I've never been to the opera

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Mugshot

Cracking a solo.
But I think I'd like to give it a go. Unfortunately living in the back end of beyond makes it a little tricky to get to a "live" performance, however our local cinema does screenings of performances so I was thinking of going and having a look at one of those.
Anyway, they're going to be showing the Royal Operas' Madama Butterfly and I was wondering if the opera buffs here could let me know if this is a good one to start with, I like the Malcom McLaren version (got the 12" somewhere) and how different could they be?
 

KneesUp

Guru
I was taken to the opera once by the first Mrs Up. I was glad I had bought the CD (it was a long time ago, pre Napster even) and read the liner notes beforehand as I would not have had a b'stard clue what was going on otherwise. I guess these days wikipedia and Spotify would do just as well. (EDIT - saw Tristan und Isolde)

It was perfectly enjoyable, and yet I've never felt the need to go again.
 
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MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
Carmen.

someone told me it's good one to start off with and i'm familiar with, and enjoy some of the music.

I went to see Puccini's Manon Lescaut at the Royal Danish Opera house years ago... it was a bit boring, especially when Manon kept dying, then coming back to sing yet another verse, over and over again in the final act. I enjoyed the orchestra and the stage craft though... and would like to go to see another one... such as Carmen. I quite fancy going to see a ballet too... just to see what all the fuss is about.
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
Butterfly is quite short, I think. It's not really my style, but it is very popular. I'd second Carmen as a suggestion - I took a group of opera virgins to see it as a work jolly, and they loved it.

Butterfly is quite like Les Mis in musical style - all sung and relatively realistic. Carmen is more like a classic Broadway show like Oklahoma! - dialogue takes the action forward, interspersed with longer songs/arias as showpieces or expressing emotions.
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
Opera was on the wife and my 'bucket list'. We ticked it off about 10 years ago and I vowed I would never go back. I got invited to the Opera in Chicago last year and almost enjoyed it.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Do rock operas count?
 
OP
OP
Mugshot

Mugshot

Cracking a solo.
Butterfly is quite short, I think. It's not really my style, but it is very popular. I'd second Carmen as a suggestion - I took a group of opera virgins to see it as a work jolly, and they loved it.

Butterfly is quite like Les Mis in musical style - all sung and relatively realistic. Carmen is more like a classic Broadway show like Oklahoma! - dialogue takes the action forward, interspersed with longer songs/arias as showpieces or expressing emotions.
Ok, that gives me a bit of an idea of the format, thank you. I don't want to be put off by going to the wrong one, but I don't know how long, if ever, it would take for the right one to come around, or even what the right one is.
 

Electric_Andy

Heavy Metal Fan
Location
Plymouth
well worth it for the experience, but has to be live unless you really like your opera. I saw a performance in the sydney opera house and it was great even though we couldn't see the subtitles in the cheap seats. Yes Madame butterfly is a good one, you'll recognise some of the tunes
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
Although a long-time "classical" fan, only recently started going to opera proper, usually at the ENO in london(we're from out of town so make a weekend of it). I like the modern accessible stuff - Philip Glass: Ahknaten, and Satyagraha, ditto Adams "Death of klinghoffer" and "Gospel According to the other mary", Offenbach "Tales of Hoffman". also like the early stuff eg Montiverdi. I'd not care to sit through the overblown Wagner or Italia opera to be honest.

For the "novice" - can't go wrong with Mozart, early music like Montiverdi or Purcell, or Carmen or Offenbach.

Great dvd version of Powell & Pressburger's movie of Tales of Hofman with Robert Helpman as the villain - some of us will have been terrified by him as the Child Catcher in chitty chitty bang bang. Another good dvd is of Rameau's Indes Gallantes - the William Christie / Artes Floresstan version - and if you do get this watch it to the very end for the post credit bit.

Worth a few Dvds to check it's your thing
 
Like most things in life go to the best you can comfortably afford so you are seeing the best. If unsure ring up somewhere like the London opera house and get some advice of seeing something accessible - they might be able to advise which shows coming up you'd most likely enjoy.
 
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