When you think of opera, what comes to mind? People killing themselves and each other, stealing other people’s spouses, and singing at each other in loud, angry voices? Opera’s reputation for melodrama is certainly not unfounded, as many of the most classical operas are extremely tragic and even gruesome in subject matter. However, thinking that all operas are the same would be like assuming that all movies are the same. Just as there are different film genres, there are different operatic styles.
Just as popular as the tragedy or dramatic opera is the operatic comedy. Sometimes defined by terms like “opera comique” in French or “opera buffo” in Italian, this popular genre was mastered by composers like Gaetano Donizetti and Gioachino Rossini. Besides the famously upbeat overture which is now permanently considered the “Lone Ranger” theme song, Rossini’s biggest claim to fame is “The Barber of Seville.” This comic opera is one of the most beloved pieces in the standard repertoire, and it’s a crowd pleaser from start to finish.
