Fonty Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Although I go to the ballet frequently, I admit I know nothing whatsoever about opera and have never been to one at the ROH. I have just received an email with the Winter programme, and it contains some operas I have actually heard of. Which would people recommend for an opera newcomer? Given the price of tickets I can only go to one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 L'elisir d'amore is currently playing, It is real laugh out loud stuff and has Bryn Terfel in it. Also it is an excellent production. Might be a very good place to start. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted September 27, 2023 Author Share Posted September 27, 2023 Ah, now that is on at the cinema. I might go along and give that a go. I am sorry if this sounds an extremely crass remark, but will I be able to understand what on earth they are singing about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 1 minute ago, Fonty said: Ah, now that is on at the cinema. I might go along and give that a go. I am sorry if this sounds an extremely crass remark, but will I be able to understand what on earth they are singing about? yes, there are surtitles with the lyrics in English Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Just now, Fonty said: Ah, now that is on at the cinema. I might go along and give that a go. I am sorry if this sounds an extremely crass remark, but will I be able to understand what on earth they are singing about? You might well recognise Nemorino's aria 'Una Furtiva Lacrima' which is the centrepiece of the opera. I will never, ever forget seeing Pavarotti sing it at the ROH. I have never heard such loud and long applause for an aria. It brought a few furtive lacrime to my eyes, that's for sure. Unforgettable. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted September 27, 2023 Author Share Posted September 27, 2023 What about next season? Even I know the Vesti La Giubba song from Pagliacci (although I did have to look it up to see what it was called). But I know nothing else about it. I realise Madame Butterfly is not going to be a barrel of laughs. Any other suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Hansel and Gretal? I loved the fairytale characters living in the woods. Sadly the ROH has some truly awful opera productions so do ask about them here before you book. The Cav and Pag is quite good. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 22 minutes ago, Fonty said: Any other suggestions? Possibly not next season (though it comes round regularly) but best for frocks is La Traviata. Also a many tissues opera. Never fails. 🥹 Great tunes! (Yes it's the same story as Marguerite and Armand.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Agree - La Traviata is IMO the best opera for beginners. I agree with the comments above about Cav/Pag and L'elisir d'amore. Casting for Cav looks good but I've no idea about most of the Pag singers; L'elisir d'amore is very well cast. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 I'll disappear from this thread after this but I prefer opera without the singing... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 2 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: I'll disappear from this thread after this but I prefer opera without the singing... 🙂 Oh go on, who can resist this? (Or indeed anything from Mozart) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 6 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: Cav/Pag Yes. Totally. And of course La Boheme (though I did love the old production the 'new' one is OK) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 5 minutes ago, Ondine said: 🙂 Oh go on, who can resist this? (Or indeed anything from Mozart) Me. I saw a number of Mozart Operas in the 80s plus Puccini and several others and (until the slightly niche Maria de Buenos Aires a couple of weeks ago) I've never felt the need or desire to go again. WNO, SO and ON. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 4 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: I've never felt the need or desire to go again. Oh that's sad. I admit I'm quite picky and some ROH productions in recent times have been frankly ghastly but I like a nice tune, a pretty frock and a good cry is always a bonus... 😌 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 8 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: Me. I saw a number of Mozart Operas in the 80s plus Puccini and several others and (until the slightly niche Maria de Buenos Aires a couple of weeks ago) I've never felt the need or desire to go again. WNO, SO and ON. This is heretical stuff but I find most Mozart operas too long and could live without Puccini. Verdi, however...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted September 27, 2023 Author Share Posted September 27, 2023 (edited) 29 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: I'll disappear from this thread after this but I prefer opera without the singing... I do wish we could respond with a laugh Emoticon. I can see that answering my question is probably going to provoke the same reaction as a ballet beginner asking for suggestions! I would never send them to see something like Swan Lake - too pure, too "balletic". I always suggest Romeo and Juliet if it is on. Great music and a wonderful, dramatic story we all know. With a tissue ending..... I would prefer an opera that is a) tuneful and b) not too long. The operatic equivalent of La Fille Mal Gardee if there is something like that. Sitting through 4 hours plus of Wagner doesn't sound like my cup of tea, to be honest. Edited September 27, 2023 by Fonty 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 13 minutes ago, Fonty said: I would prefer an opera that is a) tuneful and b) not too long. The operatic equivalent of La Fille Mal Gardee if there is something like that. Sitting through 4 hours plus of Wagner doesn't sound like my cup of tea, to be honest. I look at this page more often than I should admit to: https://theopera101.com/operaabc/runningtimes/ - NB you can sort by length! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Wagner was somehing I had to grow into, but I fell in with a gang of hardcore Wagnerites at ROH. So smitten am I now I trail around Europe after my favourite helden tenor. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 I'm fond of a bit of the old Handel meself. Also Glyndebourne has fab productions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 (edited) 39 minutes ago, Fonty said: I would prefer an opera that is a) tuneful and b) not too long. The operatic equivalent of La Fille Mal Gardee if there is something like that. I'd say L'elisir d'amore would be the nearest in tone to La Fille Mal Gardee out of the ROH's current offerings. Young woman deciding between two suitors with a nice happy ending. The ROH production isn't precisely traditional but it's straightforward & reasonably attractive. (I was going to see it again next week, having seen it in 3 previous runs, but with the train & tube strikes I think I may have to see the cinecast instead.) If L'elisir is too short notice then my next pick out of what's coming up in the next few months is Cav & Pag. However they are both tragedies. In fact looking at what the ROH is doing this season there's a distinct dearth of comedies. Edited September 27, 2023 by Dawnstar Added last sentence. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted September 27, 2023 Author Share Posted September 27, 2023 I think the cinema showing for L'elisir d'amour might be a good staring point. If I hate it, at least I will have tried. Sometimes I feel as though I am missing out, as I love music generally. Well, you can't like ballet and not like classical music, can you? Yet opera has passed me by. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 5 hours ago, MAB said: The Cav and Pag is quite good. 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Here is a recentish Insight re Cav & Pag and yes SHORTish... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted September 27, 2023 Author Share Posted September 27, 2023 Wow! That was an in depth discussion about it. Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 (edited) And wonderful singing at the end! SeokJong Baek https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/25/arts/music/opera-seokjong-baek-tenor.html https://www.intermusica.com/artist/seokjong-baek Here he is on his on YouTube channel (another opera you have to see at least once, Turandot) and wow. And this. Edited September 27, 2023 by Ondine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 I’m a bit of an opera newbie myself. With what’s on now and soon then definitely L'elisir d'amore is a great starter opera and as said it has the same sort of cheerful feel as La Fille Mal Gardee (I’m going tomorrow 🙂). I’ve also quite surprisingly discovered that I love Handel. Jephtha is coming up so that may be worth a look. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 8 minutes ago, Timmie said: Jephtha is coming up so that may be worth a look. New staging!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 Yes! And I've no idea what Jephtha is about 😁 so I'm looking forward to the Insight on YouTube. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 6 minutes ago, Timmie said: Yes! And I've no idea what Jephtha is about Well here's a little taster, from Ian Bostridge's own YouTube 😇 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted September 27, 2023 Share Posted September 27, 2023 WNO did a staged Jeptha in the 2000s which I found rather shattering. What is musically a if not quite happy ending at least a resigned-to-God's-will one was made considerably more depressing. Of course a different production might do it differently but I decided I didn't want to see it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 I thoroughly recommend "Hansel and Gretel". I saw this new production before lockdown and it is slightly subversive but also utterly enchanting - and the music is gorgeous throughout. If you go to Elisir, you will realise that you recognise a lot of the music as John Lanchbery used it (and bits from Barber of Seville) when putting together the score for La Fille mal gardee 😊. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trog Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 I haven't seen much opera, but I suggest Carmen - plenty of music we all know. I also like Orpheus in the Underworld. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 We also have this thread, which might be of help: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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