--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Opera once was an important social…" description: "\"Opera once was an important social instrument - especially in Italy. With Rossini and Verdi, people were listening to opera together and having the sam..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/luciano-berio-70950_catharsis_opera-once-was-an-important-social-instr_2462306.png" --- # Opera once was an important social instrument - especially… ![“Opera once was an important social instrument - especially in Italy. With Rossini and Verdi, people were listening to opera together and having the same catharsis with the same story, the same moral dilemmas. They were holding hands in the darkness. That has gone. Now perhaps they are holding…” quote by Luciano Berio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/luciano-berio-70950_catharsis_opera-once-was-an-important-social-instr_2462306.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/luciano-berio-70950_catharsis_opera-once-was-an-important-social-instr_2462306.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/luciano-berio-70950_catharsis_opera-once-was-an-important-social-instr_2462306.png) > “Opera once was an important social instrument - especially in Italy. With Rossini and Verdi, people were listening to opera together and having the same catharsis with the same story, the same moral dilemmas. They were holding hands in the darkness. That has gone. Now perhaps they are holding hands watching television.” Luciano Berio ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Opera once united audiences in shared emotional experiences; now that communal feeling is shifted to television. **In simple terms:** Opera used to bring people together; now TV does that. Key Takeaway Recognize new communal media spaces. Themes community shared experience media evolution opera television Mood reflective nostalgic Type analytical critical When to use this quote - musical appreciation - social bonding Key Concepts concert halls living rooms digital streaming Questions to Reflect On - Can TV replicate opera’s emotional depth? - How does media change communal rituals? A Different Perspective The communal aspect may be diluted by screen distractions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Catharsis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catharsis/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Dilemma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dilemma/) [Holding hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding-hands/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral dilemma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-dilemma/) [Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Verdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verdi/) [Watching television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watching-television/) ## Related quotes > [Some people think that culture is overhyped and peripheral. A season of opera is less important than the refurbishment of a school, they say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/some-people-think-that-culture-is-overhyped-and-peripheral-a-season/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [Opera is one of the most important art forms. It should be listened to and appreciated by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/opera-is-one-of-the-most-important-art-forms-it-should-be-listened-to/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Sleep is an excellent way of listening to an opera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stephens/sleep-is-an-excellent-way-of-listening-to-an-opera/) [James Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stephens/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [The first characteristic of Rossini's music is speed - a speed which removes from the soul all the sombre emotions that are so powerfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/the-first-characteristic-of-rossini-s-music-is-speed-a-speed-which/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [ “For all his claims to be just a propagandist, \[Bernard Shaw's\] writing has an effect nearer to that of music than most of those… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/for-all-his-claims-to-be-just-a-propagandist-bernard-shaw-s-writing/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [“Mr. Rossini had about twelve different kinds of sublime and about 150 kinds of ridiculous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-david/mr-rossini-had-about-twelve-different-kinds-of-sublime-and-about-150/) Ron David > [“Although he lived the last thirty-nine years of his life as a revered cultural icon in Paris, Rossini would eat only pasta from Italy—and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-he-lived-the-last-thirty-nine-years-of-his-life-as-a-revered/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Bach is a colossus of Rhodes, beneath whom all musicians pass and will continue to pass. Mozart is the most beautiful, Rossini the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-gounod/bach-is-a-colossus-of-rhodes-beneath-whom-all-musicians-pass-and-will/) [Charles Gounod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-gounod/) > [It's a dream come true, and with this music, with this Rossini, it's unbelievable how to express the joy and express the joy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-bartoli/it-s-a-dream-come-true-and-with-this-music-with-this-rossini-it-s/) [Cecilia Bartoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-bartoli/) > [Rossini would have been a great composer if his teacher had spanked him enough on his backside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-van-beethoven/rossini-would-have-been-a-great-composer-if-his-teacher-had-spanked/) [Ludwig van Beethoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-van-beethoven/) > [After Rossini dies, who will be there to promote his music?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-van-beethoven/after-rossini-dies-who-will-be-there-to-promote-his-music/) [Ludwig van Beethoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-van-beethoven/) > [I always had a feeling, for example, that there should be something from Verdi's "Requiem" in the film. You hear it when you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-always-had-a-feeling-for-example-that-there-should-be-something/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) ## More by Luciano Berio > [Music is everything that one listens to with the intention of listening to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-berio/music-is-everything-that-one-listens-to-with-the-intention-of/) Luciano Berio > [The relation between practical and spiritual spheres in music is obvious, if only because it demands ears, finger, consciousness and intellect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-berio/the-relation-between-practical-and-spiritual-spheres-in-music-is/) Luciano Berio > [In music, as I find myself forever saying, things don't get better or worse: they evolve and transform themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-berio/in-music-as-i-find-myself-forever-saying-things-don-t-get-better-or/) Luciano Berio Explore all 4 Luciano Berio quotes ## More Catharsis quotes > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself . . . with incidents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/a-tragedy-is-the-imitation-of-an-action-that-is-serious-and-also-as/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Music is my catharsis for that. It's an incredible blessing that I have this way of expressing myself through music and lyric, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbra/music-is-my-catharsis-for-that-it-s-an-incredible-blessing-that-i/) [Kimbra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbra/) > [This living, this living, this living Was never a project of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/this-living-this-living-this-living-was-never-a-project-of-mine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It's difficult to define catharsis. But I think that only those who acknowledge and respond to unseen worlds and energies can harness the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyon-gyon/it-s-difficult-to-define-catharsis-but-i-think-that-only-those-who/) [Hyon Gyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyon-gyon/) > [Good practice, everyone," Rusty said at last. "Light on the actual learning, heavy on the emotional catharsis, and thanks to Jared I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/good-practice-everyone-rusty-said-at-last-light-on-the-actual/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Rarely is the pain of losing someone expressed with such directness, energy, and, yes, humor. The grief in Evan Kuhlman'sWolf Boyis palpable, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orner/rarely-is-the-pain-of-losing-someone-expressed-with-such-directness/) [Peter Orner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-orner/) > [I thought music could take you to a place where you didn't even feel ownership of it, you just felt lucky you were there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-schultz/i-thought-music-could-take-you-to-a-place-where-you-didn-t-even-feel/) [Wesley Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-schultz/) > [My view of actors is that basically they're all harmless lunatics who'd be on the psychiatrist's couch, except that we get this sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/my-view-of-actors-is-that-basically-they-re-all-harmless-lunatics-who/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [Knowing about comedy has helped me with the drama. To see people laugh, it's like there are moments of catharsis in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-coogan/knowing-about-comedy-has-helped-me-with-the-drama-to-see-people-laugh/) [Steve Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-coogan/) > [I still wrestle with the catharsis of acting. I don't end up playing a lot of likable characters, so I find myself living in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ransone/i-still-wrestle-with-the-catharsis-of-acting-i-don-t-end-up-playing-a/) [James Ransone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ransone/) > [ Was there happiness at the end \[of the movie\], they wanted to know. If someone were to ask me today whether the story of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/was-there-happiness-at-the-end-of-the-movie-they-wanted-to-know-if/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end…crisis or catharsis, moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis (nomads).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/life-goes-on-unmindful-of-beginning-end-crisis-or-catharsis-moving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [The thing should have plot and character, beginning, middle and end. Arouse pity and then have a catharsis. Those were the best principles I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/the-thing-should-have-plot-and-character-beginning-middle-and-end/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“That's what it is. That's what my morning was like: all these real physical heavy positive vibrations, the soul of this tape. The fuzzy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/that-s-what-it-is-that-s-what-my-morning-was-like-all-these-real/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) [Browse all 112 Catharsis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catharsis/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Opera once was an important social instrument - especially in Italy. With Rossini and Verdi, people were listening to opera together and having the same catharsis with the same story, the same moral dilemmas. They were holding hands in the darkness. That has gone. 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