grand opera

noun

1. a serious, usually tragic, opera in which most of the text is set to music.

grand opera

noun

1. an opera that has a serious plot and is entirely in musical form, with no spoken dialogue

Word History and Origins

Origin of grand opera¹

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

Italians gave the world grand opera, and in Sinatra, Italian culture gave the world the foremost craftsman of popular song.

From The Daily Beast

Sure—the first was just fireworks—grand-opera stuff—opens up the voice, said OLeary.

From Project Gutenberg

I am 142 very conscious of this difference, and I feel as though I had started to sing aloud before a group of grand-opera stars.

From Project Gutenberg

Groener had evidently decided to make the best of the situation for he answered at once: "The grand opera house."

From Project Gutenberg

Of grand opera even the Daily Telegraph is moved to say that "the translations are in most cases literary nightmares."

From Project Gutenberg

In the evening they attended the grand opera, at the invitation of Mr. Arbuckle, and the next morning proceeded to Strasburg.

From Project Gutenberg