--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sleep is an excellent way of listening to…" description: "\"Sleep is an excellent way of listening to an opera.\" — James Stephens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/james-stephens-11194_sleep_sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-t_2104810.jpg" --- # Sleep is an excellent way of listening to an opera. ![“Sleep is an excellent way of listening to an opera.” quote by James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/james-stephens-11194_sleep_sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-t_2104810.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/james-stephens-11194_sleep_sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-t_2104810.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/james-stephens-11194_sleep_sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-t_2104810.jpg) > “Sleep is an excellent way of listening to an opera.” [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Listening to opera is likened to a deep, immersive listening experience, suggesting that music can be a profound way to engage with art. **In simple terms:** Opera can be enjoyed by listening deeply. Key Takeaway Embrace music as a listening practice. Themes art music listening immersion Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - concert attendance - personal reflection - creative inspiration Key Concepts aesthetic appreciation mindful listening Questions to Reflect On - How does listening change your perception of opera? - What emotions arise when you focus solely on sound? A Different Perspective Listening alone may miss visual storytelling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) ## Related quotes > [More people are listening to opera, and I'm happy - everybody must be given that opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/more-people-are-listening-to-opera-and-i-m-happy-everybody-must-be/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [I was nostalgic even as a young man. Preferred listening to Opera not Bing Crossby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruskin-bond/i-was-nostalgic-even-as-a-young-man-preferred-listening-to-opera-not/) [Ruskin Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruskin-bond/) > [I love to sleep. I'm an excellent, excellent sleeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-love-to-sleep-i-m-an-excellent-excellent-sleeper/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Opera once was an important social instrument - especially in Italy. With Rossini and Verdi, people were listening to opera together and having the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-berio/opera-once-was-an-important-social-instrument-especially-in-italy/) Luciano Berio > [I enjoy listening to opera at home, occasionally, but I would much rather see it than just listen to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-enjoy-listening-to-opera-at-home-occasionally-but-i-would-much/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [My horizon on humanity is enlarged by reading the writers of poems, seeing a painting, listening to some music, some opera, which has nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/my-horizon-on-humanity-is-enlarged-by-reading-the-writers-of-poems/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [I was brought up on listening to 78 rpm records from crooners to opera singers to solo piano players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denny-laine/i-was-brought-up-on-listening-to-78-rpm-records-from-crooners-to/) [Denny Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denny-laine/) > [Trust your instincts: they tend to see you right. By listening to them, at least you can sleep at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trust-your-instincts-they-tend-to-see-you-right-by-listening-to-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was a kid and my parents started talking about politics, I'd run to my room and put on the Rolling Stones as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/when-i-was-a-kid-and-my-parents-started-talking-about-politics-i-d/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I never wanted to be an opera singer. I wanted to be an actress, maybe a rock singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-opolais/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-opera-singer-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-maybe/) [Kristine Opolais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-opolais/) > [If you put together all the ingredients that naturally attract children - sex, violence, revenge, spectacle and vigorous noise - what you have is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/if-you-put-together-all-the-ingredients-that-naturally-attract/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [All My Children taught me a great work ethic; you work so hard on a soap opera! It is a good way to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-larue/all-my-children-taught-me-a-great-work-ethic-you-work-so-hard-on-a/) [Eva LaRue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-larue/) > [It takes a little more time to get into the role, but not very much more. In making a record you don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-callas/it-takes-a-little-more-time-to-get-into-the-role-but-not-very-much/) [Maria Callas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-callas/) > [I studied classical opera, so I was always singing in Italian and German and French.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wang-leehom/i-studied-classical-opera-so-i-was-always-singing-in-italian-and/) [Wang Leehom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wang-leehom/) ## More by James Stephens > [“Even the wind had ceased, and there seemed to be nothing in the world but the darkness and himself. In that gigantic blackness, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/even-the-wind-had-ceased-and-there-seemed-to-be-nothing-in-the-world/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [A Leprecaun without a pot of gold is like a rose without perfume, a bird without a wing, or an inside without an outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/a-leprecaun-without-a-pot-of-gold-is-like-a-rose-without-perfume-a/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Originality does not consist in saying what no one has ever said before, but in saying exactly what you think yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/originality-does-not-consist-in-saying-what-no-one-has-ever-said/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [The duty of a lyrical poet is not to express or explain, it is to intensify life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/the-duty-of-a-lyrical-poet-is-not-to-express-or-explain-it-is-to/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [A man and a woman may become quite intimate in a quarter of an hour. Almost certainly will they endeavour to explain themselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/a-man-and-a-woman-may-become-quite-intimate-in-a-quarter-of-an-hour/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [“The toxin generates the anti-toxin. The end lies concealed in the beginning. All bodies grow around a skeleton. Life is a petticoat about death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/the-toxin-generates-the-anti-toxin-the-end-lies-concealed-in-the/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [A sword, a spade, and a thought should never be allowed to rust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/a-sword-a-spade-and-a-thought-should-never-be-allowed-to-rust/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [“But outside of the North of Ireland there is no religious question, and in the North it is fundamentally more political than religious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/but-outside-of-the-north-of-ireland-there-is-no-religious-question/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [I hear a sudden cry of pain! There is a rabbit in a snare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/i-hear-a-sudden-cry-of-pain-there-is-a-rabbit-in-a-snare/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Tell me your past, my beloved, for a man is his past, and is to be known by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/tell-me-your-past-my-beloved-for-a-man-is-his-past-and-is-to-be-known/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Finality is death. Perfection is finality. Nothing is perfect. There are lumps in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/finality-is-death-perfection-is-finality-nothing-is-perfect-there-are/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Life runs to death as its goal, and we should go towards that next stage of experience either carelessly as to what must be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/life-runs-to-death-as-its-goal-and-we-should-go-towards-that-next/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Women and birds are able to see without turning their heads, and that is indeed a necessary provision for they are both surrounded by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/women-and-birds-are-able-to-see-without-turning-their-heads-and-that/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [Men come of age at sixty, women at fifteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/men-come-of-age-at-sixty-women-at-fifteen/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [“Curiosity will conquer fear more than bravery will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/curiosity-will-conquer-fear-more-than-bravery-will/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) [Explore all 61 James Stephens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) ## More Listening quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [“The only problem is the heart is quiet. It takes a very special kind of person to hear what the heart says. Most can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-palmieri/the-only-problem-is-the-heart-is-quiet-it-takes-a-very-special-kind/) [Suzanne Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-palmieri/) > [“Listening isn't just about being quiet. It's about listening to what is said, what is unsaid, and what is meant with your eyes, ears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drishti-bablani-wordions/listening-isn-t-just-about-being-quiet-it-s-about-listening-to-what/) [Drishti Bablani, Wordions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drishti-bablani-wordions/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [ He \[ the son\]'s grown up listening to all types of music, and the natural form of rebellion is to find the one genre… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-knowles/he-the-son-s-grown-up-listening-to-all-types-of-music-and-the-natural/) [Solange Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-knowles/) > [“Listening is an essential part of praying. Answers from the Lord come quietly—ever so quietly. In fact, few hear his answers audibly with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-burke-peterson/listening-is-an-essential-part-of-praying-answers-from-the-lord-come/) [H. Burke Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-burke-peterson/) > [Getting older doesn't help you in the fact that you might have covered some of this ground before. So you're listening to a song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-brooks/getting-older-doesn-t-help-you-in-the-fact-that-you-might-have/) [Garth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-brooks/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) Browse all 6,237 Listening quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sleep is an excellent way of listening to an opera.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Stephens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-to-an-opera/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Listening" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-to-an-opera/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/james-stephens-11194_sleep_sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-t_2104810.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/james-stephens-11194_sleep_sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-t_2104810.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/james-stephens-11194_sleep_sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-t_2104810.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sleep is an excellent way of listening to an opera.” — James Stephens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Stephens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sleep is an excellent way of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-to-an-opera/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-to-an-opera/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```