Famous Operas

About Famous Operas

Famous Operas is a free general knowledge quiz with 15 multiple-choice questions with a mix of 7 medium, 4 easy, 4 hard questions. From tragic love stories to comedic farces, test your knowledge of the world's greatest operas! A typical run takes about 7 minutes, hints are always one tap away, and your streak ticks up the first time you finish a game on a given day.

A few sample questions

1. 1. Which Verdi opera is set in ancient Egypt and features the 'Triumphal March'?

   Answer: Aida

   'Aida' (1871) was commissioned for the opening of the Cairo Opera House (though it actually premiered there in 1871). The story of an Ethiopian princess enslaved in Egypt features some of Verdi's grandest music.

2. 2. Puccini's 'Madama Butterfly' is set in which country?

   Answer: Japan

   'Madama Butterfly' (1904) tells the tragic story of Cio-Cio-San, a young Japanese woman who marries an American naval officer in Nagasaki. Her aria 'Un bel dì' is one of opera's most beloved.

3. 3. In Mozart's 'The Magic Flute,' what kind of creature is Papageno seeking throughout the opera?

   Answer: A wife

   Papageno, the comic bird-catcher in 'The Magic Flute' (1791), desperately wants to find a wife. He eventually meets his match in Papagena, and their duet 'Pa-Pa-Pa-Papagena!' is a delightful highlight.

4. 4. Wagner's 'The Flying Dutchman' tells the story of a ship captain cursed to do what?

   Answer: Sail the seas forever until redeemed by faithful love

   'The Flying Dutchman' (1843) follows a captain condemned to sail forever unless he can find a woman faithful unto death. It was one of Wagner's first major operatic successes.

5. 5. Verdi's 'Rigoletto' features the famous tenor aria 'La donna è mobile.' What does this title mean?

   Answer: The woman is fickle

   'La donna è mobile' means 'Woman is fickle.' Sung by the Duke of Mantua in 'Rigoletto' (1851), it is one of the most recognizable melodies in all of opera. Ironically, the Duke himself is the fickle one.

Things you'll learn along the way

• ✓'Tosca' (1900) is a dramatic thriller set in 1800 Rome. The singer Tosca, her lover the painter Cavaradossi, and the evil Chief of Police Baron Scarpia are caught in a web of love, politics, and murder.
• ✓The 'Hallelujah Chorus' from Handel's 'Messiah' (1741) is one of the most famous choral works ever written. Tradition holds that King George II stood during its premiere, causing everyone to stand, a custom continued today.
• ✓'Pagliacci' (1892) tells of a traveling theater troupe. The jealous Canio, playing the clown Pagliaccio, kills his unfaithful wife during their commedia dell'arte performance, blurring the line between art and reality.