Opera is making its way into more accessible venues and popular culture. Alternative means of accessibility to this, often, expensive art form are opening up the world of opera to a changing audience.
Opera Documentaries
Television documentaries that show inside stories of opera are gaining popularity in among the plethora of reality TV shows. Britain’s Channel Four collaboration with the English National Opera to produce the documentary/competition Operatunity, offering ordinary people who had always wanted to be opera singers the chance to win a role in a mainstage production of Rigoletto, took television ratings by storm, as did the later Australian version OperatunityOz (Opera Australia/ABC TV).
The performances of Rigoletto, in both countries, that featured the winning singers were sold out long in advance. Likewise, CDs recorded by the winners were snapped up by an eager public, who had watched the progress of the contestants throughout the series.
Similarly, The Audition, a documentary showing the process of general auditions for the Metropolitan Opera gives a window for the public into what is involved in becoming an opera singer. This documentary will be screened again in the United States at noon on Sunday 7 February on PBS (wnet/13).
The phenomena of introducing people into personal living space can be seen to account for some of the success of both programs. The distance between the public and members of an opera company can be great, and it is lessened when there is access to the process of what goes into being a singer and mounting a full-scale production.
The Simpsons and Opera
The Simpsons has been responsible for throwing the spotlight on many unexpected topics, from classical poetry (Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven) to religion. Opera has not escaped with a 2007 episode, Homer of Seville, featuring star tenor Placido Domingo voicing his own cartoon character on the show.
Popular culture has been a powerful vehicle for introducing opera to an audience who would not normally access it. Also, in the light-hearted treatment of opera within this context, it can be seen to be fun and not so elitist or requiring specialist knowledge.
Radio and Television Simulcasts
More and more opera companies are running live telecasts, broadcasts and cinema showings of productions. The Metropolitan Opera Company in New York has expanded the cinema option across North America and many of the productions are now being exported internationally to cinemas in other countries. This is an option being explored by other countries worldwide, taking opera to remote areas away from major cities. These offer low cost to no cost access for full-scale productions.
Community and Travelling Opera Companies
While mainstream opera companies have the resources to mount the large productions that we expect from opera, smaller community based and travelling companies can offer interesting alternatives.
Community companies can be an opportunity for members of the public to be part of the productions. If singing is not your talent, there are countless other ways to be useful to a community opera company, from backstage jobs to front of house. Involvement in these groups means it is possible to see a production grow from the beginning to opening night.
Travelling opera companies often show scaled down versions of traditional operas in a format that is accessible to a broader audience base. Usually, they would be sung in English, rather than the original language, for the same reason. This is a less formal way to experience opera that can be a lot of fun.
YouTube and Opera
Another way to explore different genres and performers is via YouTube, where there are many fragments of operas available. This is an easy way to gain access to both archival and contemporary performances. As a learning tool, it can be invaluable for children, students and adults looking for an introduction to a range of opera styles in short bite formats.
There are recordings categorised by performer, and also by the name of the aria or chorus you are trying to access. In some cases, CD details are also available so that a follow up purchase can be made.
These contemporary means of experiencing opera are a useful and valuable means of beginning what can be an exciting journey of discovery that may well end up in a mainstream opera theatre.
Readers may enjoy Choosing Opera for Beginners and Opera for Beginners – Your Second Opera
Karen Finch - Karen is a Sydney based freelance writer, artist and musician. To learn more, click on her name to read her profile.
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