Opera: The Extravagant Art discussion

Welcome to the "Opera" discussion group. I know there are not many books on the shelf yet, and I apologise for that. I have not had much time to add many, but I am always open to discussions.

So to start off -- what do you like about opera? Do you recall your first opera experience or some other memorable experience? What is (are) your favourite opera(s)?

Hi. Thanks for the welcome. I think I got my love of opera from my Dad who used to have "Live from the Met" on most Saturday afternoons. And of course the AWESOME music that I loved as a kid in cartoons - wondering where that music came from. Now I know much of it. Whether it's the flying dutchman or the valkries or just some really good verdi or puccini,I'm loving it. As an inexpensive alternative to going to the Met or any opera anywhere, I like to listen, and also to read about composers, about libretticists(?), and singers. I love to learn more about the history of Opera, but mostly to understand the composers, the times they lived in, and the singers. I have more books to add myself...which I will do later today (I promise!!).
So who else is in this discussion group, and how can we grow the group? I am hoping to get some good ideas of what books to read next..

Hi, welcome Aspen and Aaron -- oh, ye few but faithful opera lovers. (Where is everyone else?)

Aspen, you might enjoy the Page to Stage group, too, as you're a fan of musical theatre.

I have (finally) added the majority of my opera books to my opera shelf. I don't know if members of this group can see them or not. I thought I had read more books because the list seems small.

I did want to ask if anyone knew of books that were similar to the Fred Plotkin book, where specific performances were examined in the context of the recording ???

Hi Aaron- I think if we went to your page we could see them, but we cannot seem them here. Books on this group shelves have to be added to the group book shelves. (So essentially one has to put books in twice; one for a group and once for oneself). At least, I cannot see them on the group shelves at all.

That recommendation came from Jenna; it wasn't me.

Hi, all I've added a few folders to make what I hope will be some future discussions easier to navigate.

Jenna wrote: "Welcome to the "Opera" discussion group. I know there are not many books on the shelf yet, and I apologise for that. I have not had much time to add many, but I am always open to discussions.

..." Jenna, I love this group. Could you correct the title to "Opera: The Extravagant Art"? The misspelling always jars me.

Oh, I can try--let me try again--I thought I tried once and it wouldn't let me...

Oh, good it let me. Thank you for pointing that out -- sorry about that.

Oops! I'm new and I see that I should have introduced myself here rather than on the "bookshelf" thread. It's great to see there are people who want to discuss opera here! I've added a few books to the shelf and would love to discuss those or other opera books you recommend.

M

Thanks for taking the time to add books, I appreciate it! And welcome...

So to start off -- what do you like about opera?

The variations of staging, sets, time period changes in productions of any given opera -- all those details which offer possibilites to explore the story in some fresh way. The music in every aspect.

Do you recall your first opera experience or some other memorable experience?

I would suppose the very first would be televised productions way back in the black and white days -- and what about Amahl and the Night Visitors? Anyone else recall seeing that every year at holiday time? But the first live experience was as a guest of a friend who served as a docent at OCPAC and had tickets for herself and a certain number of guests to the dress rehearsals of the productions there. I saw the dress rehearsal of The Pearl Fishers and was enchanted. I ran right out and bought CDs of the complete opera!

What is (are) your favourite opera(s)?

The Pearl Fishers is my first favorite , of course. But then there is La Boheme, perhaps due to it's high profile and familiarity even without knowledge over the years. And Faust -- oh my goodness, then there is Faust. I've yet to see a live performance but I'm not sure I could handle that anyway -- only half kidding there. And a modern opera which I really loved and rave about at any opportunity -- Grendel.

What a strange coincidence, Dottie! Pearl Fishers is one of the 2 operas I've ever seen live (not counting Met HD broadcasts in theaters; I've seen 4 of those). I also bought a full CD set afterward, and eventually a DVD, too.

Hi! and thank you SO much for creating this group. I have loved opera for practically my entire life and have been inspired and awed by its remarkable singers. My favorite operas are too many to list here, so I'll just name my favorite composers: Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Handel, Mozart and Massenet. Obviously I like Bel Canto and plenty of vocal gymnastics! I love the pageantry, spectacle and over the top histrionics. My favorite books to read on this fascinating subject are biographies of the famous singers, composers, directors and designers of the past and present. Again THANK YOU!!

Hi Angel! At some point we may reach a critical mass of people here and start having regular discussions. :-)

I just wanted to add that anyone (as far as I know) can start discussions. (If that's not the case, please let me know, and I'll see if I can change the setting, but I just looked at it, and I think that should not be a problem). My idea only was to create a forum for people to start discussing opera; as a moderator that keeps the actual discussion going, as you may have already discovered, I'm not very good. I go through phases of having loads of time, to having no time at all.

For that matter, if anyone wants to be a co-moderator, I'm totally open. Or if members would like to begin new threads, I'm fine with that.

Welcome, welcome, all. I hope some watched the recent TV showing of La Fanciulla

Hi, I am Listra, I was looking for a group for opera lovers here and found this group. I love mostly Italian and French operas, among them La Traviata, Tosca, Carmen, and many others. Nice to be here.. :D

Hello Listra! Welcome to the group!

hello, i'm an opera singer, and i love to sing arias and learn new operas that i've never ever heard before, i've taken voice lessons but i've been singing ever since i've been 3 years old, here are my all time favorite arias to sing:
1Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II
2.Habanera by: Georges Bizet

Hello to everyone!
I was introduced to the fine art of opera at a young age, but was enchanted by her beauty some years later.
The first opera I have heard was La Boheme and the first I've watched was Attila.
If I had to choose (the hardest thing :-)) my favorite would have to be Madama Butterfly and I'm a fan of Maria Callas :-).
I'm also following "Live from the Met" when ever I can :-).

i've never seen Madama Butterfly, and i love maria Callas too,

Erie wrote: "i've never seen Madama Butterfly, and i love maria Callas too,"

Some say that Callas was the best Madama Butterfly :-). My personal favorites from the opera:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVvQlw...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQZfo0...

Nice to meet you, Erie :-).

I'll have to watch it some-time but just not rite now,

I've got something here that i want to send you on here if that's okay

"Sous le dôme épais"
Sous le dôme épais
Où le blanc jasmin
À la rose s’assemble
Sur la rive en fleurs,
Riant au matin
Viens, descendons ensemble.
Doucement glissons de son flot charmant
Suivons le courant fuyant

Dans l’onde frémissante
D’une main nonchalante
Viens, gagnons le bord,
Où la source dort et
L’oiseau, l’oiseau chante.

Sous le dôme épais
Où le blanc jasmin,
Ah! descendons
Ensemble!

Sous le dôme épais
Où le blanc jasmin
À la rose s’assemble
Sur la rive en fleurs,
Riant au matin
Viens, descendons ensemble.

Doucement glissons de son flot charmant
Suivons le courant fuyant
Dans l’onde frémissante
D’une main nonchalante
Viens, gagnons le bord,
Où la source dort et
L’oiseau, l’oiseau chante.

Sous le dôme épais
Où le blanc jasmin,
Ah! descendons
Ensemble!

I suggest the Opera 101 book by Fred Plotkin...and the accompanying CDs....

Here is a book trailer for my new novel, Tempesta's Dream. Would love to get some feedback on it.

https://www.goodreads.com/videos/list...

My first opera (live) was the Met's holiday production of Die Zauberflöte in English. It was terrible. They skipped the overture and I was really upset. My first real opera was Le nozze di Figaro at the Met in November 2012. I was really upset because the person who played Susanna wasn't loud enough to be heard (it was Mojca Erdmann). It seemed as if the cast wasn't trying and it was terrible. I was really disappointed because I had watched some other productions on YouTube and other places (like a broadcast from the ROH in England) - I had prepared so much for it (I know most of the words now), and I was really disappointed. Maybe they'll make it better next time. I hope...

My favorites are Le nozze, Così fan tutte, Tosca, Die Fledermaus, and il Barbiere di Seviglia. I also greatly appreciate Maria Stuarda and L'elisir d'Amore by Donizetti. I HATE WAGNER AND VERDI. I can deal with Puccini, but sometimes he's a little too much.
My favorite singer is Gerald Finley. Some people absolutly hate him, but I really don't understand why. His voice sounds like... I don't know, it's indescribable.

Marita wrote: "Vincent wrote: "Here is a book trailer for my new novel, Tempesta's Dream. Would love to get some feedback on it.

https://www.goodreads.com/videos/list..."

Vince..."

Thanks. Would love to hear how you like it when you are finished.

Chip LoCoco

Hello, I joined the group recently and opera is a new interest for me in later years, although my Dad was keen on opera and would often sing opera songs about the house when I was a kid, so that was my introduction.

I went to see The Trial in 2014, a new opera based on Franz Kafka's story with music by Philip Glass. The production was a co-operation between Music Theatre Wales and Scottish Opera. I have lots of opera booked this year.

It looks like I'm the first post-COVID member of this group to make an introduction. I was an aspiring college major in music but without the solid technique to make a go of it...so I chose a science major instead. One night I went to the opera and was blown away by Tales of Hoffman. Justino Diaz sang the 3 villain roles, and I was bewitched. (Apparently bass baritones are doomed to sing either villain or father roles. That needs to be corrected!)

Though I wasn't successful as a music major, I sure knew great singing when I heard it. I was hooked.

My next encounter was Tristan and Isolde, and by the end of that transcendental experience my life was changed. I volunteered at the local opera company, became a rehearsal pianist, and luckily, was invited to became a studio accompanist with a brilliant, kind, open-hearted mentor (a tenor this time), I studied hard and eventually graduated with a MMus in piano performance. Opera changed EVERYTHING about my life. It's been a joyful, difficult, sometimes humbling experience living in the world of music. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Two science degrees gave me a stable economic life, but music continues to give me transcendental joy. I believe the human voice is what every other instrument aspires to.

Pocket bio: Retired humanities teacher, residing in Tlaxcala, Mexico, with two dogs and six indoor cats. Passionate about literature, history, philosophy, classical music and opera, jazz, cinema, and similar subjects. Nostalgic guy. Politically centrist. BA in American Studies from Yale; MAs in English and Education from Boston University. Born in northern New Jersey. Have lived and worked in San Francisco, Chicago, northern Nevada, northeast Wisconsin, South Korea. More detail at Goodreads profile.

I do most of my opera listening these days via various Internet radio websites, Spotify, and YouTube. I use the websites Operacast.com and World Concert Hall to keep up with the global offerings on the radio websites. I am pretty dedicated to seeking out the less well-known operas.

I guess this group has not been so active lately, but I think it is a good topic. Since there is a shortage of groups on Goodreads that discuss art music and its related literature - and by art music I mean classical, opera, jazz - I might if no one minds start some additional threads on non-operatic art music, perhaps musical theater as well, on the theory that many opera fans will also be fans of those.

I am glad to find this group and join it. I am a fan of Richard Wagner. I have a collection of Wagner-related books and write my own stories about his life and works. I look forward to connecting with the group members.