The Italian word opera means "work", both in the sense of the labour done and the result produced. The Italian word stems from the Latin opera, a singular noun meaning "work" as well as the plural of the noun opus.
Opera refers to a type of theatre in which music has a leading role and the parts are taken by singers. However, it is different from musical theater.
Opera consists of a number of performing arts, such as acting, scenery, costume, and sometimes dance or ballet.
