What is Opera?

Describing opera as a drama set to music with vocal pieces and orchestral accompaniment is like saying Skakespeare just wrote plays. It doesn't describe how compelling it is to watch as elements from every major art discipline - theatre, dance, vocal and orchestral music, and visual art - come together to tell a story. It doesn't convey how moving it is to witness stunning live dramatic and musical performances blend on stage. Opera uses music to elevate the dramatic element, and it uses acting and movement to enhance its musical storytelling.

Experiencing opera when performed by talented artists is truly powerful. Amazingly, operatic performances are not amplified - neither the singers nor the orchestra uses any microphones or electronic enhancements. In other words, it's as close to pure art as you can get. But don't worry; you don't have to be close to the stage to get the full experience.