Revealed: Why You Can't Understand What An Opera Soprano Is Singing

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 1-8-2004 | Roger Highfield

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

But what is the reason behind popular music.

To sell CDs. Duh.     =;^)

[Doctor Stochastic]

KHFM in Albuquerque is a 27/7 classical music radio station. It also makes a profit (unlike KNME, one of the various Public Radio Stations.)

[nopardons]

Yes, we did veer off into operestta, but FR threads often ( more likely than not ), tend to go a wee bit off topic. Sorry that wae offended you .

Thanks for your post...intesresting stuff therein.

[Doctor Stochastic]

On the Internet, XELA is a free internet radio 24/7 classicao, out of Mexico City. Lyric Radio from Ireland isn't bad either, but it has news and weather report too.

[Diva One]

No offense taken. I love G&S! Please pardon the teacher in me.

Ciao!

Diva One

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Can't these sopranos just use loudspeakers?

Ahem...
<Cliff Claven voice>

Eh...it's a little known fact that Mozart had wanted to do that very thing but as it turns out...
Radio Shack wouldn't be invented for several hundred more years.

</Cliff Claven voice>

[Doctor Stochastic]

I suppose it would be tacky to ask, "How many sopranos does it take to change a lightbulb?"

One. She holds the bulb and the whole world revolves around her.

Of course, Scott Joplin thought that Treemoniasha was an opera. (It's good, but it is very much like Finian's Rainbow.)

[nopardons]

And I love opera, the old war horses...CARMEN,TORENDOT(sp ? ),MADAME BUTTERFLY,TOSCA, etc.

You get one of my rare " pardons " and a request that you continue to enlighten us, with your superior knowledge of this topic. :-)

[Consort]

Solution: Just show the lyrics on a screen and the audience can follow the bouncing ball like in the old days.

[Diva One]

OF COURSE! What do you think the definition of DIVA is?

Complete self-centeredness.

Of course, I am nothing like that.....! ;)

Buona notte -

Diva One

[Terabitten]

You hillbillies need to give Susannah by Floyd a few listens.

By Pink Floyd?

Wow, I looked through their entire catalog and couldn't find that one....

Yes, I'm kidding.

[Hon]

Somebody should tell the on air announcers at KDB 93.7 FM then. They have made this claim for many years.

Last I heard KDB's future wasn't too bright. There was talk of the UC Santa Barbara buying them just to keep them on the air. Sad.

[Diva One]

Mille grazie!

I love the old ones too - Tosca is my favorite role to sing, and watch.

Who knew opera would be such a hot topic on Free Republic!

Thanks for the pardon :0

Diva One

[nopardons]

Welcome to FR...a wee late, bujt I havedn"t seen you before.

Opera, Star Trek, G&S...FR is filled, to the brim,with people who have all kinds of different tastes and some are REAL expert on any topic, that comes down the pike. :-)

[Hon]

Huh? WRR-FM is located in and owned by the City of Dallas (east of the Trinity, but definitely west of the Mississippi!) and its program is 100% classical music 100% of the time, 24/7.

I think KDP might say that airing church sermons every Sunday morning puts a whole in the 24/7 claim.

http://www.wrr101.com/wrr_info/programs.shtml

[moodyskeptic]

You are asking bigger questions than the thread implied. and that is why I love FR. "regular people and the Grander View"

indeed

For me, I maintain that unless a friend has Kind of Blue in his collection, we should not discuss anything deeper than the weather. Okay, I stole that from Leonard Feather.

A musical foundation used to be a given in a well rounded education.

As I age, I find that I have less and less patience with peers that have no idea of music beyond the obvious hits of their teen years. It's almost like meeting someone who doesn't know -or care- who Babe Ruth was because he was from another era.

I'm no snob, just a guy who had some good teachers over the years, who would drop strong hints to those who cared.

[Argh]

Thank you!

[Atlas Sneezed]

Love the music, but hate opera, even Motzart.

[RightOnline]

Such a wonderful addition to the FR 'family'.........in more ways than one. :)

By the way, DAMNED sorry that The Lovely Wife and I couldn't make the wedding. We do look forward to meeting you, so tell The Shrew to drag you down to NC on his next trip.

Interesting post, by the way; very interesting indeed.

[tal hajus]

IMHO Dame Joan Sutherlands lack of "correct" diction didn't seem to slow her career much. I care less about correct diction than the voice. All the correct diction in the world can't cover up for cracked or flattened singing. Did anyone catch Renee' Fleming on "Live at Lincoln Center" New Years Eve? Great voice, diction and looks!!