Did you know?

The key thing to understand about opera, how it is perceived and its popularity (or lack of it) is that it did not become unpopular, rather it was made unpopular.

Opera was in effect “stolen” from its popular audience by elite social groups in the mid to late 19th century and transformed from entertainment enjoyed by many to “culture”, appreciated by few.

Before this opera was an integral part of a shared public culture. It was performed in a variety of settings and was shared and enjoyed by a broad segment of the population.

The opera house was the first musical institution to open its doors to the public. The first opera house opened in Venice in 1637.

By the early 20th century opera was no longer a form of living entertainment, but a source of Culture with a capital C – a resource of both aesthetic enlightenment and social validation.

The divide between opera as art and opera as entertainment has never been as wide as it is now. With the emergence of “popular” classical music through media such as Classic FM, the phenomenon of the three tenors, Nessun Dorma and the World Cup, not to mention Lesley Garrett, Russell Watson, G4 and so on, opera as populist culture has never been so strong.

On the other hand however, in the UK, opera houses have seen a huge increase in box office income massively disproportionate to the small increase in attendance. For example, between 1981 and 1990 opera attendance rose from 1.475 million to 1.515 million. In the same period box office receipts rose from £8.3 m to £22.3 m*.

Opera in the theatre is still elitist and in our opinion it should not be. Opera in a social or corporate context is not really regarded as opera and we feel it should be.

Rhapsody is dedicated to making the theatrical spectacle of opera accessible, understandable and fun for all.

* Guardian newspaper 11 Dec 1990