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The Opera thread - Page 4

post #46 of 51
10/15/09 at 2:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RSN125 View Post
NYC. I want to see something that will make me want to see another opera.
Well, that gives you lots of options. What will make you go back depends a lot on your taste, but on one foot I'd say: If you want spectacle... Aida If you want a good, light-hearted comedy... Le Nozze di Figaro (or Il Barbiere di Siviglia, they're both great) If you want drama... Turandot (although it's a bit challenging for a first opera) My personal choice would be La Boheme -- Netrebko and Beczala should be very good. Good singing, fun story (well, in a slightly depressing way). You could also go with Carmen or La Traviata. Lots of good choices. You should go on the Met's website and see what catches your eye. Another option is to check out the Met broadcasts that they do in movie theaters. For $20 or less, it's a much cheaper way to start out, if you're unsure of what you'll like. It's no replacement for seeing something in performance, but it's a fun way to get your feet wet before going to the opera house for the first time.
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post #47 of 51
10/15/09 at 5:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by adambparker View Post
Another option is to check out the Met broadcasts that they do in movie theaters. For $20 or less, it's a much cheaper way to start out, if you're unsure of what you'll like. It's no replacement for seeing something in performance, but it's a fun way to get your feet wet before going to the opera house for the first time.

Last year they did a weekly ticket lottery where you would enter on Monday and find out later in the week if you "won" tickets for a weekend show. They were $25 orchestra tickets, so a great deal. I hoped it would be back this season, but it isn't yet.
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post #48 of 51
10/21/09 at 11:39pm
Video just showed up on YouTube of Beczala singing "Salut, demeure chaste et pure" in the Lyric production of Faust. Worth a listen.
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post #49 of 51
10/22/09 at 7:12pm
Don Giovanni, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Les Contes d'Hoffmann, and Rigoletto are perfect introductions to opera: great music and powerful, highly engaging action. I would avoid Strauss and Wagner at the start, and specifically Aida, as it is one of Verdi's weakest operas IMO and its popularity is slightly declining. If you're not already familiar with an opera, obtain a recording and give it several listens before you see a live performance so you can know what to expect. For a short, accessible guide to the genre, I can recommend Opera Basics. http://www.amazon.com/Opera-Basics-D.../dp/0415970725 If you're really serious about opera then the four volume New Grove Dictionary of Opera is a must have addition to your library. If you can't spring for the full set there is a single-volume abridgement that has entries on every opera in the standard repertoire, although it lacks entries on composers and technical terms. You don't have to read musical notation to appreciate opera (I can't) but the more you know about the history of opera and basic theory, the more enjoyment you will reap from your listenings.
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post #50 of 51
12/6/09 at 7:58am
Quite simply, one of the most delightful performances I've ever seen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_kaO...eature=related
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post #51 of 51
12/7/09 at 7:11pm
Thread Starter 
Your first opera will probably be Boheme, whether you want it that way or not. I'd say that, or Butterfly or Norma. Something that shows the amazing sound that is the unamplified soprano voice soaring over an orchestra.
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