An opera has a lot of elements and somehow those different elements have to work together harmoniously — libretto, music, sets, lights, costumes, props. That sounds easy, but those words represent lots of actual humans, and humans working together harmoniously? Well, that can be a mess.

The Portland Opera has put together a new summer seminar that will take you through the steps of staging an opera, from fitting music and libretto together to auditioning singers to costume conferences. The people who actually do these things for the Portland Opera will explain what they do. It will take six weeks, and it will be held at the opera’s Hampton Opera Center, south of OMSI. The class will be limited to 30, and the cost is $100. First class is July 26. Email Alexis Hamilton, who designed the course, to register: ahamilton@portlandopera.org