Opera lovers?

VEGANGELICA · 08-21-2011, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skaltezon

Puccini's 'O soave fanciulla' - Anna Netrebko & Rolando Villazon

I like these here voices real good.

Those are real purty voices. I like those there voices good too!

skaltezon · 08-21-2011, 04:31 AM

They were loud too, while still sounding good.

This guy can sing good too:

Verdi's 'La donna è mobile' (Rigoletto)
Juan Diego Flórez, tenor (Vienna 2006)

VEGANGELICA · 08-21-2011, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skaltezon

They were loud too, while still sounding good.

This guy can sing good too:

Verdi's 'La donna è mobile' (Rigoletto)
Juan Diego Flórez, tenor (Vienna 2006)

Hey, I've heard that ditty before!

He does sing good. I wish I sang like that.

In all honesty, though, I sometimes find it hard to appreciate famous music that has been played so much that I know almost everyone knows it. I feel as if I shouldn't like a piece now considered by many to be "trite" due to being so well-known, even among "common people."

I'm afraid this shows I'm sometimes a musical snob, unable to fully appreciate music if I think everyone else likes it, too. Other people's views of music shouldn't affect the value I see in it.

The Monkey · 08-29-2011, 06:38 PM

I've been to plenty of classical concerts, which I often enjoy thoroughly, but the only opera I can recall seeing is Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Wagner. I can't say I liked it, it was nearly six hours long (including the breaks), and the alleged "comedy" was completely lost on me. I appreciate the vast amount of work put in the opera, but it was simple too bombastic and glamorous for it to appeal to me. Maybe some other opera, perhaps by Mozart, would be a better starting point.

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra · 08-30-2011, 12:07 AM

Got some random operas at the library. Watched 'The Rake's Progress'(Stravinsky) which amused me quite a bit. Didn't musically astound me but I like the sarcastic very simple approach.

Watched a piece of Sadko which seemed very visually, and musically interesting.

Also have Verdi's Atilla which I hadn't cracked into yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey

I've been to plenty of classical concerts, which I often enjoy thoroughly, but the only opera I can recall seeing is Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Wagner. I can't say I liked it, it was nearly six hours long (including the breaks), and the alleged "comedy" was completely lost on me. I appreciate the vast amount of work put in the opera, but it was simple too bombastic and glamorous for it to appeal to me. Maybe some other opera, perhaps by Mozart, would be a better starting point.

Not a big Wagner-ophile myself. I honestly thought his work was very ridiculously unsubtle to the point of insult.

VEGANGELICA · 08-30-2011, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey

I've been to plenty of classical concerts, which I often enjoy thoroughly, but the only opera I can recall seeing is Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Wagner. I can't say I liked it, it was nearly six hours long (including the breaks), and the alleged "comedy" was completely lost on me. I appreciate the vast amount of work put in the opera, but it was simple too bombastic and glamorous for it to appeal to me. Maybe some other opera, perhaps by Mozart, would be a better starting point.

I think an opera by Mozart would be a much better starting point, Monkey. Your opinion of Wagner is almost exactly the same as the one I formed after watching many by him:

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

My parents graciously invited me to a Berlin opera series that, I think, included *all* Wagner's operas over the course of a year. The operas were very, very long...and we were often very, very high up in the seats. So, it was difficult to follow the action and emotion. Sometimes the plots seemed far-fetched so that I could not suspend disbelief and thus always watched them with a feeling of divide or separation, rather than feeling immersed in the action, in the moment of the play/opera.

Often the songs seem more about demonstrating skills (such as with super high notes) than conveying emotion. Yet there are opera songs that *are* incredibly beautiful and moving!

I've seen several Mozart operas, and although they've faded from my memory, what's left is the feeling that the music is much more accessible, melodic, and playful than Wagner. Not being able to understand the words, though, always hampers my enjoyment of operas that aren't in English or German. Subtitles are nice.

Mozart - "The Marriage of Figaro"
Seattle Opera Presents The Marriage of Figaro
A selection of scenes

The OP also mentioned "The Magic Flute," which is charming with catchy and silly songs such as the famous...

Mozart - "Papageno and Papagena" from "The Magic Flute"

An English translation of the German lyrics can be found here: http://www.aria-database.com/transla...agic_flute.txt
This song begins (after all the Pa Pa Pa-ing) as follows:

PAPAGENO: Bist du mir nun ganz ergeben? Have you now yielded to me?
PAPAGENA: Nun bin ich dir ganz ergeben. Now I have yielded to you.
PAPAGENO: Nun, so sei mein liebes Weibchen! Now, then be my dear little wife!
PAPAGENA: Nun, so sei mein Herzenstäubchen, Now, then be the dove of my heart,
Mein Herzenstäubchen! The dove of my heart!
PAPAGENO: Mein liebes Weibchen, mein Herzenstäubchen. My dear little wife, dove of my heart.

Then they sing about defeating Zero Population Growth by being blessed with a profusion of young Papagenos and Papagenas (aka children).

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra · 08-31-2011, 03:50 PM

Watched Sadko, and Atilla. Enjoyed both musically wasn't astonished by either, though. Sadko had a well more interesting story, and visuals, and was amazing in it's inclusion of fish people.

ThePhanastasio · 08-30-2011, 12:26 AM

I understand that it's more classical contemporary as far as genre is concerned, but Sarah Brightman is vocally...well, probably one of the most superb things I've ever heard in my life.

Howard the Duck · 09-20-2011, 08:02 AM

off-topic but has anybody got a download link to Bartok's The Miraculous Mandarin that works?

(ballet)

skaltezon · 09-20-2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Il Duce

off-topic but has anybody got a download link to Bartok's The Miraculous Mandarin that works?

(ballet)

This should work for you:

http;//www.nuisancedownloads.com/ballet/bartok

08-29-2011, 06:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
The Monkey Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 803	I've been to plenty of classical concerts, which I often enjoy thoroughly, but the only opera I can recall seeing is Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Wagner. I can't say I liked it, it was nearly six hours long (including the breaks), and the alleged "comedy" was completely lost on me. I appreciate the vast amount of work put in the opera, but it was simple too bombastic and glamorous for it to appeal to me. Maybe some other opera, perhaps by Mozart, would be a better starting point. __________________ Now another stranger seems to want you to ignore his dreams as though they were the burden of some other My Last.fm

08-30-2011, 12:26 AM	#8 (permalink)
ThePhanastasio Killed Laura Palmer Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Ashland, KY Posts: 1,679	I understand that it's more classical contemporary as far as genre is concerned, but Sarah Brightman is vocally...well, probably one of the most superb things I've ever heard in my life. __________________ Phish: Studio Discography Reviewed 100 Albums I Heartily Recommend My last.fm It's a hand-me-down, the thoughts are broken Perhaps they're better left unsung

08-21-2011, 04:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
skaltezon Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: hairball cluster Posts: 326	They were loud too, while still sounding good. This guy can sing good too: Verdi's 'La donna è mobile' (Rigoletto) Juan Diego Flórez, tenor (Vienna 2006)