Opera: The Passion, The Beauty, The Languages

The Passion, The Beauty, The Languages
By: Amber Marsh

          In the life of an opera singer many responsibilities are placed on one’s head. The training,
the expense, the travel, and the languages. The three romance languages include Italian, French, and
Spanish. These alone are difficult to learn and take several years to perfect. But these are not the only
languages one must know to be in the opera profession. Latin, German, and Russian are also three
major languages used in opera today. The use of these beautiful languages is spread throughout the
works of the master musicians.
          Diction and the correct use of these languages not only gives off an attractive sound, it
gives the audience something to use as a basis of understanding what is happening in the opera. If one
is in the profession of opera many of these languages are requirements. But the general understanding
of them is in some cases not only a way of living, but also a pleasure to the student.
          Many of the younger generation think of opera a foolish pastime for older people. This is
most likely because they themselves do not understand it, or rather they do not understand the
languages the performer is speaking in. This is why the opera world is trying to open up to the
“younger people”. They are inviting them in to learn about the world of opera and it’s beautiful,
undefinable languages. Not all operas are in a different language then our own beloved English, but the
composers who came from different parts of the world show us the graceful nature and culture of what
we call opera.