – San Cassiano – which was opened in Venice in 1637, gained huge popularity due to ‘Father of Opera, i.e. Claudio Monteverdi’. It is a little-known fact that Venice is regarded as the Opera capital of the world. 

11. It is said that the audience at La Scala in Milan, Italy, is the hardest place to perform an Opera. The audience there is so hard to please that they make the performers perform, until ‘they’ do not think that artists have sung it in the right manner.

Millions of people across the globe love the art form Opera. The public is crazy about Opera music, and shows are more often than not, sold out! The fan following is as hugely popular as that of concerts, and musical nights! As people celebrate the occasion of World Opera Day on October 25, we wish all the fans to have a great time hearing to some of the most amazing Operas, on their playlists, or in a nearby theatre in your city!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 24, 2020 01:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).