Dr Daniel Somerville (University of Worcester) looks at some of the arguments that have historically been made against opera and how they might be countered. From elitism, expense and incomprehensibility to racism, sexism and nationalism; this illustrated lecture will also look at some of the socio-political controversies present in the opera world today, such as blackface, size-ism, those ‘modern’ productions that infuriate the traditionalists. A talk with audio and visual examples for lovers and haters of opera or those who would like to know more about this fascinating art form and the debates that get blood boiling in contemporary times.