Opera, according to Thomas Zupko, is inspired by Peter Greenaway's Prospero's Books, which in turn is based on William Shakespeare's The Tempest. The movie contains many of the themes that are present in Shakespeare's plays, especially tragedy and betrayal, but it is in no way just a porno version of either production, nor does it really resemble either production. It is its own film, which contains a full story and has been excellently put together and is a shining example that nastier, rough sex can work within a feature film. The Shakespearian influence is obvious when watching the film, but if Zupko hadn't said that is was inspired on Prospero's Books, I never would have noticed. Viewers that don't like porn with a plot or nasty rough sex will probably want to pass on this title. Everyone else should give it a try, as even if the sex scenes don't quite work for you, the rest of the film is worth watching.