grand-opera

Not only does everyone in the cast act impressively well, but most of the singing is colloquial in tone, and the score has been heavily cut in order to prune away its grand-opera excesses.

The Church on Catfish Row Terry Teachout 2011

His chief predecessor in the world of operetta, Jacques Offenbach, often parodied grand-opera composers simply by quoting them.

Gilbert & Sullivan, Parody's Patresfamilias Barrymore Laurence Scherer 2011

New York As presented by New York City Opera, Samuel Barber's "Vanessa" (1958) had the feeling of a grand-opera imitation -- a well-crafted, but rather chilly exercise.

An Updated and Ravishing 'Giulio Cesare' 2007

I have tried to give a sense of the grand-opera effect of the street scene, but I have record of only one passage such as one often sees in Italy where moments of the street are always waiting for transfer to the theater.

Familiar Spanish Travels 2004

Caiques similar to your own are darting about in all directions, following, passing or meeting you, until at length you reach your destination, indicated by the crowd of caiques tied up there, like cabs on a grand-opera night waiting for their customers.

Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 11, No. 25, April, 1873 Various

Happened to be grand-opera night, and she wore a necklace made of some of Banks 'nuggets.

The Rim of the Desert Ada Woodruff Anderson

AUNT MARY (visiting in the city) -- "I want to hear at least one of your famous grand-opera singers and then see some of your leading actors."

More Toasts Marion Dix [Editor] Mosher

But there are grades in killers, just as there are in singers; and the men in that cellar were not in the grand-opera class, the class that collects diamonds and expensive limousines.

The Saint in Action Charteris, Leslie 1937

Stella Wing, who would have been a grand-opera star except for her drive to know everything about language.

Masters of Space Robert Lee [Illustrator] Berry 1925

Julie is very prettily fond of me; they like to give a big tea, two or three times a winter, and have me in evidence, or Lillian likes to have me plan theatricals, or manage amateur grand-opera for her.

Saturday's Child Kathleen Thompson Norris 1923