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Have you ever seen live opera?

This can be magical, but very expensive.

I once saw La Traviata in Rome.

It can be dreadful too. Othello in Covert Garden, I walked out. The chorus were better than the principals

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Ghostinthemachine · M

I saw an Opera in Vienna for $2
It brought me to tears

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SW-User

@Ghostinthemachine No, she had been in the sixth form with me. He was ‘teaching’ her, and had been my form tutor at thirteen.
Sounds like a Pinter play!

Ghostinthemachine · M

@SW-User you should write it!

SW-User

@Ghostinthemachine They married, but being much older he died when she was still relatively young. So she became ‘The Merry Widow’ herself!

jackieash27

Me and my other half love classical music (much to the amusement of our friends) but she is an opera fan; I'm still at the early stages.

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SW-User

@jackieash27 Betrayal seems to be a theme, so take care.

I’ve only seen a few operas with friends, mostly on my own. So never discussed them.

Also their significance changes as life progresses.

jackieash27

@SW-User How do you mean?

SW-User

@jackieash27 We have established Opera raises all passions.

meggie · F

No I don't like opera. But I do go to the Royal Opera House to see the ballet

ElwoodBlues · M

I've been to a very few; my wife is a big fan; me not so much. The best was Aida, performed in the Roman amphitheater in Verona Italy.

ArishMell · 70-79, M

Only once, so far at least. Puccini's Madame Butterfly, performed by the Ukrainian National Opera on a UK tour earlier this year.

It was very good and very enjoyable, too! Nor was it particularly expensive - about £35 if I recall correctly, not much more than The Searchers' concert in the same venue, Weymouth Pavilion, a few weeks previously.

As the libretto is in Italian, to help us follow the story, a screen on the proscenium arch showed the songs in English, line by line.

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

No, but I do very occasionally watch it on TV. Particularly when it's a big production with lots of visuals to enjoy.

Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M

I've been many times over the years.
I like the drama and the storytelling.

If it's not something you've ever experienced, next time you have time to spare, go to YouTube and find Mozart's "The marriage of Figaro".

There are several renditions there.
Pick a good company production.
Something like the Deuts oper Berlin. Or the English national opera or the Teatro alla Scalla.

Worth watching.

You might also try what are known as One Act Operas.

akindheart · 61-69, F

i was given the choice of a live opera or a live ballet in Prague or budapest. i chose the live ballet.

SW-User

Yes, I have. I first went to the opera when I was about 8 years old. Most of the operas I've seen were in San Francisco, but I've also seen opera in London, Milan, and Paris. The last opera I saw was Lucia di Lammermoor.

SW-User

@SW-User Gosh, I envy you. What did you see in Milan?

I’ve always wanted to see Wagner live, but alas only on screen.

SW-User

@SW-User I saw I Vespri Siciliani at the Teatro alla Scala.

I haven't seen much Wagner yet (not The Ring Cycle, at least. I've seen Meistersinger).

SW-User

@SW-User I once visited Linderhof, in Bavaria, which mad king Ludwig built to play Wagner in the grotto. It was acoustically dead!

Dlrannie · 31-35, F

Yes - Chinese Opera in Shanghai🙂🐼🥢

BizSuitStacy · M

Long ago. Pretty amazing too

Dusty101 · F

My nephew is an opera singer and he gets me tickets to his shows.
I haven't the nerve to tell him I don't like opera, however he is good, but it's not my cuppa!

SW-User

@Dusty101 I once worked with Sarah Brightmans cousin. But Lloyd Webber was so mean, not even she got free tickets.

Dusty101 · F

@SW-User what a tightwad! He looks like a stingy fecker!

SW-User

@Dusty101 More a less the same words that my friend said!

4meAndyou · F

To me there is no point if you don't understand Italian. I'm sure the music is lovely, but I am one of those barbarians who ALSO likes to follow the story.

SW-User

no, and i never contemplated going either. when i see opera on screen, i have an urge to laugh

SW-User

@SW-User Shame, you miss out. It’s like Shakespeare. It is designed at school to put you off for life, dry and boring. But when you see it live by a good company you are hooked.

SW-User

@SW-User i don't doubt this. i went to a hockey game once and i was screaming from the bleachers when seeing it from a screen normally puts me to sleep.