Opera

Any opera fans out there? I'm thinking about going to see Wagner's "Siegfried" in February.

I love opera. And it's dying in this country. See as much as you can.

Whether or not I get to see Siegfriend, I'll still be seeing some opera soon. Tosca's playing here in the summer.

How great to see young people liking opera. I am always amazed when I go here that there are so many teenagers in the audience. Of course I wonde how many of them were dragged there by their parents or grandparents. I was 17 whne I fell in love with the opera too. I saw the movie "Amadeus" in chorus class in high school and got it into my head that I wanted to sing like the high Queen of the Night in the Magic Flute.

Anyway, Wagner's a tough thing to start with, but some of it is really good. It took me a while to like it, and it is somehow always better to see than to just listen to. "Siegfried" is ok, but I liked "Die Walkure" better.

"Tosca" is good. But I am a sucker for "Madama Butterfly". I love the Mozart operas--all of them! Check out the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts on the radio on Saturday afternoons. (They may be done for ever after this season though, so listen if you get the chance!)

For a first-time operagoer, I'd reccomend 'La Boheme' or something by Rossini.

I love opera, but for some reason as music went on, it lost something for me. That sounds weird, I know. But I adore early music (renaissance motets and art song, chanson, etc.) and early opera (Monteverdi's "Orfeo" is mind-bogglingly wonderful...La Musica's prologue in particular is the most gorgeous thing ever.), Baroque opera is lovely, and I love Mozart and other early classical opera...but I really just can't get into Puccini, Wagner, Bellini, Rossini, or pretty much anything else written in teh Romantic era or later. I'm not sure why. Perhaps part of it has to do with the fact that I'm a very light soprano, and better suited to early music and lighter opera. *shrug*

hehe. I'm listening to Orfeo now actually.

I gained my appreciation for opera from my father. He loves opera, and I think one of his favorites is Carmen. I can understand why, as I've seen a performance of it by the Indianapolis Opera. Such great music too! I've also seen Don Giovanni (Don Juan) but thought the whole story line was boring. I have seen some others, but I can't remember the names of 'em right off hand. I did see Die Fleidermaus, and loved it, and I also really liked Aida.

Opera is an art form that takes a while to gain an appreciation for, so I know it's not for everyone.

Wagner's Siegfried? Very nice!

I used to have an acquaintance who was an opera singer.

Im a big opera lover,i sing opera too myself ;-)

Verdi's Macbeth is a good opera too.