# Frisson and opera



## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Frisson is a french loanword that refers to shivers running down the spine in response to strong emotional stimuli -- most often music but also from other arts. I read a fascinating paper about it: http://www.cogsci.msu.edu/DSS/2008-2009/Huron/HuronFrisson.pdf
The entire paper is worth a read, but in short opera may be well suited to the experience of frisson because the operatic voice is trained to produce a great deal of energy in the 1000 - 3000 hz range, which happens to also be the range of infant cries and the human scream. To be sure, those are unpleasant sounds, but there's another factor involved in opera -- we know there's no danger or problem, unlike a baby crying or if someone is screaming. So this creates a response similar to a roller coaster -- there's the thrill and fright accompanying the initial effect, but our rational mind knows that everything is operating just as it should and we can revel in the "danger" without any of the risk.

Of course with opera, there is also the fact that the singers are trained to produce this range of sounds in the most beautiful way possible -- the sheer skill involved is another contributing factor.

The paper goes on to speculate that sensitive individuals are more likely to experience frisson than "thick-skinned" types, and women are more likely to experience frisson than men (which may go along the same lines). Which kind of makes sense -- how many "tough guy" types do you know who are into opera? If they can never experience frisson, opera literally sounds like people screaming. That gives me a bit more sympathy for people who don't like opera -- perhaps they literally can't.

Anyway, I was curious as to what proportion of people here experience frisson. I'd guess there's a fairly high percentage among opera fans but do answer honestly


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

No... it's not about the brain... opera touches my... very spirit...



> how many "tough guy" types do you know who are into opera?


Only one <lights a match by rubbing it against stubble on his face>


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

I've had that happen before, most recently while listening to Jonas Kaufmann sing "Dio, mio potevi scagliar" from _Otello_ on his new Verdi CD. I felt as though the hair was standing up on the back of my neck.

I've also had tears spring into my eyes while listening to opera. You know in _Madama Butterfly_, right after the "Tu! Tu! piccolo Iddio" intro and before the start of the aria itself, how there's that little "surge" in the orchestra? Well, the first time I ever heard that, tears came into my eyes, and now it happens every time I hear that part -- so I'm afraid that it's not very genuine anymore and is more like a conditioned response.


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## Jobis (Jun 13, 2013)

I get shivers in that part of saint francis when he kisses the leper, I don't know why that is the main example I can think of but it always sets me off.

also the liebestod of course!


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Nope... Guess I'm of the "tough guy" type kind.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I cry a lot. Often. Last time was in the letter scene of Eugene Onegin, sung by trebs. Usually I cry in Lensky's aria but Piotr Beczala didn't do it for me (Pavol Breslik always does).

But the shivery bits - mainly, funnily enough, in Wagner. When I hear the first chords of Siegfried's funeral march, I can see the hairs on my arms raise up. It's rather weird.


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## Rackon (Apr 9, 2013)

Experienced multitudes of shivery bits all through the Met Parsifal last spring...and I cried through the entire third act.

And, JK singing Otello- oh yes, shivers, hair on end, heart palpitations, involuntary exclamations...the lot.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

rgz said:


> how many "tough guy" types do you know who are into opera?


Clearly, you haven't seen what's on at Salzburg next year.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

I can sometimes get choked up by a particular scene (the final one in _Faust_, sentimental as it is), or feel bowled over by gorgeous singing. And after a great _Fidelio_, I will feel simultaneously charged up and emotionally drained (if that's possible). But that's about the extent of my usual reactions to opera.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

mamascarlatti said:


> Usually I cry in Lensky's aria but Piotr Beczala didn't do it for me (Pavol Breslik always does)


You people have outrageous expectations towards singers. First you want them to sing, them to act as well, now we hear a person complaining that Beczała didn't cry for her. What's next, "I'm disappointed with that tenor, he didn't applaud himself at the end and I had to go crazy about how he sung myself!"?


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

Aramis said:


> You people have outrageous expectations towards singers. First you want them to sing, them to act as well, now we hear a person complaining that Beczała didn't cry for her. What's next, "I'm disappointed with that tenor, he didn't applaud himself at the end and I had to go crazy about how he sung myself!"?


I think what Mamascarlatti was saying was that she didn't cry during Beczala's performance, not that Beczala himself wasn't emotional enough.

But -- and this has nothing to do with Mamascarlatti now; I'm just making an observation -- when I don't respond emotionally to a singer's performance, the first thing I have to remind myself is that maybe _I'm_ just not in the right mood. In other words, I have to stop myself from automatically blaming the singer for my lack of emotional response. I can't even count the number of opera CDs and DVDs I now love that failed to thrill me the first time I experienced them.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I get very emotional when I see something live and I can hear how much of themselves a singer is putting into their performance. Like Simon Keenlyside in the Wozzeck I saw recently (must do review).


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Music has but one purpose - to make the listener feel something (anything) on an emotional level. 
It doesn't necessarily have to be frisson (my new word for the day) but it has to be something or it's just pointless.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Couac Addict said:


> Music has but one purpose - to make the listener feel something (anything) on an emotional level.
> It doesn't necessarily have to be frisson (my new word for the day) but it has to be something or it's just pointless.


Now, the good thing about opera sub-forum is that most of those people willing to quote this and arouse another pointless discussion about what music "should" do are staying away from it.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

There's no need for discussion when I'm right. :lol:


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Couac Addict said:


> There's no need for discussion when I'm right. :lol:


Yet you slightly move left in order to reach a cup of tea from that side of your desk and the Pandora box is opened.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

I get these from time to time, although I thought the technical term was "operagasm".


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## Posie (Aug 18, 2013)

What two cold robots answered "No, not that I remember."?!


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Couchie said:


> I get these from time to time, although I thought the technical term was "operagasm".


No, an _operagasm_ is this...


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## Revenant (Aug 27, 2013)

Couac Addict said:


> No, an _operagasm_ is this...


I think he was just trying to replace the high note with a Mongolian yodel, for variety's sake. Very charitable that the unfortunate tenor's name is not mentioned.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

marinasabina said:


> What two cold robots answered "No, not that I remember."?!


Fans of this opera, I suppose:


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## gellio (Nov 7, 2013)

When I listen to Wagner, I am swept away. When I listen to Mozart, I am in ecstasy. When I listen to Beethoven, my heart breaks.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Aramis said:


> Fans of this opera, I suppose:


I've often said that opera needs more speaking balloons.
Usually with bad productions, you can close your eyes and enjoy the music...clearly, there are exceptions to that rule.


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## Posie (Aug 18, 2013)

Couac Addict said:


> No, an _operagasm_ is this...


Any idea who that is? It sounds a lot like Jose Carreras. It can't be!


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Couac Addict said:


> I've often said that opera needs more speaking balloons.
> Usually with bad productions, you can close your eyes and enjoy the music...clearly, there are exceptions to that rule.


opera houses should offer a variety of speaking balloons so that the audience could pick the balloon using the language they are most comfortable with (and there should be headphones free of charge in the opera lobby, like they have in museums where they explain the painting). In fact, this balloon should be available for any opera, so that you won't need to open up your eyes and read the surtitles if the production is terrible.


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