Enrico Caruso was told by one of his teachers that he had absolutely no talent whatsoever.

Talent? What's that? Who's the judge? Anyone's degree of talent is an inherently subjective matter, especially given that there are those who don't believe that talent exists in the first place. A good teacher can help you to improve regardless of talent (whatever that is). I won't tell you you can go sing at the Met next week, or even be a professional opera singer, but there are lots of opportunities to get on stage and sing. You see, opera is not a vocal technique, it is a type of piece. You may, with whatever degree of training (or lack thereof) you have sing whatever style of music you like. This may not answer the question in the way you expected, but it asks that you alter your expectations. If you enjoy singing "La donna e mobile," then certainly, you can sing it. You may not sing it in a way that some would consider to be good, but if you are gaining enjoyment from it, then other considerations matter little. Traditionally, the singing of opera requires certain skills which can be taught. One of the components of the normal skillset, for instance, is ability to sing in a variety of langugaes, in particular, French, German, Italian and English. Proper diction in these languages can be taught. There is also a set of stylistic considerations, known as performance practice, which goes along with the singing of operatic styles. Performance practice can be taught. Good musicianship and a good sense of pitch are also necessary, and can also be improved through teaching. There is a certain vocal style, or rather a certain set of vocal styles, associated with the singing of opera. These styles demand a certain amount of resonanace and a command of proper, traditionally taught vocal technique. To some degree, the vocal sound often associated with the singing of opera is a function of the construction of your vocal instrument, which is inalterable. To some degree, it is a function of your age, as well. These considerations, obviously, cannot be taught. Through training, however, your voice can be improved. In terms of expectation, though, this is the sticky point. If you have a preconception of a certain sound you music achieve in order to sing opera (or whatever style of music you wish to sing), you will almost invariably be disappointed, as that preconception is not likely to be based on the sound of your own voice, but the sound of others. At best, your sound will not match those of other singers, but at worst, you will injure your voice trying to make that happen. As there are certain inalterable considerations, it is impossible to determine in advance whether or not a singer will be able to become a professional opera singer. So, the best course of action is to sing what you enjoy while exploring, with a good teacher, what your voice can do. Through study, you may find that your voice is more apropriate for certain styles than for others. As you do so, you should alter your expectations and goals to suit what you can realistically do. You may find yourself able to sing professionally as a lyric soprano in Mozart, but not a Wagnerian soprano. You might find that you are able to sing in a non-professional community opera company, or you might just get more comfortable singing cavatinas in the kitchen. So yes, to some extent, you can be taught to sing opera. -EdM.

Talent helps...but even the most talented singers have to work hard to maximise their sound.