The first rule in opera is the first rule in life: see to everything yourself.
Nellie Melba
This is not a rock opera. This is not Tommy. I can write songs that emote, and that's it.
John Mellencamp
The opera is to music what a bawdy house is to a cathedral.
H. L. Mencken
Of all the noises known to man, opera is the most expensive.
Moliere
There was always dance in opera until people forgot to keep it going.
Mark Morris