10 Operas You Didn’t Know You Knew

Throughout my research for my WRT111 project, I learned that (not surprisingly) most people don’t listen to opera. Classical music made up about 2% of music consumption in 2015. I think that’s a gross understatement. Opera and classical music is EVERYWHERE–whether it be full excerpts, melodies, references, or stolen plots in film, TV, advertisements, etc. More often than not, I think people just don’t realize it’s from an opera. Here’s 10 operas you’ve likely encountered in popular culture, but didn’t know you knew.

1. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo, 1892) SpongeBob Squarepants and The Simpsons are undoubtedly one of the most well known shows. Remember the episode with pretty Squidward? Yep. Click here to watch Squidward fall and to music of “Vesti la Gubba” from Pagliacci, an 1892 opera by Ruggero Leoncavallo. This opera focuses on a clown who kills his wife during a performance and spectators (who are actually the chorus of the opera #inception) think it’s part of the act. An episode of The Simpsons makes an explicit reference to this when Kusty the Clown sings the same operatic aria. (Remind you anything of the killer clowns in Stephen King’s horror film It? Or American Horror Story? All inspired by the opera that came before.) The same aria used in SpongeBob and The Simpsons has also made an appearance in an episode of Hey Arnold!  The opera’s title character is also referenced in several lyrics to several songs.
2. Guillaume Tell (Rossini, 1829) You’ll definitely recognize melodies from this opera! Music from the overture finale has been featured in various cartoons, including Mickey Mouse, Bug’s Bunny, and The Flinstones.  The words may have been parodied, but the iconic tune is unmistakable. The same music was used as the background track for a 2016 Apple MacBook Pro commercial. The overture finale and “Call to Cows” has been underscored in a long list of popular movies that you’ve probably seen before–Lone Ranger (1956 and 2013 remake), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Animal House (1978), Armageddon (1998), Toy Story 2 (1999), and The Princess Diaries (2001), just to name a few. In addition to film, this ear worm can be heard in Bugs Bunny. 
3. Orpheus in the Underworld (Offenbach, 1858) “Can-can, can you do the can-can…” ring a bell? Believe that or not, catchy tune is from an opera! The song is properly known as “The Infernal Gallop“ from Jacques Offenbach’s opera. You may recognize it from movies like Moulin Rouge, or advertisements, like this one from Shoprite.
4. The Barber of Seville (Rossini, 1813) You may recognize the overture from watching  The Muppets or this Honey Nut Cheerios commercial.  In Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Robin William’s character does a voice over of the aria “Largo al factotum della citta” from this opera. These and other excerpts from Rossini’s famed opera can be seen/heard in other films, such as Ice Age: Collision Course (2016),  Jumanji (1996), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Bad Santa (2003) and Space Jam (1996).
5. La Traviata (Verdi, 1853) Various excerpts from this opera have permeated popular culture. Perhaps the most well-known use of  “Libiamo ne’ liter calici” (aka “the drinking song” from Guiseppe Verdi’s famed La Traviata is in The Godfather (1972). Other musical excerpts made way into films such as La La Land (2016) and Pretty Woman (1990). In fact, the basis for 90s rom-com starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts as a prostitute was inspired by the opera itself– “la traviata” translates to “the fallen woman,” aka, a hooker!
6. Lakmé (Delibes, 1882) The beautiful “flower duet” (“Viens, Mallika…dome epais”) has been used frequently in advertisements, film, and TV. You may recognize the duet from episodes of The Simpsons, The Regular Show, Nip/Tuck, FRIENDS, Animaniacs, Gossip Girl, or American Horror Story. It has also been included in underscores for films such as The American President (1995), Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003), Scary Movie 5 (2013), Sex and the City (2008), Meet the Parents (2000).
7. The Magic Flute (Mozart, 1791) “Der Holle Rache kochi in meinem Herzen” (aka “The Queen of the Night” aria” may ring a bell. My personal favorite use of this opera aria in film have got to be Meryl Streep’s comical interpretation as the title role in Florence Foster Jenkins (2016). You can also hear snippets of this aria before Sandra Bullock’s character walks on stage for her her talent act in Miss Congeniality (2000).
8. Carmen (Bizet, 1875) Perhaps the most frequently used examples of opera, the “Habanera” aria (“L’amour est un oiseaux rebelle”) has been referenced everywhere from children’s shows like The Muppets and Sesame Street, cartoons like Tom and Jerry and Family Guy,  commercials for Pepsi and Doritos, plus a lengthy list of major films, including the Disney/Pixar Up (2009). You can also find this song, as well as the duet from #6, in this Tasty video.
9. Lohengrin (Wagner, 1850) If you’ve ever been to a wedding before, chances are you’ve watched the bride walk down the aisle to “The Bridal Chorus” (here comes the bride, all dressed in white…) This opera excerpt has been used in just about every wedding scene known to man. Some of the most notable examples of its use are in Beetlejuice (1988), My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), Out of Africa (1985), Spiderman 2 (2004), and White Christmas (1954).
10. Die Walküre (Wagner, 1877) Last, but certainly not least, you’ve probably heard “The Ride of The Valkyries” at one time or another. This classic has adorned the credits of movies such as Apocalypse Now (1979), Fantasia (2011), Minions (2015), and more!