Types of Operas

An opera is generally referred to as "a stage presentation or work that combines music, costumes, and scenery to relay a story. Most operas are sung, with no spoken lines.' The word "opera" is actually a shortened word for opera in musica.

It takes a lot of time, people and effort before an opera finally makes its premiere. Writers, librettists, composers, costume and stage designers, conductors, singers, dancers, musicians, producers and directors are the people who work closely together in order for an opera to take shape.

One great composer who wrote operas was Claudio Monteverdi, specifically his La favola d'Orfeo (The Fable of Orpheus) which premiered in 1607. Another famous opera composer was Francesco Cavalli especially noted for his opera Giasone (Jason) which premiered in 1649.

Types of Operas

Comic Opera - Also known as light opera, this type of opera often tackles light, not so delicate subject matter where the ending often has a happy resolution. Other forms of this opera are opera buffa and operetta, to name a few. In this type of opera the dialogue is often spoken and not sung. An example of this opera is La serva padrona (The Maid as Mistress) by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi.

Serious Opera - In Italian it's opera seria, also referred to as Neopolitan opera mainly due to the volume of composers who were from Naples who contributed to this type of opera. Often, the story revolves around heroes and myths, emphasis is also given to the solo voice and bel canto style; Italian for "beautiful singing", the vocal style used by operatic singers in Italy which emerged during the 17th century. An example of this opera is Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel.

Opera Semiseria - This type of opera has a serious story but has a happy ending. This is why some loosely define it as a combination of the elements of both comic and serious opera. An example of this is La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie} by Gioachino Rossini

Opera Cornique - Is a type of French opera wherein instead of singing, the lines are spoken. In its early form, it was satirical but would later on have serious storylines such as Carmen by Georges Bizet.

Grand Opera - Refers to the type of opera which emerged in Paris during the 19th century. It's an opera of a larger scale, from the flamboyant costumes to the choruses, it also includes ballet. An example of this type is Robert le Diable by Giacomo Meyerbeer.

Opera Verismo - Verismo is Italian for "realism", it's a type of opera that emerged during the later part of the 19th century. Characters were often based on everyday people you may meet in real life and the plot is often melodramatic. An example is Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo.

More Opera Composers

Benjamin Britten

Gaetano Donizetti

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Giacomo Puccini

Henry Purcell

Richard Strauss

Giuseppe Verdi

Richard Wagner

Vincenzo Bellini