Music is of great importance in people's lives, it always sounds somewhere. But in its modern form, music has appeared relatively recently. In Europe, not so long ago, learned to play musical instruments, the whole history of European music fits into several centuries.
Only at the end of the 16th century did performances appear that were accompanied by music throughout its duration, and in those days the musicians had not yet figured out which part of the opera the soloist performed alone, and where the choir was played backstage.
Opera is a difficult work to write and execute. The heyday of the genre can be considered the 18th and 19th centuries. Then numerous theaters were built, and the writing and staging of the new opera was an event that was discussed by the whole intelligentsia. It was as important as the release of a new advertised film these days.
Opera is a dramatic work. Most often, it is written according to the plot of already existing fairy tales or stories. But sometimes a new story is created specifically for her. The opera begins with an overture. This music is like a short musical content of the whole work. But the composers of the first operas wrote their overtures so that late spectators had time to start the action. Opera goes through actions, scenes and paintings. An action is an excerpt from any theatrical performance, after which an intermission is put. The scene is a separate episode, and the picture is a passage after which the scenery changes. What part of the opera does the soloist perform alone? Solo singing in opera is an aria. In fact, this is a monologue of the stage character, his story about his feelings or intentions. Usually, each significant hero of the opera has at least one own aria. For example, what part of the opera is the soloist performing alone in Eugene Onegin? There is an aria of Evgeny, Tatyana (her letter), Olga, Lensky, even Larins' mother and Tatyana’s husband wrote their arias.
An opera can only be performed in the language in which it was written, it is like poems laid on music.
It is clear that if you translate the song, then it will not be possible to put it on the same music. The staging of the opera is the work of the whole collective. The musical director of the theater, accompanist, conductor, orchestra and artists are involved in the actual production of the performance. The director gives new shades to the long-known performances, sets scenes. Choosing the right actors (who sings which part, which part of the opera is performed by the soloist and how exactly all the other characters behave at that moment) is the primary task. Among the participants in the play there are also ballet dancers. In any opera, there are always dancing inclusions. Costume designer, decoration artist solve design issues. It is also necessary to advertise the performance, to attract viewers to it.
Unfortunately, going to the theater is not very fashionable among young people. This habit must be instilled from childhood, and one who does not know which part of the opera the soloist performs alone, how to behave during intermission, when you can applaud, will feel uncomfortable in the theater.
But if you want to start going to the theater, you can start by visiting small theaters, chamber scenes. The situation here is simpler and the tickets are cheaper than for a performance where the soloists of the Bolshoi Opera sing. Having got used to the situation, you can learn to enjoy the opera.