A Guide to the Best of Southern California : GAMES : For Opera Buffs in Pursuit of Trivia

ANSWER: Helen Gahagan Douglas. If you don’t know Carmen from “Camille,” this probably won’t interest you. But if you know the answer to the question, “What actress and member of Congress once sang with the San Francisco Opera?” (see answer above), then we’ve got a game for you. Triviata: The Opera Trivia Game, created by Stephen Jabloner, allows opera buffs to test one another on the extent of their knowledge.

Based on the principle of other popular trivia board games (answer a question to advance to the next space), Triviata ($29.95) can be played by two to six players or by teams. The game begins at Cafe Momus (where the second act of “La Boheme” starts) and ends when a player reaches Valhalla (home of the gods in Wagner’s “Ring”). Along the way, players respond to up to 1,296 questions in such categories as Female Singers, Male Singers, Lives of Opera Composers, and Opera Companies. Sample question: Which Verdi opera had its world premiere in Russia? Answer: “La Forza del Destino.”

The fabric game board rolls up so it can be toted along to “Don Giovanni” and played during intermission.

Triviata: The Opera Trivia Game is available at the Opera Shop of Los Angeles, 8384 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 658-5811.