Or: I'll Bet You Never Heard Of Ariadne Auf Naxos, Either

AS EVERYONE KNOWS it is the subtle and understated art, the shunning of spectacular display, both visually and aurally, the fidelity to the artistic vision of the poet and composer, the serious and sober professionalism of the performers, the singers, the cast, the musicians and, most of all the conductor, the studied and complete unwillingness of the set designers and costumers and cosmeticians to draw attention away from the artistic core of the work, and, most of all, the utter sophistication and seriousness of the audience, their total unwillingness to intrude on the artistic presentation that has rendered the world of opera absolutely bullet-proof to  broad parody and mockery.  

As the great soprano Birgit Nilsson said when asked if the masses of flowing red hair on the head of that other great soprano, Joan Sutherland, were real, "I don't know, I haven't pulled it yet."

I'll bet you thought the Three Tenors tour was the height of high art, didn't you.