Passion, Power, and Politics in London’s Opera Houses

For the culture lover, visiting operas in London is a must in their bucket list. Not only does opera enrich one’s knowledge of history, but it also keeps you abreast with performances that have earned global recognition.

Opera is also noted for its themes of passion, power, and politics. An exhibit near Mowbray Court Hotel explores the beginnings of opera, and its reflection of a vanity-obsessed society. Spanning over 400 years of opera history, the London exhibit features various sketches, designs, illustrations, and costumes worn in each notable opera.

First in the exhibition is an opera staged in Venice back in 1642 – a scandalous libretto entitled L’incorononazione di Poppea. The opera singers wore elaborate costumes in rich velvet, which is typical of the period.

The next series of pictures and artifacts show an opera in 1711 London, where Handel’s famous Rinaldo was performed in a sweeping combination of dazzling neo-classical costumes, art, design, theater, and music.

The exhibit also features Mozart’s Le Nozze de Figaro, which was performed in 1787. It also displays costumes which were considered high fashion during the period – a real delight for opera lovers, theater goers, costume designers, and tourists.

The last notable part of the exhibit is Strauss’s Salome, which created a stir in 1905 because of its strong themes of politics and sex. During this time, cultural views have become liberal, and the art movement Expressionism has gained more followers and students.

Visiting the exhibit and watching operas around London can help fill the gaps between each decade and satiate your curiosity. The sketches and costumes in the exhibit show how society could be too obsessed with looks. Opera is more than a performance; it’s a semiotic and mimetic representation of a society’s culture.

Operas in London are a must-see. They provide a breath of fresh air and a break from the usual tourist spots such as skating rinks and museums. If you want “smart entertainment”, operas are the best option. Some of the operas to be performed during the first quarter of 2018 are Salome, La Boheme, Cavalleria Rusticana, Iolanthe, Rigoletto, Tosca, and Satyagraha. They are mostly shown in theaters around budget hotels in Central London.

Catch the exhibit and operas as soon as you can. You can book in budget hotels Kensington so you don’t have to travel far. Buy tickets early so you can plan your other trips in advance. No city beats London when it comes to theatrical shows brimming with passion, politics, and power play!


Si prega di attivare i Javascript! / Please turn on Javascript!

Javaskripta ko calu karem! / Bitte schalten Sie Javascript!

S'il vous plaît activer Javascript! / Por favor, active Javascript!

Qing dakai JavaScript! / Qing dakai JavaScript!

Пожалуйста включите JavaScript! / Silakan aktifkan Javascript!