Fandom of the Opera

I want to learn about Opera.
Like, i want to take a class on how to understand and appreciate it.
I'm not saying that I enjoy the sound of Opera.
(is "opera" capitalized? I feel like it's respectful to capitalize it.)
Although I honestly do enjoy Andrea Bocelli.
But he's not opera, he's an opera singer.
He's a gorgeous singer. Well, not him. But his singing. It's seriously beautiful. Stirring.

And though Opera music itself might not be, um, enjoyable, per se, I deeply admire the passion and talent that goes into it.
The fact that it's this whole other world intrigues me.
There's SO much that goes into it. So much passion.
It's a type creativity that I've never explored.
I love all things creative. That's what moves me.
And this seems like such a different type of creativity that I must learn about it!

It's mysterious to me why it seems like only rich, hoidy-toidy types enjoy opera.
Why is that?
Because they're the only ones that are intelligent enough to understand it?
or Because they're the only ones rich enough to afford it?
and WHY is going to the opera expensive? are there that maybe people dying to get in and see it?

But the thing that intrigues me the most about opera is the history.
It has a deep, rich, beautiful history, and I want to learn more.
Was it really the pop music of the time? Is that what people would have listened to their chariots?
Opera is so old. I want to know more. I want to understand.
Where did it come from? How did it evolve?
How did it get so elaborate? How did people learn to sing like that?
I want to know the plot lines for the major operas like Madame Butterfly and...and...Aida? Is that one? I don't know. heck, I want to learn names of Operas! Ha ha!
I want to understand the intricacy that goes into it, the preparation.

and after i learn about opera: ballet. what's the deal with ballet? I want to study it.

So I need to see if I can find a class like that and if it would even count for any credits that I need. The older I get, the more I find that I want to take classes to actually learn, not just to get credit. That's kinda lame, isn't it? Learning is for suckers!