An idiot's Guide to Opera

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 9:35pm

What opera would you suggest to someone who does not like Opera but really wants to try to like it, and why would you choose it?

Updated On: 12/15/04 at 09:35 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 9:37pm

Umm...hmm... I would say start with something that you're vaguely familiar with. Like, you know Rent, so why not try La Boheme by Puccini?

Or if you're familiar with Miss Saigon, why not try Madame Butterfly?

Or Aida by Verdi, if you're familiar with the musical.

At least this way, you go in vaguely knowing the storyline.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:06pm

A good productuon of Verdi's AIDA will make you an opera fan.

Especially if you are a fan of the John/Rice work.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:07pm

I would suggest anything by Mozart, Verdi or Puccini.

Avoid any German or Russian operas at first.

Avoid any English-language or contemporary operas at first as well. They are likely to seem less exciting to you than a musical.

Listen to the score or read the libretto beforehand. The more familiar you are with the story and the music, the more you're likely to enjoy it.

Let the music wash over you--the orchestra is larger and more lush than at a musical, and the music is very involved in the storytelling.

Have an overpriced drink at intermission. Opera goes well with wine.

Updated On: 12/15/04 at 11:07 PM

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:13pm

I'm still trying to stomach German opera myself, but I'm an opera newbie...

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:15pm

I only know the basics they teach in musical theory and history.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:18pm

Interesting.

Having had some exposure to opera, I came to NYC not having seen any opera production. I knew of CARMEN, and LA BOHEME, and knew some of the opera hits, even had some highlight recordings. A friend was a huge opera fan, and I asked him a similar question. His reply? Strauss' DER ROSENKAVALIER. "German opera?" Ugh!

Well, I went to the Met, sat in the top tier for, I think, $18 bucks, or was it $8? Whatever the price, I listened and was enchanted and fell in love.

Glorious music, comedic and wistful story.

This is easily one of the most accessible operas for early exposure, in my opinion.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:23pm

Strauss is certainly more accessible than Wagner.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:24pm

Wagner = Valkyrie or am I wrong?

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:32pm

You're not wrong. Wagner involved Valkyries.

[marincrazy11]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:33pm

no you are right type! I would also recommend Rigoletto. I just saw an amazing production here at the Detroit Opera House. God I love that place. My first opera was Madame Butterfly, same place, and it was fabulous as well and I loved it. I'd highly recommend either or both of them. Wagner is crazy! You might also enjoy The Barber of Seville and Il Travatore. There's another one lingering in my head but I just can't think of the title right now. I'll think of it later.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:34pm

Yavoll.

Der Ring des Nibelungen

Wagner, the father of all movie music.

Der Ring, the basis of the LORD OF THE RINGS

This is glorious music, dear friends. Make no mistake.

Don't worry about understanding it. Just let the music transport you.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:36pm

Good point you brought up, Jose, because I was going to ask you guys, do you think it's necessary to understand the words and the story of the opera before hand in order to enjoy it when you watch it? I've only studied the history and technical elements of the operas, but I've never seen one live.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:40pm

Yes, Jose', Rosenkavalier is an unusally gentle and melodic opera for the Germans in general and Richard Strauss in particular, so, yes, I would agree with you. But Spider probably shouldn't make any other Richard Strauss opera (Salome, Die Frau Ohne Schatten) his first.

Johann Strauss, on the other hand (no relation), wrote wonderful waltzes and comedy numbers, and his Fledermaus can a lot of fun, especially at holiday time, when they have special surprise guests in the second-act party scene.

And Cookie--I was never a German opera fan until last year, when Mark asked if we could get a subscription that included the entire Ring cycle. I agreed, because I wanted to have the theatrical experience of sitting through 4 long, LONG operas, filled with fat ladies singing about love and death.

Well, they WERE long, and the ladies WERE fat (Jane Eaglen and Deborah Voight), but they had thrilling voices and so did the men (James Morris and Placido Domingo).

You could probably handle the Salome--and if Karita Mattila is playing the title role, RUN! It's rare that you see a performance of such Meryl Streep-like quality from an opera singer with a gorgeous voice who is actually attractive enough to take off her clothes during the Dance of the Seven Veils.

We're seeing two obscure operas this weekend as part of this years's over-the-top subscription: Karita Mattila in Janacek's Kát'a Kabanová on Friday (I can't even pronounce it!) and Renee Fleming in Handel's Rodelinda on Saturday.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:47pm

I might even suggest that you don't go to a production first.

Purchase a highlights cd, for example, and simply listen. Buy several, if you can. Some suggestions

CARMEN
MADAME BUTTERFLY
UN BALLO EN MASQUERA
RIGOLETTO
ROSENKAVALIER
DAS RHEINGOLD
LA RONDINE
LA BOHEME
THE MAGIC FLUTE
and Lehar's operetta, THE MERRY WIDOW

Ya gotta love that Strauss -- ELECTRA and SALOME, for example. Talk about electric.

Buy any compilation of Callas.

[kjklo]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:49pm

All of the previous suggestions are very good. Also, Rossini's "Barber of Seville" and Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro" make a good coupling. Read the Beaumarchais play cycle they're based upon and don't just get a recording, but be sure and watch the production videos that are available. One of my favorites is Poulenc's one-act comic opera "Les Mammelles de Tiresias," which is very accessible and likely to appeal to musical theatre fans.

Other than that, as already mentioned, "Carmen" and "Rosenkavalier" are great standard introductions. Also make sure to catch Ingmar Bergman's film of "The Magic Flute." Can't imagine anyone not enjoying that.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:53pm

PalJoey - you will enjoy Rodelinda!

Ah, The Ring. Such an experience!

...if you're in NY you can come hear me sing Beethoven's Fidelio with Deborah Voight and Harolyn Blackwell in March.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:57pm

We intend to! I'll talk to you about arranging tickets when you get back in January.

But that would be Harolyn and Debbie singing Fidelio with YOU!

Did you already see the Rodelinda?

Updated On: 12/15/04 at 11:57 PM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:58pm

We will all be on the same stage. That's about as close as it gets to sharing billing with them...

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 12/15/04 at 11:58pm

Addy, you're going to be singing with Harolyn Blackwell?

How awesome!

[NYadgal]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 12:01am

Come to Carnegie Hall on March 3rd!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 12:01am

Oh, no!

Priest and Addie together again in a thread.

This wonderful opera thread will now proceed down a road of ill repute.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 12:03am

I won't be in New York March 3rd.

But her rendetion of "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" is the best I've heard.


The last note she sings. Ahhhh....

[NYadgal]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 12:06am

Oh, Jose - I would never do that to an Opera thread!

Priest - she has a glorious voice!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 12:19am

In 1981, before she was an opera star, Harolyn was the 3rd Maria understudy in the questionable Broadway revival of West Side Story that featured Josie De Guzman and pre-fame Debbie Allen. She just a baby--and a little pudgy, as Mr. Robbins liked to remind her--and never went on as Maria.

Nevertheless, every night during the dream ballet, Harolyn was the voice that sang "Somewhere," from the orchestra pit. Simply, directly, GORGEOUSLY.

I was a lowly assistant director--and it was a long, LONG time ago--but I can still remember holding my breath as the dancers danced Jerome Robbins's vision of youthful idealistic love to Bernstein's scherzo and Harolyn's voice wrapped itself around that beautiful song. Each night it was as exquisite a moment as theatre, music and dance can create.

That was when Mr. Bernstein fell in love with her voice.

Updated On: 12/16/04 at 12:19 AM