Wichita Grand Opera
Century II Concert Hall
225 W. Douglas Ave.
Wichita , Kansas 67202
316.683.3444 Admin Office
316.262.8054 Box Office

New To Opera

If you have never attended an opera, Wichita Grand Opera invites you to explore one of the most rapidly growing art form phenomemons in the world. Opera is growing in popularity among younger and older generations. Come see for yourself what the excitement is all about. To help you get started, we have developed this informative guide. We hope it will help you expand your cultural horizons as you discover a new experience& - or passion - in an art form that has transcended the ages.

What is opera?
Opera is drama or comedy told in music through powerful, unamplified voices. Opera combines all the art forms - vocal and instrumental music, theater, drama, visual art and often dance - into one complete theatrical experience. When successfully produced, an opera’s directing, singing, acting, stage setting, lighting, conducting and orchestral playing will create an unforgettable spectacle that can move audiences to tears or elation - or both.

Will I understand opera?
Yes! At Wichita Grand Opera, every performance features Supertitles (English translations of what’s sung) projected above the stage, visible from every seat. We also distribute a printed program with a synopsis that describes the acts and scenes to help you follow the story. You can learn more about each of the operas in our current season at www.wichitagrandopera.org. So although most operas are sung in the foreign language in which they were written, you won’t miss a minute of the action.

Will I like opera?
You’ve heard it and enjoyed it, but you may not have realized that it was opera. Remember the tuneful British Airways ads? After the ads aired, everyone started humming it - the “Flower Duet” from Delibes's opera Lakmé. The tune has also adorned Ghirardelli chocolate ads and others. And of course, you have heard opera in countless movies across all genres. See if you can recognize some of the examples below:

Movie	Featuring Music from Operas
Apocalypse Now	Die Walküre by Wagner
Bend it Like Beckham	Madama Butterfly by Puccini
Bugs Bunny: What’s Opera, Doc?	The Barber of Seville by Rossini Die Walküre by Wagner
Driving Miss Daisy	Rusalka by Dvorák
Fatal Attraction	Madama Butterfly by Puccini
The Fifth Element	Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti
Godfather I	La Traviata by Verdi
Godfather III	Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni Nabucco by Verdi
James Bond: The Living Daylights	The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
Life is Beautiful	The Tales of Hoffman by Offenbach
The Man Who Cried	Dido and Aeneas by Purcell Il Trovatore by Verdi The Pearl Fishers by Bizet Tosca by Puccini
Match Point	The Elixir of Love by Donizetti Il Trovatore by Verdi La Traviata by Verdi Macbeth by Verdi Otello by Verdi The Pearl Fishers by Bizet Rigoletto by Verdi William Tell by Rossini
Miss Congeniality	The Magic Flute by Mozart
Philadelphia	Adriana Lecouvreur by Cilea Andrea Chénier by Giordano Idomeneo by Mozart
Pretty Woman	La Traviata by Verdi
The Princess Diaries 2	La Traviata by Verdi
The Shawshank Redemption	The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
The Skeleton Key	The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart The Pearl Fishers by Bizet
The Sum of All Fears	Don Carlos by Verdi Madama Butterfly by Puccini
Titanic	Orpheus from the Underworld by Offenbach The Tales of Hoffman by Offenbach Thaϊs by Massenet
XXX	Don Giovanni by Mozart

For 400 years, opera has remained strong in populist cultural scenes and continues to emerge in pop culture. In a recent TV ad, Beyoncé sang made-for-Pepsi lyrics to the music of the aria “Habañera,” from Carmen. Grammy-winning jazz musician, Grover Washington, Jr., fused opera with jazz in his Aria album. Even some of Broadway’s award-winning musicals have been inspired by opera:

Musical	Adapted from or inspired by
Miss Saigon	Madama Butterfly
Rent	La Bohème
Aida	Aida
Phantom of the Opera	The Paris Opera House

There is something in opera for everyone; you don’t need to be an opera aficionado or musicologist to enjoy it. If you like music, song, drama, visual art, dance or theater, you’re in for a treat. Experience it, and be entertained and dazzled by the spectacular sets and costumes, glorious voices and stories that tear at our heartstrings or bring smiles to our faces.

How do I choose the right opera for me?
Choosing the right “first opera” is quite simple. Do you prefer comedy or tragedy? Romance or drama? Which composer’s music resonates with you? Read about our current and upcoming seasons’ operas and choose a story that compels and moves you. Our friendly staff at the Opera Box Office is also available to answer your questions and help you choose the perfect opera to see. Hours are Monday through Friday – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, phone (316) 262-8054.

Check out the following time-honored favorites for beginners in our 2007-08 season repertoire:

Can I afford to attend an opera?
Absolutely. Single tickets for the 2007-08 season range in price from $30 to $80 for our best seats - seats that offer some of the best sound quality in the house. We also provide special discounts for students, seniors and military personnel. (For availability, just call the Opera Box Office, (316) 262-8054) Or, bring a group of 10 or more and enjoy great savings for groups. For more information on group rates, call the Box Office.

Wichita Grand Opera offers a number of different prices to suit every budget. You can get some very good seats for less than the price of a rock concert or football game ticket. Imagine the combined costs of a theater play or Broadway show, a symphony concert, a voice recital by an internationally acclaimed star, and maybe ballet - you get all of that, and maybe more, in one evening at the Opera.

What should I wear?
Dress is typically business elegant (suit and tie for the men, dress or a nice suit for the ladies,) however, come in whatever it is that makes you feel comfortable and at your best. A night at the opera is a fun event. It offers a wonderful opportunity to dress to the nines if you like. The bottom line is: relax, no tiaras are required, just enjoy.

How long does an opera last?
Operas may run from 2.5 hours to 4 hours, and occasionally 5 hours or longer. The running time includes at least one 25-minute intermission and sometimes two or three, depending on the number of acts in an opera. For beginners, it may be advisable to choose an opera with a shorter running time to start with.

Too busy or can’t find the time to attend?
Don’t you owe it to yourself to set aside some “me” time to be entertained? Let the beautiful sights and sounds of opera transport you to another place and time. Plan a date with a friend or significant other, or come solo, for an evening at the opera.

What are the components of an opera?
Opera begins with a music composition and the story’s text. The text is referred to as the libretto (in Italian, means “little book”). The complete music composition with the libretto is the score. The conductor leads the way, cueing the Opera Orchestra and singers when to start their parts. The lead singers deliver the libretto through operatic singing and the Opera Orchestra plays the music. In addition to the lead singers and the orchestra, the chorus, dancers and supernumeraries (performers with non-singing roles) complete the opera performance on stage. Behind and off stage, a large stage crew and technicians are on deck to change scenes and props and regulate the lighting and sound. Wardrobe assistants help performers change in and out of costumes, the stage director directs the action on stage, and makeup artists are on point to apply and reapply makeup for the performers, transforming them into the effervescent characters they play.

What is operatic singing?
Operatic singing originated in Italy and is one type of classical singing. This style of singing relies solely on the singer’s unamplified voice to fill an opera house. Only on rare occasions will a microphone be used in an opera. Opera singers, therefore, must go through years of intensive training to develop their voice to the fullest capacity of range, volume, projection and beauty.

Operatic voices are categorized by range, or “Fach”

Range	Female	Male
High	Coloratura soprano	Countertenor
To	Lyric or dramatic soprano	Tenor
To	Mezzo-soprano	Baritone
Low	Contralto	Bass (Basso profundo)

What is an opera orchestra?
An opera orchestra is very much like a symphony orchestra and is comprised of four instrumental families - strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion - plus other instruments such as the piano, harp and harpsichord. The opera orchestra is a vital component of the opera in that it not only accompanies the singer(s) but also sets the tone, mood and pace of the opera. The conductor, or maestro, leads the orchestra and is fully responsible for the opera’s progression. The conductor cues the singers when to begin to sing and the orchestra when to play, and must blend and balance the music- keeping proper tempo (speed) and regulating the dynamics of the opera. Watch the conductor work his or her magic during a performance and you will be treated to an exhilarating experience.

What is the history of opera?
Opera’s roots go back to ancient Greek drama, which was accompanied by strings or pipes and the words were sung or half-spoken. Initially, only single lines of music (monody) existed until these were woven together to form polyphony (several different lines of music played or sung at one time), thus creating harmonies. By the end of the sixteenth century, it was the custom in Italy to perform intermezzi, short musical dramas during intermissions of other plays. The first true opera, as we know it today, was Dafne, written in 1598 by Jacopo Peri, followed by Euridice in 1600, also by Peri. Throughout the Italian Renaissance, these short musical dramas continued to evolve into the modern day opera. The early operas were performed in private homes until 1637 when the first public opera house was built in Venice, making opera accessible to the general public. Opera interest spread throughout Europe with distinct styles being created in Russia, France, Germany and elsewhere. Today, America also contributes much to this living art form and has created new operas that tell the stories of Richard Nixon, Harvey Milk, Malcolm X, Jacqueline Kennedy and J. Robert Oppenheimer, to name a few.

How can I learn more about opera?
If you are interested in delving deeper into the music, culture and emotion of opera, check out the following recommended readings:

Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera, by Fred Plotkin (Hyperion Press, 1994)

Getting Opera: A Guide for the Cultured but Confused, by Matt Dobkin (Pocket Books, 2000)

Opera for Dummies, by David Pogue and Scott Speck (For Dummies, 1997)

--- Courtesy of San Francisco Opera ---