Posted on 10/01/2012 1:19:06 PM PDT by Borges
Actually, what really got me into it was the advice of one of my early piano teachers. he told me if I wanted to acquire a true legato tone and how to shape a phrase, don’t listen to other pianists. Go to the opera house and listen to the singers and pay attention to how they do it.
Not to mention the theme to “The Lone Ranger”.
Introductions: Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”, Bizet’s “Carmen” and Puccini’s “Tosca”.
The first two are a little long, but so sublime that it’s difficult not to be moved.
In the 80’s, I had a series subscription to the Ring series in San Francisco. It was a wondrous thing.
LOL! An audiophile society buddy does the same thing, so now I bring my LP of Die Walküre to meetings, just to hear him sing “Kill the wabbit!” He’s commented that whatever familiarity he has with classical music and opera he learned by watching Saturday morning cartoons.
“The Rabbit of Seville” is the cream of the crop.
1 of 3 on YouTube. I have this on LP. It's wonderful!
Maybe a little Gilbert and Sullivan to dip the toe? Accessible (english), technical, and amusing.
Might not be the best example of opera, maybe even closer to musical comedy.......
A little night music, the whole thing in either waltz (three beat measure) or a derivative (6 beats a measure)....
WOW, thanks for the intro. Windgassen and Del Monaco sound great, but not so much of Bjoerling. Prolly depends on the cut and the qualtiy of the mastering.
Bjoerling’s Act I “Recondite” from the “Tosca” he recorded with Milanov and Warren under Leinsdorff in the late 50’s is one of the most beautiful things you’ll ever hear. Especially the remastered CD of it.
You can, but it’s counter to the image projected. Only experienced fans know it doesn’t have to be a “formal” evening out. Which is why it would be good to advertise some shows specifically as “casual”. Changing images is what advertising is for.
It’s mostly because of how it’s depicted in films and tv shows. Whenever you see a shot of the audience it’s like some alternate universe where everyone is a patrician in formal wear and the monocle has remained in style. If you look at actual audiences at the opera or symphony it’s mostly people who look and dress like students, school teachers and secretaries.
“If you look at actual audiences at the opera or symphony it’s mostly people who look and dress like students, school teachers and secretaries.”
My experience too. Particularly the real Opera-Dawgs who go to the university productions to find out who is up and coming. These are the people who just can’t get enough of it.
A good starting opera wuld be Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte. The Marx brothers on steroids, it is hilarious. And if they offer a class on the opera before it begins, take them early and go it. The last presenter I saw was hilarious, had people falling out their seats.
Depends on the age dynamic. The older members of the audience still tend to suits. They probably still dress up to fly too.
Hey Cracked.com has an article today on one of our favorite on going arguments. You’ll probably disagree with everything they say, but they do say it funnier than I ever have.
Care to post a link, or at least the article’s title?
http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-ways-high-school-makes-you-hate-reading/
Warning, it’s cracked, there’s profanity and stuff. I’ve long held the opinion that the way we teach English in schools, especially high schools, focuses way too much on books 99% of high school kids will hate, which thus primarily teaches them to hate reading. I’m for teaching kids to like reading, even if that means throwing a lot of pop culture pap at them, and trust that if you win that battle eventually they’ll read the classics when they’re old enough to actually understand and enjoy them.
Thanks.
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