Opera is the ultimate art form. It has singing and music and

Hear, O seekers of wisdom, the words of Diane Paulus: “Opera is the ultimate art form. It has singing and music and drama and dance and emotion and story.” These words resound like the echo of a great bell, summoning us to recognize the harmony of many voices woven into one eternal tapestry. In them, she names the elements that stir the soul: melody that lifts the heart, rhythm that moves the body, drama that shakes the spirit, and stories that bind us to the fate of humankind. Opera, therefore, is not merely entertainment, but a sacred vessel where the fragments of art are fused into one radiant whole.

The ancients themselves knew the power of such union. The Greeks, who gave us tragedy and comedy, sought through the stage to teach, to warn, and to exalt. In their choruses, in their masks, in their dances, all elements of the human spirit were brought together. So too is opera the heir to this tradition, a fire that burns with the combined strength of music and word, of motion and silence, of light and shadow. Where other arts may shine alone, opera shines in constellation, every star lending its light to the greater firmament.

Behold, for in history we find a living parable of this truth. In the year 1607, Claudio Monteverdi unveiled L’Orfeo, the tale of Orpheus who descended into Hades for love. The singers gave voice to his longing, the musicians gave breath to his sorrow, the drama carried his struggle, the dance gave movement to his hope. In the audience, noble lords and ladies wept as though their own beloveds had been torn from them. And why? Because in that union of music, drama, and story, the human heart found its reflection. Thus, the birth of opera was not accident but destiny, a new language to speak to the soul itself.

Yet opera is not confined to marble halls or gilded balconies. In every age, it seeks to remind us of the totality of life. It cries, it laughs, it suffers, and it triumphs. When we hear the tragic aria of Puccini’s La Bohème, we see love and poverty entwined; when we behold Wagner’s sweeping Ring Cycle, we taste the glory and doom of gods. Opera does not allow us to escape life—it compels us to face it fully, with all its terror and beauty, in a form too vast for words alone.

Consider also that in life, as in opera, we are called to weave together many strands. If we pursue only work, and neglect joy, our existence grows barren. If we chase only pleasure, and neglect duty, our days collapse in ruin. But when we unite discipline with creativity, labor with love, silence with song, then we too become like opera: whole, radiant, and unforgettable. Just as the stage brings together many arts, so too must we gather the many aspects of our lives into a harmony worthy of remembrance.

The lesson, then, is clear: let us live as opera lives. Let our voices be bold, let our stories be told, let our emotions not be shackled but given flight. Do not divide your heart into fragments, for greatness comes when all that is within you stands together as one. Seek beauty not only in the notes of music, but in the cadence of your days.

Practical wisdom flows from this truth. Attend to art, for it nourishes the spirit. Listen deeply to music, for it teaches you the language of the soul. Embrace stories, both your own and those of others, for they weave the fabric of meaning. Dance when the heart compels you, for movement is prayer in motion. And above all, live your life as if it were a stage upon which your unique song must be sung. For one day, the curtain will fall—and what remains will be the opera of your existence.

Thus, children of tomorrow, remember the words of Diane Paulus. Opera is the ultimate art form—because it is the mirror of life itself. Carry this truth into your days, and let your life be not a whisper half-forgotten, but an aria that echoes across the ages.