Farinelli

So I had no idea who Farinelli was until I wiki-ed it. I have never really listened to opera before so it was definitely a new experience to try to do so.
I listened to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqjZ2saNoNE .
Even though I did not have the foggiest idea what was going on, the presence of the dove gave me a little indication of what was going on. Doves usually symbolize peace/love and appeared to make the crowd connect with the singer so I'm guessing the song was about his underlying love for opera.

Edit: After I realized that the Farinelli link was on Blackboard, I read the article and was a little disturbed by the fact he was even castrated. Castration is really crazy considering the time period and medical and sanitary materials available. I really appreciate the stage and the use of lighting to create ambiance in the opera and really making it an experience.