British People Find The Opera ‘Too Posh’, Study Finds

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A study has found millions of people in Britain have never been to see the opera because they consider it ‘too posh’ and ‘too long’.

People who took part in the poll said they ‘don’t know when to clap’ and have a fear over when it is acceptable to go to the toilet, and have no idea what they would even wear.

The performance ‘being full of words which are difficult to understand’ is also a major stumbling block, apparently.

Two thirds of the people who took part in the study for radio station Classic Fm said they simply ‘weren’t into opera’, while 30 per cent felt it was ‘too expensive’.

Half of those polled said they couldn’t name a single opera singer, and just one in five recognised Pavarotti. More than half even said they ‘wouldn’t dream’ of watching the opera if it was on television.

Sam Jackson, Classic FM’s managing editor, said:

Despite Classic FM’s success in democratising classical music since our inception 25 years ago, opera is still viewed as elitist and we want to dispel that myth.

Our research shows that while people worry that opera might be dull and too intellectual for them, many would love to go. That’s why we’ve created these ‘opera shorts’, making the storylines accessible and appealing to a modern audience.

Classic FM has modernised three of the best-known operas, Carmen, La Bohème and The Barber of Seville, creating three short animated films, narrated by Johnny Vaughan.

The 30-second ‘opera shorts’ are designed to break down some of the perceived barriers to this classical art form, making the storylines more accessible to a contemporary audience.

Vaughan said:

There are some fantastic operatic storylines which have more drama, romance and intrigue than a whole hour of Brexit negotiations.

Alright I’m exaggerating a bit, but it’s important to cut through the stereotypes that surround classical music and opera and give people the chance to enjoy it, which is why the ‘opera shorts’ trilogy is such a great idea.

The study of 2,000 adults by OnePoll.com found of the people who had sat through an opera, one in ten felt nervous, self-conscious and like they didn’t fit in.

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So what would make people go? People would be more likely to consider a night at the opera if ticket prices were cheaper or if it was translated into English.

One in ten said they loved the idea of a blockbuster show at London’s O2 Arena.

14 per cent said they would like to see modern-day dramas Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones made into shows and one in ten would even like to see ‘I Griffin’, the Family Guy opera.

Just give it a go, you never know!

UNILAD