--- title: The Opera Blog with Insightful and Delightful Commentary (2) description: The Friends of The Opera Blog with insightful commentary on the history of opera, specific operas, Operaphoria, and more (2) --- [Skip to content](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/page/2#main-content) [![friends-of-the-opera-logo](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hs-fs/hubfs/friends-of-the-opera-logo.png?width=105&height=100&name=friends-of-the-opera-logo.png)](https://fotogr.org/) - [Home](https://friendsoftheopera.org/) - [About](https://friendsoftheopera.org/about) - [Membership](https://friendsoftheopera.org/membership) - Events Show submenu for Events - [Opera Event Calendar](https://friendsoftheopera.org/west-michigan-opera-events) - [Trips](https://friendsoftheopera.org/trips) - [Mozart's Birthday Party](https://friendsoftheopera.org/mozart-birthday-party) - Education Show submenu for Education - [Blog](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog) - [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/arias-and-insights) - [What is Opera?](https://friendsoftheopera.org/what-is-opera) - [Contact](https://friendsoftheopera.org/contact) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Home](https://friendsoftheopera.org/) - [About](https://friendsoftheopera.org/about) - [Membership](https://friendsoftheopera.org/membership) - Events Show submenu for Events - [Opera Event Calendar](https://friendsoftheopera.org/west-michigan-opera-events) - [Trips](https://friendsoftheopera.org/trips) - [Mozart's Birthday Party](https://friendsoftheopera.org/mozart-birthday-party) - Education Show submenu for Education - [Blog](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog) - [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/arias-and-insights) - [What is Opera?](https://friendsoftheopera.org/what-is-opera) - [Contact](https://friendsoftheopera.org/contact) # The Opera Blog Everything from the history of opera, specific performances, fun facts, *Arias and Insights*publications, and more. [![](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hubfs/Magic%20Flute.jpg)](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/the-magic-flute-by-mozart) [The Met: Live in HD](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/the-met-live-in-hd), [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/arias-and-insights) ## [The Magic Flute by Mozart — Light, Darkness, and the Triumph of Harmony](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/the-magic-flute-by-mozart) [Friends of The Opera](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/author/friends-of-the-opera) Dec 6, 2024 8:02:51 AM A Fairytale for the Soul It begins, as many tales do, with a young man lost in the woods—fleeing a s... [Read Full Post](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/the-magic-flute-by-mozart) [![](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hubfs/Tosca.jpg)](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tosca-by-puccini) [The Met: Live in HD](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/the-met-live-in-hd), [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/arias-and-insights) ## [Tosca by Puccini — Love, Faith, and Fury in the Shadow of Rome](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tosca-by-puccini) [Friends of The Opera](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/author/friends-of-the-opera) Nov 22, 2024 2:32:12 PM The Sound of Revolution The church bells of Rome toll softly at dawn. A painter kneels in prayer, a ... [Read Full Post](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tosca-by-puccini) [![Grounded by Jeanine Tesori](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hubfs/Grounded_024-s.webp)](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/grounded-jeanine-tesori) [The Met: Live in HD](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/the-met-live-in-hd), [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/arias-and-insights) ## [Grounded by Jeanine Tesori — When the Skies Close In](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/grounded-jeanine-tesori) [Friends of The Opera](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/author/friends-of-the-opera) Oct 18, 2024 6:11:37 AM The Silence After the Sky The first sound in Grounded isn’t a trumpet’s fanfare or a jet’s roar—it’s... [Read Full Post](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/grounded-jeanine-tesori) [![La Rondine, by Puccini](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hubfs/hoffmann.jpg)](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/les-contes-d-hoffmann-by-offenbach) [The Met: Live in HD](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/the-met-live-in-hd), [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/arias-and-insights) ## [Les Contes d’Hoffmann by Offenbach — The Poet’s Haunted Reflections](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/les-contes-d-hoffmann-by-offenbach) [Friends of The Opera](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/author/friends-of-the-opera) Oct 3, 2024 8:29:22 AM Opening: The Poet and His Shadows A poet walks into a tavern, already tipsy on nostalgia. His name i... [Read Full Post](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/les-contes-d-hoffmann-by-offenbach) [![La Rondine, by Puccini](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hubfs/Madama%20Butterfly%20Met%20Poster.jpg)](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/madama-butterfly-by-puccini) [The Met: Live in HD](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/the-met-live-in-hd), [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/arias-and-insights) ## [Madama Butterfly by Puccini — Love, Illusion, and the Echo of a Distant Shore](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/madama-butterfly-by-puccini) [Friends of The Opera](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/author/friends-of-the-opera) May 10, 2024 2:20:02 PM Opening Scene: The Sound of Hope It begins in sunlight. Nagasaki glows with the restless shimmer of ... [Read Full Post](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/madama-butterfly-by-puccini) [![](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hubfs/metropolitan-opera-new-york.jpg)](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/the-met-live-in-hd-2024-25-schedule) [The Met: Live in HD](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/the-met-live-in-hd) ## [The Met: Live in HD 2024-25 Schedule](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/the-met-live-in-hd-2024-25-schedule) [Friends of The Opera](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/author/friends-of-the-opera) Apr 16, 2024 12:42:18 PM Join Friends of the Opera for another exciting season at The Met: Live in HD. [Read Full Post](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/the-met-live-in-hd-2024-25-schedule) [![La Rondine, by Puccini](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hubfs/La%20Rondine%20Met%20Poster.jpg)](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/la-rondine-by-puccini) [The Met: Live in HD](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/the-met-live-in-hd), [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/arias-and-insights) ## [La Rondine by Puccini — Flight Toward Freedom](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/la-rondine-by-puccini) [Friends of The Opera](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/author/friends-of-the-opera) Apr 16, 2024 12:26:55 PM The Dream of a Different Life It begins not with thunder or tragedy, but with a sigh — the kind of s... [Read Full Post](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/la-rondine-by-puccini) [![Romeo et Juliette](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hubfs/Romeo%20et%20Juliette%20Met%20Poster.jpg)](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/gounods-romeo-et-juliette) [The Met: Live in HD](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/the-met-live-in-hd), [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/arias-and-insights) ## [Roméo et Juliette by Gounod — Love’s Final Breath, Set to Song](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/gounods-romeo-et-juliette) [Friends of The Opera](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/author/friends-of-the-opera) Mar 21, 2024 8:30:43 PM A Prelude to Passion If ever two lovers were doomed to sing their way into eternity, it was Romeo an... [Read Full Post](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/gounods-romeo-et-juliette) [![](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hubfs/La%20Forza%20del%20Destino%20Met%20Poster.jpg)](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/la-forza-del-destino-by-verdi) [The Met: Live in HD](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/the-met-live-in-hd), [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/arias-and-insights) ## [La Forza del Destino by Verdi — Fate, Faith, and the Fragile Heart](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/la-forza-del-destino-by-verdi) [Friends of The Opera](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/author/friends-of-the-opera) Mar 8, 2024 2:07:02 PM The Weight of Fate Few operas embody the inescapable power of destiny quite like Giuseppe Verdi’s La... [Read Full Post](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/la-forza-del-destino-by-verdi) [![](https://friendsoftheopera.org/hubfs/Carmen%20Met%20Poster.jpg)](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/arias-and-insights-carmen-by-bizet) [The Met: Live in HD](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/the-met-live-in-hd), [Arias and Insights](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/tag/arias-and-insights) ## [Arias and Insights: Carmen by Bizet — Freedom, Fate, and the Fire Within](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/arias-and-insights-carmen-by-bizet) [Friends of The Opera](https://friendsoftheopera.org/blog/author/friends-of-the-opera) Jan 23, 2024 8:06:06 PM A Flame That Refuses to Die From the first glint of sunlight on the dusty Seville square to the fina... 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