Opera is about divine singing, beautiful music, intense drama, great literature, seductive lighting, breathtaking dress and scenery, innovative directing, sensitive conducting, convincing acting and God-given talent. Well, almost!

Opera is considered by those who know all about it to be the highest and noblest form of the performing arts. This is probably because it's the most expensive to stage as it incorporates designer sets and costumes, a huge orchestra, highly strung and demanding conductors (Maestros with a capital 'M'!), famous tenors, baritones and basses, thin international mezzos and, of course, divas… prima donna sopranos… generally known as the fat lady. (hence the expression: "It's not all over until the fat lady sings!") Add to all that the expertise of brilliantly well paid lightists, the often not so brilliant but even better paid directors, the hard- working and underpaid chorus (these are the only people in opera who ARE underpaid!), several 'resting' actors who become crowd fillers, and a clutch of under-achieved ballet dancers for the totally dispensable ballet section of the opera, and you will begin to appreciate why it is so costly to mount. (People generally mount horses but opera houses always mount operas!)

Opera is also about bums on seats often at extortionate prices, far too many minions (loftily known as administrators) doling out money where it shouldn't be doled, incredibly tight rehearsal schedules with Senor Tenor and/or Prima Donna whizzing in from Buenos Aires at the very last possible moment (international stars of every vocal range make the most of their internationality by jetting around to as many worldwide opera houses as is humanly possible in order to a) enhance their notoriety and b) increase their bank balance), thus often meeting up for the first time at the 'dress' (dress rehearsal), clueless as to how their voices will meld and careless as to the consequences. Given the Lottery- sized permutations of logistical considerations (who will be available, agreeable, and when?!) combined with the super egos and tantrums of the crowd-pullers (mostly Senor Tenor and/or Prima Donna), besides the constant disagreements twixt Herr Director and 'God One' Maestro, juxtaposed with the ever dwindling budget, it's nothing short of a miracle when an opera actually happens!

However, at the end of the day opera is created and produced for Joe Public… you and me… and this is what opera is really all about. How wonderful it is to escape from the violence and mayhem constantly directed at us via our television screens, or the mundanity of everyday life, and be transported into a world of… erm… violence and mayhem, and mundanely silly plots! Ah, yes, but it's different with opera, you see, because although people generally die violent or sickly deaths they take rather a long time to do it, fitting in a beautiful aria or two in the process! As for the plots (poshly known as scenarios), well, who really cares how improbable they are when all that glorious music and luscious singing is transporting you into a nether spiritual realm; feasting your ears, bringing tears to your eyes, a lump in your throat, and a strong tingling sensation down your spine? If music be food for the soul then opera is a veritable binge, sating one's emotions and making life and death seem far more worthwhile.