# BBC on crack



## LindnerianSea (Jun 5, 2013)

Dear all,

I present to you this astonishing interview that took place not too long ago at the BBC. Have a look and say what you have to say.
I show my respect towards Mr. Hampson, who answered some of these ludicrous question with great composure and elegance.






Best,
LS


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Those were interesting statistics, but by no means disheartening. Fear of unknown and antagonistic social pressure have kept people from opera. I thought that singer had some pretty good responses.

It's not that "opera is for all people" but "opera is for all KINDS of people." We performers exist to share music with people who, although they may still not like it, have the _potential to fall in love with it_. It's a mission to share the "good news" of good music like classical!


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Though I've seen him in a number of things, I had no idea Mr. Hampson is American. He effects what we call a "Mid-Atlantic" accent, the speech patterns often (or formerly) used by American actors to sound slightly European but not British. This brings the question do opera performers study acting as well? It stand to reason they do.

On a side note, this is more polite than an episode of the same show I saw recently with a balding male interviewer whom I thought was a complete dunce to one of my favorite interviewees from the pop world. When did it become fashionable for television to insult and act like prosecuting attorneys to its guests?


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## Jobis (Jun 13, 2013)

What kind of degenerate wrote these questions... talk about one sided. Elitist... such idiocy.

The more I watch the more astounded and angry its making me. Does she suggest we ban any art that doesn't spoon feed its audience?


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## LindnerianSea (Jun 5, 2013)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Those were interesting statistics, but by no means disheartening. Fear of unknown and antagonistic social pressure have kept people from opera. I thought that singer had some pretty good responses.
> 
> It's not that "opera is for all people" but "opera is for all KINDS of people." We performers exist to share music with people who, although they may still not like it, have the _potential to fall in love with it_. It's a mission to share the "good news" of good music like classical!


I cannot agree more. I think operas offer a unique artistic experience, where musical drama comes in close contact with narrative drama with equal weight. Of course, everyone might not be ready for this, just as some people prefer to go into pubs instead of museums. But this, of course, provides insufficient reason to condemn the genre as "elitist" art. I wish people could be more open minded and not just dulge into hasty conclusions. I am sure everyone will a bit of themselves in truly great works of opera


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Weston said:


> Though I've seen him in a number of things, I had no idea Mr. Hampson is American. He effects what we call a "Mid-Atlantic" accent, the speech patterns often (or formerly) used by American actors to sound slightly European but not British. This brings the question do opera performers study acting as well? It stand to reason they do.
> 
> On a side note, this is more polite than an episode of the same show I saw recently with a balding male interviewer whom I thought was a complete dunce to one of my favorite interviewees from the pop world. When did it become fashionable for television to insult and act like prosecuting attorneys to its guests?


I suppose that's why it is called "Hard Talk",the interviewees are made aware of what may come their way and choose to take part or not.
Mr.Hampson was very good but the interviewer appeared to have no musical knowledge and committed the cardinal sin of pronouncing Verdi as Vurdi--that really grates !


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

moody said:


> Mr.Hampson was very good but the interviewer appeared to have no musical knowledge and committed the cardinal sin of pronouncing Verdi as Vurdi--that really grates !


I didn't notice, but even with her proper British accent? Deplorable!


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Weston said:


> When did it become fashionable for television to insult and act like prosecuting attorneys to its guests?


they're meant to sound "edgy". I don't know if he was not supposed to touch on pop music ticket prices, but one could get right back to her incessant portrayal of opera as REALLY, REALLY expensive with ticket prices asked for by major pop acts. I rarely pay more for a ticket to the opera than for a ticket to see a pop concert.


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## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

Is opera prohibitively expensive for all but the rich? I'd be surprised if it were so. I've only watched it in Prague, where it was very reasonable - tickets on sale now for Aida at the National Theatre for the equivalent of £6 to £36 for the best seats. I wonder how the cost in the UK would compare to, say, a ticket to a premiership football match (Man U v Arsenal), the British Grand Prix, or an Ashes Test match.


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## LindnerianSea (Jun 5, 2013)

Jobis said:


> What kind of degenerate wrote these questions... talk about one sided. Elitist... such idiocy.
> 
> The more I watch the more astounded and angry its making me. Does she suggest we ban any art that doesn't spoon feed its audience?


I am sure Tarkovsky would agree with us too.


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## julianoq (Jan 29, 2013)

I like his answers a lot. Also I won't blame the interviewer, probably most people I know thinks the same way, they are just representing these people and asking the kind of questions that they have.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

moody said:


> the interviewer appeared to have no musical knowledge


but she at least was forced to skim over the (convoluted) plot of Simon Boccanegra, of all things :lol:


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

bassClef said:


> Is opera prohibitively expensive for all but the rich? I'd be surprised if it were so. I've only watched it in Prague, where it was very reasonable - tickets on sale now for Aida at the National Theatre for the equivalent of £6 to £36 for the best seats. I wonder how the cost in the UK would compare to, say, a ticket to a premiership football match (Man U v Arsenal), the British Grand Prix, or an Ashes Test match.


Or to stick within music, how much does it cost to see [fill in aging rock band on reunion tour]?


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## Selby (Nov 17, 2012)

This interview just made me like him more. One of my favorite Mahlerists.


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## Alydon (May 16, 2012)

Strange though it may read it is more expensive to go to a football match than go to see an opera. It seems this interview tries to reinforce all the ridiculous stereotypes we know is utter rubbish -


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

That's the nature of Hard Talk, and it really wouldn't have served a purpose to have classical presenters like Sean Rafferty or Petroc Trelawny doing the interview.

Anyway, a good job done by Mr Hampson, I'd expect no less from him.


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## Fermat (Jul 26, 2013)

Oh, dear. That was an annoying interview.

Regarding $$$, I don't see how opera is worse than anything else. Some tickets for pop stars on tour are as expensive, if not more so, than opera. The reality is that there are many options from traveling to see the internationally famous all the way down to your average local productions. (And, of course, today there are even live broadcasts at the cinemas for those that can't/don't want to spend more than the price of movie tickets.) Whatever your budget, you can enjoy opera.

Not that most people do any research into opera before dismissing it.


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