Unless you’re already an opera buff, you probably think all opera is quite somber. But in reality, there are two types of opera: seria, which is serious, and buffa, which […]

Unless you’re already an opera buff, you probably think all opera is quite somber. But in reality, there are two types of opera: seria, which is serious, and buffa, which […]

bell´-KAHN´-toh (Italian, ‘beautiful singing’) Bel canto is a lyrical, melodic style of singing that contrasts with a more dramatic, speechlike style. The bel canto technique began in the mid-17th century […]

in-ter-METS´-oh (‘interlude’ in Italian) Historically, an intermezzo is any short entertainment, dance, or musical piece performed between the acts of a play or an opera. Today the term is generally […]