10 Easy Questions about A Night at the Opera

Answer: The Yeomen of the Guard

"The Yeomen of the Guard" is one of the darkest operas by the great musical pair, Gilbert and Sullivan. The setting for this opera is the upcoming beheading of a scholar who has been accused of sorcery. Set during the 16th century, the accused secretly marries a strolling singer so that his estate will not be inherited by his cousin who made the accusation of sorcery.

This is a story of loyalty, justice, corruption, and false-heartedness. Debuting in 1888, it is one of Gilbert and Sullivan's most unique operas.

Answer: Giacomo Puccini

Set in Nagasaki, Japan, "Madama Butterfly" is considered by many to be Giacomo Puccini's masterpiece. It is the story of an American Naval officer who is going to marry a 15 year old Japanese girl. He envisions this marriage as a temporary situation and leaves shortly after the honeymoon night which unexpectedly resulted in a pregnancy.

When he returns years later, he has an American wife and wants to take the child. The mother turns the child over and then commits suicide in order to save her honor and because she is broken hearted.

This tale of love and disdain is one of the most performed operas in the world.

Answer: Enrico Caruso

These four men are considered by many to be the four greatest operatic tenors to have performed in the 20th century. Enrico Caruso (1873-1921) was an acclaimed Italian tenor who is famous for his portrayals of the character Canio in the famous opera "Pagliacci". Caruso was an international star who made over 260 recordings. He also appeared in silent films and in 1910 was a participant in the very first U.S. public radio broadcast.

The other three options are three elite operatic tenors who performed over 50 years after the death of Caruso. They all had solo careers and in 1990 joined together to perform as a trio known as "The Three Tenors". Who was the greatest tenor of the four is certainly as matter of opinion, and is a common topic of conversation when any of them perform.

Answer: A small booklet containing the text of an opera

Librettos are small booklets that contain the all the words in an opera. They also include stage directions and provided translation of operas that were written in a foreign language. A librettist was a poet who focused on creating this type of writing and the creation of a libretto was considered a very important part of the opera as a whole. Old librettos are very collectable and highly prized.

Answer: Mozart

Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote over 20 operas. These three are considered some of his best work. This musical genius was able to write operas in German, Italian and Latin. His work are some of the most popular operas ever written and are regularly performed in opera houses around the world.

Answer: La Scala

Erected in 1776, La Scala is one of the most prestigious and most lavishly decorated opera houses in the world. Almost every great modern opera singer has performed at this opulent opera house at least once. The first performance was in 1778 and except during periods of renovation this building has been home to many types of performances including ballets, symphonies, and, of course, operas.

Answer: New Zealand

New Zealand native Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is/was one of the most popular sopranos in the opera circuit. Te Kanawa has performed all over the world and is known for the warmth of her voice as well as her ability to sing in multiple languages. New Zealand's first gold record was Te Kanawa's recording of the "Nuns' Chorus" from the operetta "Casanova" by Johann Strauss II.

Answer: Nixon in China

"Nixon in China" is a modern opera written by American opera writer John Adams. This unique opera debuted in 1987 to mixed reviews and is about President Nixon's much publicized visit to China in 1972. The opera opens at the Peking airport and follows Nixon and his entourage throughout this politically charged visit.

It also features an introspective look into the marriages of both Nixon and Mao Tse-tung and the culture of both men.

Answer: False

An opera is a dramatic work that is set to music, has little to no spoken dialogue and may have multiple acts. An operetta is usually shorter, is usually on a lighter or comedic topic and usually has some spoken dialogue. Lastly, the term 'musical' is a play or movie in which singing and dancing play an important part, but most of the dialogue is spoken.

Answer: False

A lorgnette is a pair of eyeglasses with a fold-down handle that were often used by audience members to enhance their vision while watching an opera. They were usually intricately decorated and often bejeweled. Today, opera glasses have taken their place and look like a pair of small binoculars.