Opera Day is a holiday observed annually on February 8th that encourages everyone to learn more about opera and how it might benefit them. Opera is a form of theater in which music is the primary component of the presentation, and singers play all the dramatic roles.

It’s a collaboration between the performers, art departments, dance departments, and the composer. This art form originated in Italy near the end of the 16th century and has been entertaining and uplifting audiences for the past four and a half centuries. Its longevity should be enough to move most people to at least check it out during this holiday.

The History Of Opera Day

The word “opera” comes from the Latin word that means “work,” and is the plural of the noun “opus.” This word was used to explain how composition is simply music, dance, and poetry combined together.

According to historians, the 1597 “Dafne” by Jacopo Peri was the earliest composition considered to be an opera. Even so, opera didn’t really take off as an art form until the 17th century — an era known as the Baroque Era. It grew in popularity over the next few hundred years but eventually began to wane during the latter half of the 20th century.

Some Quick Facts About Opera

To educate those who may not know a lot about opera, we’ve decided to list some facts that should give them a better understanding of it. The following factoids came about from our extensive research for this holiday, and we hope everyone finds them entertaining.

• An opera singer can sing at a different sound frequency, which is necessary to allow them to sing over the orchestra.
• Beethoven spent 11 years working on the opera “Fidelio.”
• Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a mini-opera that was all about addiction to coffee.
• In 1637, the first public opera house, San Cassiano, opened in Venice, Italy.

Observing Opera Day

A great way to observe this holiday is by attending an opera. No matter where a person lives in the world, with only a few exceptions, they are most likely able to enjoy opera. If not on this day, then around this day.

All a person has to do is look and see if there’s something around them. People can also take the time to learn more about opera or even write their own if they feel the inspiration comes over them. Anyone enjoying this holiday can also spread the word about it using the hashtag #OperaDay.