‘Opera’ and ‘millennials’ sound like two concepts that would never appear in a sentence together, but in reality, millennials are actually quite fond of opera. When you look at it, it’s not really that surprising, since the artistic and intellectual background that’s built beneath this art form actually coincides with a lot of interests and worldviews millennials hold. Here’s an interesting piece of the history of music at evergreenviolin.com.
Here are some of the main reasons why millennials love (or should love!) opera:
1. It’s Different
If there is something you can say about today’s entertainment industry as a whole, it’s that we’re bombarded with content that is strikingly similar. In other words, it seems like every storyline, character, genre and plot twist has been seen before. Hundreds of times.
Since the millennial generation has an innate curiosity and hunger for entertainment like no generation before, it’s logical that they’re looking for something outside the mainstream box (after they get bored with Hollywood blockbusters and high-school TV dramas).
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This is where opera comes in. Just like all other art forms, it portrays elements that are universal to human nature, but in a way that’s entirely different from other forms of entertainment, we have available today.
2. It’s an Expression of Individualism
Another trait that’s typical of millennials is that they try very hard to find their own voice, express their personality and be different from the crowd. This is not a flaw, though, as this is the exact trait that produces the artists, creators and geniuses we appreciate so much.
That’s why many millennials will find that opera resonates with them as an individual in an indescribable way.
3. Opera is Different Than Anything in Today’s Entertainment
Millennials usually come across opera and its charms in college classes, where they discover it’s actually not an ancient entertainment choice, but an available source of art and history. (If you need to write an essay on opera or music history, you can use some of the following websites:
- Subjecto – to find opera experts for art history essays
- ClassyEssay – a writing service where you can order opera-related texts and essays
After their first acquaintance, many millennials are actually surprised that opera is not that ‘boring show for old people’, but a beautiful experience that leaves the audience speechless and simply changed after a performance.
4. It’s Social
Just like any other theatre form, opera is highly social. After all, throughout history, opera has been one of the main socializing events for the upper classes. Even today, opera promoters and marketing experts are trying hard to present it as a thing that can be enjoyed in couples or in groups, to have a better sense of how it’s supposed to be enjoyed.
Coupled with what we’ve said about the characteristics of opera so far (that it provides a different, unusual experience), why not switch a night at the bar with your friends for an evening at the opera? (Don’t worry, you can still go to the bar after.)
5. It’s a ‘Throwback’
Everything has a comeback, and if there’s something millennials love, it’s the good, old fashioned throwback. Just look at fashion: everything from the 18th century to the 1990s is going through a revival and is again being appreciated. The same goes for opera: if our ancestors could enjoy it, we shouldn’t we?
Millennials are great at looking at trends from the old times and bringing them back into the present moment. So, who knows, maybe the millennial generation will be the one which brings back opera into mainstream entertainment?
6. It’s Musical
Have you ever met anyone who doesn’t like music? Well, chances are, even if you did, you can count how many with the fingers of one hand. And would you look at that – opera is 100% music!
If you’re a millennial, you probably know the melodies of dozens of arias, you just don’t know where they come from or what they’re called (try: Queen of the Night or La Donna e Mobile). So, why not go through a little education in music history and listen to some of those melodies that have been stuck in your head for decades?
Conclusion
There are so many misconceptions about opera out there, but one of the most persisting ones is that it’s for ‘old people’, which is definitely not true. Sure, this may go for teenagers who definitely don’t want to be seen doing something their parents would do, but millennials are, in fact, a generation that’s not afraid of experimenting and trying new things.
