An opera is a theatrical production that incorporates elements of dance, music, and theater. Almost all of the dialogue is either sung or spoken in a pitched tone. Opera composers usually start with a libretto, or “little book,” which is a written script of the storyline. The libretto could be an entirely new story or an adaptation of an existing work of literature. An opera’s basic structure is made up of words and a storyline.
The composer then decides which lyrics merit a full musical treatment and which simply advance the story thematically. If the lyrics reveal a character’s true emotions, such as love or fear, the opera composer may create an aria, which is a fully scored song. An aria can be sung any of the main characters, but it is frequently used to highlight a particularly talented singer. Many arias have become well-known all over the world.
An opera also contains a number of scenes in which the characters are essentially conversing with one another. The composer of the opera may use a musical form known as a recitative for those scenes. A recitative is a piece of dialogue set to music, even if the music isn’t particularly appealing to the audience. A recitative performer can sing his or her lines without much regard for the melody. Recitatives are no longer used some modern composers, and actors are allowed to speak their lines normally. However, in the classic version, all dialogue is set to music.
According to many musical historians, the first opera to be performed was Jacopo Peri’s Dafne, written in 1598. It was not a commercial success at the time, and modern opera companies rarely perform it. Claudio Monteverdi, an Italian musician, was the first composer whose work is still popular in the opera world. Monteverdi is credited with assisting the transition of music theory from Renaissance to Baroque, as exemplified composers such as J.S. Bach.
Opera has survived as a musical form largely due to its ability to adapt, or at least be adapted, to whatever popular music is at the time. Folk music, patriotic or nationalistic anthems, jazz, blues, and even rock music have all been incorporated over the years. An opera’s staging can also be quite inventive and breathtaking in scale. Performing Richard Wagner’s Rings of the Nibelung cycle, for example, can take several weeks of scheduled performances.