History of opera

Operas sung in English

If you’re new to opera and only speak English, language can be a barrier to enjoyment, so we here provide you with a list of works that are sung in…

Jan 6 •

Rebecca Armstrong

Paul Bunyan and the modern conservation movement

Brittan’s opera about the giant lumberjack, a US folklore hero, seems to prefigure today’s environmentalism

Nov 13, 2024 •

Rebecca Armstrong

The world’s first opera house

The very first operas were performed in the houses of the aristocracy, but what was the first public venue dedicated to the artform?

Oct 23, 2024 •

Rebecca Armstrong

Who were the castrati?

We explore the macabre history of the practice of castrating young boys in order to preserve their voices

Oct 20, 2024 •

Rebecca Armstrong

What was the world’s first opera?

Dafne by Italian composers Peri and Corsi is considered the first opera, but what made this piece different from what came before? And what came next?

Oct 4, 2024 •

Rebecca Armstrong

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