MUMBAI: While India is still waking up to different genres of music apart from Bollywood or ‘pop’ music, Opera is not a completely alien concept. Historically, Indians have seen narratives weaved in music. However, the western style of Opera has a limited audience. Patricia Rozario, Order of British Empire (OBE), shares her thoughts when asked if Indian can enjoy Opera, “Yes, of course. The singing, dancing, romance, comedy/tragedy in an opera is something that all Indians love.  It just happens to be in a different style of music and different languages.  These days we have subtitles in English so everyone can understand exactly what's being sung.”

Opera within itself has many subsects; comic opera being one. Patrica, a veteran in Opera explains the genre of Comic opera, “A comic opera should make you laugh.  The story has some eccentric characters and it may poke fun at some others.  The music also tends to be lively and witty.  For example, in the opera a curse has been cast upon a town and all faithful lovers are sacrificed to a monster once a year.  Hence our couples keep changing partners so as not to become the victims. You will have to come and see the opera to find out how this situation is resolved.”

To experience the comic opera, Patrica, herself a performer at English Operas curated a Comic Opera along with her husband Mark Troop, happening at the Royal Opera House currently, “I won't be performing this time at the Royal Opera House but a group of singers and instrumentalists that Giving Voice Society has brought together will be performing the Opera on the 1 to 3 August. We are very fortunate that the Maharajah and Maharani of Gondal have renovated and refurbished this amazing Opera House.  It is a beautiful gift to the people of Mumbai and India and I get a thrill everytime I step into the building.  This year GVS is collaborating with the Royal Opera House to put on Haydn's comic opera La Fedelta Premiata (Loyalty Rewarded).”

Indian audiences need to go beyond the Bollywood and ‘Pop’ music to discover other forms too, Patrica resonates, “Education improves one's understanding and appreciation of any subject, and the same holds for music. If you study the ragas and listen to Indian music, you can then appreciate the performance of Indian artist much better. The more one listens to music, the more one is able to enjoy the artistry of the performer.” 

She shares her personal likes for music too, “I spend so much time working on classical music that I like to have silence when I'm not working. But I do like listening to Jazz when I can.”

To experience Comic Opera in its true style, catch the on-going Comic Opera by Joseph Haydn at

Where: The Royal Opera House

When: 2 and 3 August

Time: 7 pm Onward

Price: Rs 300 onward