I have to agree; I don't have the independent twin I-beam suspension on my disbelief that it takes to believe that in La Bohéme, Mimi can still sing while dying of tuberculosis. :) I also have a hard time dealing with the thick layer of Ethel Mermanesque vibrato on the singing. Give me early music or even Bulgarian women's choruses over opera any time.
You have no idea how hard I laughed when I read this. Excellent!
I was born in Italy in '56, came to the US in '58, returned for the first time in '68 and spent the summer. That was my first intro to Opera. All the while I'm agreeing with my relatives about how beautiful Opera is, yada, yada, yada meanwhile under my breath I'm uttering all those swear words my friend Agnes taught me. You know like 'holy s@#t, where's Vlad the Impaler when you need him?'
Then after a 29 year hiatus I returned to Italy in '97, pleaded the Plague when asked if I wanted to attend a showing of Aida (sp?).
Made my last trek in '00, stayed for 3 weeks, relaxed, visited the Jewish quarter of Rome, took in the Cistine Chapel (who can concentrate with your neck in that position?), 'felt' the Appian Way and generally had a very good time. And nobody asked if I wanted to go to the Opera.