An opera is a type of theatrical performance where the story is told mainly through singing instead of spoken dialogue. In an opera, trained singers perform dramatic stories accompanied by an orchestra, combining music, acting, and often elaborate costumes and sets into one spectacular art form.

Operas originated in Italy around 1600 and quickly spread across Europe. Composers like Mozart, Verdi, and Puccini wrote operas that are still performed today in grand opera houses worldwide. The stories range from tragic love affairs to comedies to historical epics. Unlike a musical where characters sometimes speak and sometimes sing, opera characters usually sing their lines throughout the entire performance, even during casual conversations.

Opera singers train for years to develop powerful voices that can fill enormous theaters without microphones. Different voice types play different roles: sopranos and tenors often play romantic leads, while basses and contraltos might play villains or authority figures. The singing style, called operatic, is distinctive and dramatic, designed to convey intense emotions.

The word can also describe something overly dramatic or exaggerated. If your friend makes a huge theatrical fuss about a minor problem, you might say they're making an opera out of it. A soap opera is a melodramatic television show, named because early radio dramas (often sponsored by soap companies) featured the same kind of emotional, over-the-top storytelling.