DE VEYRA, Gia Allona P.

Art Appreciation
BSN – 1B 9/24/18

OPERA

1. What is an opera?
An opera is a form of theatre in which music has a leading role and the
parts are taken by singers. It is typically a collaboration between
a composer and a librettist, and incorporates a number of the performing
arts, such as acting, scenery, costumes, and sometimes dance or ballet.
The performance is typically given in an opera house, accompanied by
an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble, which since the early 19th
century has been led by a conductor. Opera is a key part of
the Western classical music tradition. Originally understood as an entirely
sung piece, in contrast to a play with songs, opera has come to
include numerous genres, including some that include spoken dialogue
such as a musical theatre. In traditional number opera, singers employ
two styles of singing: recitative, a speech-inflected style and self-
contained arias. The 19th century saw the rise of the continuous music
drama.

2. What is the value of opera in art?