Behind the Scenes
Behind the Scenes
A passion for our art form
Here at The NBR New Zealand Opera we're passionate about our art form. At the heart of it all is our belief in the ability of opera to tell human stories with power and beauty.
We invite you to join us in sharing that passion. Find out more about what's going on behind the scenes - from our acclaimed Chorus, to our Internship and Education Outreach programmes, it's all go at the opera.
Did you know?
An English translation of the opera is projected on surtitles above the stage during our performances.
Early opera resembled the atmosphere of a race course - chatting, food, laughter and loud comments were the norm.
If you are 25 years old or under you can purchase $25 tickets at the venue box office before any performance.
The world's longest opera is Wagner's The Ring Cycle, lasting over 14 hours plus intervals. That's 18 hours at the theatre.
The world's longest applause lasted for 1 hour and 20 minutes as a standing ovation. The opera: Otello starring Placido Domingo.
On average, an opera will last between 2 and 3 hours, with one interval in a two act show, and two in a three act show. Operettas and musicals tend to be shorter.
NZO has launched an Opera Social Club - no joining fees, no club membership, everyone is welcome.
