Opera thread

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Just curious: why not The Magic Flute?

[Boris Godunov]

Die Zauberflote suffers from an incurably boring and mysoginistic plot. Great music, though. If you want to start with a Mozart, you've got much better choices:

Don Giovanni
Le Nozze di Figaro
Cosi fan tutte

[Agathon]

That stuff is lame. Wagner 4 eva!@!!!

Although Mozart is OK.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Opera?

Naw, I use Firefox

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Agathon
That stuff is lame. Wagner 4 eva!@!!!

Although Mozart is OK.

Wagner is the music of a demented eunuch.

Not that that is always a bad thing.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Thanks, Boris!

[MrFun]

Re: Opera thread

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Ask me about opera. Puns about the browser not permitted. This should be about fat chicks screeching.

[JohnT]

Are rock operas like Tommy really operas? What about the crap... er, shi... er, whatever it is that Andrew Lloyd Webber inflicts upon us, er, composes?

[Pekka]

Who invented Opera?
Who was the man behind the mask?
How many composers there are? Legit ones?
Without internet, do you think the popularity of opera would be this big?
How much does it cost?
Can you eat popcorn in opera?
What is the etiquette in opera?
What if you don't want to cry in there and instead punch a person in the nose, is that acceptable?
Why?

[Drake Tungsten]

Is the death of Bruce Wayne's parents really that tragic given that we know they were pretentious elitists just leaving the opera? Isn't poor proletarian Joe Chill (who most likely listened to popular music) intrinsically more noble than the opera-loving members of the ruling class that he offed?

[JohnT]

No. There's no nobility in being poor.

(Which is something I actually told Sophie as we were leaving Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.)

[Drake Tungsten]

Isn't striking back at your oppressors, who have the gall to walk around in tuxedos while visiting their lavish opera house in the center of the ghetto you are forced to live in, a noble thing?

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by JohnT
Are rock operas like Tommy really operas?

No, they're "rock operas" or "pop operas."

What about the crap... er, shi... er, whatever it is that Andrew Lloyd Webber inflicts upon us, er, composes?

Crappy "pop operas."

Although, I'm not sure what the hell Cats is supposed to be.

[Jon Miller]

I have known numerous people who loved opera

and had CDs with opera on them that they woul dlisten to...

JM

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Pekka
Who invented Opera?

Opera developed over the course of many years, but the work that is considered the first "true" opera was written in 1607 by Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi. The opera, La favola di Orfeo, is based on the classical Greek legend. This started the trend of operas being based on Greek mythology for many decades to come.

Who was the man behind the mask?

Well, if you mean the phantom from Gaston Leroux's novel, it's French man named Erik who was born horribly disfigured. He ran away, joined up with traveling gypsies, studied music, acrobatics and ventriloquism. He then made his way to Persia, where he became the engineer for the Shah, as well as his torture captain. He then relocated to Paris, won a contract renovating the subterranean depths of the Opera House, where he secretly built his secluded lair.

How many composers there are? Legit ones?

If you mean both living and dead, thousands. Today, there are plenty of "legit" ones, many of whom are working in film.

Without internet, do you think the popularity of opera would be this big?

I don't think the Internet has much to do with opera's growing popularity. Television, CD and DVD have been the biggest factors in its rise.

How much does it cost?

Depends on the venue. Seats at the Metropolitan Opera in New York can be anywhere from $15 - $500+. Naturally, the cheapie seats are in nosebleed territory with limited views.

Other opera houses have varying prices, and you can often find free performances in cities during the summers. The Met gives free summer concerts in Central Park, and the New York Grand Opera puts on complete staged productions in the park as well. Here in Portland, the local opera company does a free concert on the river front every August.

Can you eat popcorn in opera?

Not usually. Would you want someone chomping away on Orville Redenbacher while you're trying to hear the soprano sing "Vissi d'arte?" I think not.

But those summer park venues--usually people bring picnics, so it's usually an amazingly good time.

What is the etiquette in opera?

In general, be there early, be quiet during the performance, give good applause at the proper moments, stick around for the curtain calls to show your appreciation.

The dress etiquette is no longer a big deal. I saw people at the Met in jeans. In general, however, it's nice to wear a coat and tie for evening performances. Only the special galas are now black tie.

Of course, this is largely American opera etiquette. In Italy, it's a whole 'nother deal, as opera is second only to soccer as their national sport. Italian audiences are loud and raucous, clearly demonstrating their approval or their disdain. Booing singers is commonplace, as it having dialogues with the performers on stage and the conductor. Opera singers in Italy have been shot at from the stalls.

What if you don't want to cry in there and instead punch a person in the nose, is that acceptable?
Why?

Go to Italy, have fun.