response 1 of 31:

Jul 17 05:52 UTC 1994

From where?

response 3 of 31:

Jul 18 00:58 UTC 1994

I never enjoyed or understood Opera until about 10 years ago.  It was about
that time when I started going to Italy and listening to opera in almost every
restaurant we had dinner in.  Slowly but surely, I started to like and then
love the music. . .beginning with Verdi (who is easy to love.)  Then, Jerry and
I wwere invited to a New Year's Eve performance of little known opera at
Lincoln Center in New York.  We listened to the opera before hand and learned
what we could about it, then went and had a fabulous evening.  Since then, we
watch opera as often as we can on TV and have started attending a performance
in every city we visit.  This year, we went to the new Opera at the Bastille in
Paris and saw and heard a very different rendition of the Magic Flute.  It was
a magical evening.  I dont knoe if Opera is becoming more popular in the rest
of the USA, but it sure has increased in popularity in the Bricker household. 
As for it being elitist, I believe that is only true in sofaras the cost of a
ticket.  Opera is much more than music. . it is drama.

response 5 of 31:

Jul 18 02:58 UTC 1994

I guess I think it's elitist because it's nearly always in a language
that I can't understand.

response 7 of 31:

Jul 18 06:23 UTC 1994

I like opera - enormously. The comparison in #0 struck me humorously as
when I was driving south with cave exploring groups more frequently,
the rule was that the driver chose the music: that is, until I chose
opera. We wrangled over that one, and came to a mutual agreement, that
I would not choose opera and everyone else would not choose rock. 

response 9 of 31:

Jul 18 07:32 UTC 1994

Hmm,, a lot like Comic Opera Guild right +here+ in A2! Twenty-plus
years and still performing! 

response 11 of 31:

Jul 18 12:39 UTC 1994

I think this calls for a Grexpedition.  Anybody have schedule and ticketing
information for AACOG?

response 13 of 31:

Jul 21 07:37 UTC 1994

   I was introduced to opera at age 4. My mother introduced me to 
Die Fliedermaus by Johann Strauss. It remains one of my favorites to
this day, although I also enjoy Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore, and
The Mikado, as well as The Barber of Seville and Aida.
  I think opera got it's elitest image from seeing many patrons d'art
dressed in minks and silk tux's rather than wearing sandals and shorts.
They don't sell popcorn and soda at the opera, and sitting in one of
those chairs without some good buttered popcorn seems like a crime against
mankind ;). I, for one, like to use my imagination while listening to
opera, and wondering what that characters are doing, and all that. I also
forgot to mention that I also love Carmen by Bizet.

response 15 of 31:

Jul 24 01:33 UTC 1994

I think opera has gotten its elitist tag because fo the language
barrier.  When it's in a foreign language, it takes some study to
appreciate what's going on.

A grexpedition to an AACOG performance sounds like a good idea to me!

response 17 of 31:

Jul 24 05:34 UTC 1994

It takes no study. You just have to be able to read the English
translation of the libretto.

response 19 of 31:

Jul 24 07:14 UTC 1994

tsty, didn't AACOG do FLEDERMAUS about five years ago?  Seems 
pretty soon to be doing it again, especially as I haven't heard 
about too many fully staged productions since then.
 
I have a theory which proposes that the popularity of opera went 
into decline with the introduction of the modern spotlight.
The darkened theatre made it impossible for the audience to 
read their librettos.  With the development of projected 
titles -- making the opera experience somewhat like watching 
a subtitled Italian movie -- the libretto has been restored to a 
place where the audience can read it once more, and the popularity of 
opera has been increasing steadily.
 
I'll have to write a bit more about my introduction to opera next time.
If you really want a proper introduction to the field, you should fall 
in love with a singer.
 
I've been going through a bit of an obsession with Puccini's TOSCA
for the last few months, but I had no idea that "Nessun Dorma"
("No One Sleeps") had become a soccer anthem...

response 21 of 31:

Jul 24 20:53 UTC 1994

I must admit that I have a problem with *most* opera that I've heard. Here's
the problem: the singers are forced to employ brain-cruching vibrato *just
in order to be heard above the orchestra.* I can hardly ever tell what pitch
these folks are singin', because they're wailin' away with this vibrato
business. It gets on my nerves in a big way.

Now, don't get me wrong here. I think the three tenors whom this item is
about in the first place a good singers. But it's sure hard to tell that.

Also, to weaken my own argument further: I haven't heard all that much
opera music--ceratinly not enough to "judge opera," anyway. But I used to
work in a classical music store, so I've had a dose or two of it in my time.

Anyway, that's the problem. The singers.

Oh, hey! Another thing: I've never seen an opera live on stage. I would
imagine that's a completely different experience than just hearing a recording.

Okay, I'm done now.

response 23 of 31:

Jul 25 03:44 UTC 1994

   You're right, many do consider it part of the experience, but
as a rock fan, I almost always avoid concerts, because of the musical
quality.  If one uses standards that involve such things as how the
music sounds, they'll stay away from "live" performances.