guess that quote!

[Zoid]

Mozart?

[Flandrien]

Ludwig von Beethoven ?

[JohnT]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
"What did you think [of my opera], maestro?"

"Oh, it was quite good. I think that some day I shall try to set it to music."

A little too tart to be Mozart, imho.

Puccini?

[chequita guevara]

I thought these were supposed to be Apolyton quotes.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Flandrien
Ludwig von Beethoven ?

Yup. Said to a fellow composer at the premier of an opera in Vienna. What a *****.

But you get docked a point for saying "von" instead of "van."

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
I thought these were supposed to be Apolyton quotes.

Whoha used a quote from Lincoln on the first page (not the poster, the president).

[Flandrien]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
But you get docked a point for saying "von" instead of "van."

I stand corrected

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
I thought these were supposed to be Apolyton quotes.

OK, picking a random quote from the board.

Originally posted by ???
Jeez, my posts are intended to be more light-hearted. Not intended as something serious. You're pathetic.

[JohnT]

Denying intent while taking a swipe at another?

Could only be Sava!

[pchang]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov


Yup. Said to a fellow composer at the premier of an opera in Vienna. What a *****.

But you get docked a point for saying "von" instead of "van."

And incredibly ironic considering Beethoven's own opera sucked donkey butt. What a conundrum. How can someone's symphonies be so good and their opera be so bad?

[Zoid]

Maybe he had a bad day?

And I think it might be Laz.

[Tuberski]

No, it's Fez!

ACK!

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by pchang
And incredibly ironic considering Beethoven's own opera sucked donkey butt. What a conundrum. How can someone's symphonies be so good and their opera be so bad?

Fidelio doesn't suck! The music is fantastic. The plot isn't very good, but that's not exactly a deal-breaker in opera. And really, it's only the beginning that's rocky. The second act is terrific, and the music of the finale is among the finest Beethoven ever wrote, rivalling the triumph of the 9th symphony.

I'd say Fidelio is just as good an opera as Il trovatore or Manon Lescaut.

[pchang]

I hated it. I think it is one of his worst major works. Only the cheesy stuff he did for the money was worse.

[Flandrien]

Originally posted by Tuberski
No, it's Fez!

ACK!

at least give his current login

[Boris Godunov]

Well, you're in a minority there, as most classical music folks recognize that, in spite of its problems, Fidelio is a terrific work. Once you get past the beginning scene, it's high drama and brilliant music.

The biggest problem is the singspiel format, which sucks. But that wasn't Beethoven's fault, since it was decreed by the Emperor at the time that all operas had to be thus. They make the beginning rocky, but once things get going, they are tolerable enough.

I like Sir Denis Forman's take on it:

From the prisoner's chorus (one of the most moving scenes in all of opera) onwards, the piece holds its power, we can tolerate the spiels and, indeed, the melodrame between Rocco and Leonore is a positive plus. The tension builds through the trio and quartet leading up to the trumpet call and then the joy and the passion of the Leonore/Florestan duet makes it the real climax of the opera. It is Beethoven's ability to make his absolute music pack such a dramatic punch that lends such enormous power to Fidelio: his passionate advocacy of liberty, his hatred of tyranny speak to us directly through the music and make Fidelio one of the greatest of all operas. Only the weakness of the beginning stops it from being an alpha-plus; [it's] a mighty alpha.