Haider Rashid’s documentary is a journey into the world of Italian rap through a cinematic portrait of five artists: Clementino, Gué Pequeno, Damage, Torment, and Elio Germano, actor and rapper in the Bestierare group. Haider takes us on a 20 year trip (1994-2014) that reveals the variety and complexity of this vibrant musical genre. The focus is on the musicians' raw creativity: their commitment, their passion, and their desire to become artistic masters of rhyme. Rashid traces the musical inspirations for each of the performers. Clementino’s parents worked in the theater and he was greatly influenced by footage of jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie playing “Salt Peanuts.” We see Torment playing in an old abandoned train station that he and other musicians were instrumental in re-opening. Some of the artists are more political, rapping against right-wing politicians and limited economic opportunity, while others just pursue their own unique sound. Rashid weaves interviews with the musicians with vibrant concert footage that captures the experience so fully that we can smell the sweat of bodies pressed together and feel the throbbing pulse of the bass. Street Opera paints an intimate portrait of an art form in which poetry and music mix, and rappers care about their fans and their community. Winner of the 2015 Rome Film Festival Alice Nella Città Award.