Although many find opera incomprehensible, overwhelming, and boring, opera continues to be a popular form of storytelling. People love drama and musical masterpieces written by famous French, Italian and German composers. The addition of beautiful costumes and eye-catching sets make opera an attractive form of entertainment. However, despite all these positive elements, many avoid opera like the plague. The goal of this article is to help eliminate these negative opinions by educating the challenged work, to love, or at least tolerate the work's beautiful art. Opera comes from the Italian word for "musical works". It achieves the baroque goal of uniting all the arts. The music and theatre, together with the costumes and staging, help make opera an art to be seen and heard. The opera's history mimicked “current trends” in music and theater during the era in which it was composed. New developments in architecture and painting were seen in stage sets and opera houses throughout Europe. “A unique feature of the work, however, is the power of music, particularly that written for the different registers of the human voice.” (www.metmuseum.org) The actor's vocal range portrays the character's emotion. For example, if the character is afraid or excited, their tone of voice increases. If they are serious or authoritative their voice drops to a lower pitch. The origin of the work dates back to 17th century Italy. The rich Italian nobles had these "musical works" presented in their squares or courtyards. During this period extravagant entertainment such as fireworks and other amazing effects along with music, singing, dancing and speeches were presented at royal weddings or to welcome important guests. These pre-ops... half of the document... death. Some opera authorities believe that Wagner did more than any other composer to change music and drama. While his life and music arouse passions unlike those of any other composer, his works are both hated and loved by some. However, even those who hate his works have to admit that they are fantastic. Learning more about a work and its composer can help make the performance more understandable. Learning what was happening at the time the work was written will help a person understand certain elements of the work. Just remember that opera is a musical way of telling a story. If you read the story beforehand, it will help you follow what is happening. Educating yourself will make the incomprehensible, overwhelming and boring, more bearable. So, sit back and enjoy the beautiful costumes, captivating scenery and music. Congratulations! You graduated in Opera 101!