# Help pick my next opera!



## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

I know you opera fans here are a devoted bunch, and I thought it'd be fun to do a little survey for selecting my next opera. I enjoy Mozart's operas, Puccini I like as well. Outside of them, I have fairly limited listening; Rusalka, Eugene Onegin, Highlights of Parsifal and Tristan Unde Isolde, and Lakme. Very lyrical, melodic music is the biggest factor for me, well beyond plot (though nothing wrong with a good plot!) I prefer Puccini's style over Wagner, if that helps factor in.


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## TudorMihai (Feb 20, 2013)

I would recommend Verdi's Aida. Not only because it was the first opera I've ever attended but still it remains to this day one of my favorite operas. I would also recommend The Barber of Seville by Rossini or Carmen by Bizet. From Puccini, my favorite would be La Boheme. If you want something German but not Wagner, Beethoven's Fidelio.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Oh, right. I actually have Fidelio. I did enjoy it quite a bit, but haven't listened in about two years. I'll load that onto my iPod.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

are you going to see it live or do you want to buy a DVD? it could make a big difference...


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

At this point in time, mainly listening. I've enjoyed a couple opera videos, but I have a hard time devoting myself to the task of watching on DVD (not by any means opposed to it, just not where my interest is at the moment). I hope to go to a live opera next year, but the closest opera house is 2.5 hours away so I'll see whatever they decide to put on.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

why don't you youtube it first before investing money in it? here are some examples to whet your appetite:

Werther 1: 




Werther 2: 




Les Troyens: 




Aida 1: 




Aida 2: 




La Fanciulla 1: 




La Fanciulla 2: 




La Rondine 1: 




La Rondine 2:


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I would recommend _Les Troyens_. A great story to really get your teeth into & some wonderful melodies including "Gloire à Didon"


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

for melody its hard to beat
Tales of Hoffman or Gounods Faust.
La Gioconda and Mefistofeles are in the modern post Puccini
style.
i quite enjoy them.

William Tell is an awesome opera as well
with melody galore.
unbelievable music.


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## dortith (Jan 5, 2012)

Of those that you have listed I would go with La Rondine, it is going through a bit of a revival at the moment and the Gheorghiu/Alagna version has all the lyricism that you need. Madama Butterfly is better, full of melody and the ultimate in tragic stories. Cavelleria Rusticana, Mascagni, is also very lyrical, dramatic and fairly short, the Domingo/Scotto version is good. For something a bit more intense and challenging, and a personal favourite, try Salome, Strauss. Powerful story and music, lyrical, Romantic, dramatic. The Sinopoli/Studer is very good; but if you could bring yourself to watch a DVD the Bohm/Stratas is superb. As someone mentioned, Carmen of course goes from one hum along melody to the next, with a strong dramatic story thrown in to boot. Good listening.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

I won't vote because the only one I've listened to is Aida...lol. 

My opera is pretty limited too. Mozart, Wagner, the occasional Puccini or Verdi or Strauss. On the DVD front though, since I usually don't read along with the Libretto, after I've listened to an opera a few times I'll usually rent a DVD of it from Netflix to actually see what it's about. Occasionally I've rented one and watched it before I'd ever listened to it though. I watched Rusalka with Rene Fleming on DVD last year and loved her performance.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

_Les Troyens_ is utterly superb!


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## Tarkellyt (Feb 23, 2013)

Aida. It's not my favorite of Verdi's, but it's pretty great.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Aida is overrated. If you want something spectacular: LES TROYENS!!!!!!!


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I've only heard Aida and Les Troyens. Aida is good, Les Troyens is _very_ good. The son-of-a-gun goes on for four hours though. Breaking it up into Troy and Carthage halves, with a significant intermission between, works well.

I have two audio only recordings, both Colin Davis/LSO. I slightly prefer the earlier one.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

I think I'll go with Les Troyens! I'd better listen to the rest of my operas and get to know them well before diving into this big beast though


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Sonata said:


> I think I'll go with Les Troyens! I'd better listen to the rest of my operas and get to know them well before diving into this big beast though


:clap:

Great! If I may make a suggestion - have a read through of the history & synopsis before you start.

Let us know how you get on.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

That's a good idea. I have some familiarity with the story of Troy, but not in the detail that would be enough to truly benefit me in the viewing.  I'm getting more interested in history lately, so it won't be a chore.


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

Les Troyens is ahead so far? _That's_ what I'm talking about!

It's an amazing opera, and in my mind, this isn't even a question.


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## sharik (Jan 23, 2013)

go for Puccini, avoid _Les Troyens_.


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

Sonata said:


> That's a good idea. I have some familiarity with the story of Troy, but not in the detail that would be enough to truly benefit me in the viewing.  I'm getting more interested in history lately, so it won't be a chore.


Virgil's stylized story of Troy. Reading the Aeneid, I can't help but hear the ingenious arias and fanfares of Berlioz's great opera. It's such an enriching experience to listen to the whole opera in a single sitting. It's quite long, but it's never boring.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

sharik said:


> go for Puccini, avoid _Les Troyens_.


she already likes Puccini, why not explore something else?


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## sharik (Jan 23, 2013)

deggial said:


> she already likes Puccini, why not explore something else?


you know, it is better to watch Turandot or Madama Butterfly for a thousand time than die of boredom watching Les Troyens.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Sonata said:


> That's a good idea. I have some familiarity with the story of Troy, but not in the detail that would be enough to truly benefit me in the viewing.  I'm getting more interested in history lately, so it won't be a chore.


Good idea. I went about it the wrong way & I wish I'd familiarised myself with Virgil's Aeneid before I started learning the opera.


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

Sonata, I think it depends on whether you want to familiarise yourself with many Operas or whether you want to go straight to the Great Ones?! 
From the list at the start of the thread, then I would recommend 'Aida'...it is also a wonderful opera, I believe. It's very popular and easy to become familiar-with...it's popular like 'Strictly Come Dancing' is popular because millions readily love it but that doesn't mean that it's not a darn good show too! It's popular because it deserves to be. 
Maybe start off with a decent dvd version that won't cost too much...like this production of some years ago, from the New York Met. that is cheap to buy online....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-li...p?ie=UTF8&qid=1361816003&sr=8-2&condition=new

I like Aprile Milo in the starring role, she sings with passion throughout and she and Placido make a touching pair of lovers in the last scene. It's one of Dolora Zajick's best roles, as Amneris...and the whole production has had some cash thrown at it and looks the part.
But if one wants to immediately ascend to the operatic heights, you could go with these three great ones....The Marraige of Figaro, Carmen and my favourite of all, Verdi's Don Carlos.
We all have different tastes...so its only my personal opinion here and it is_ no more valid _than anyone else's...but I'd say, for the moment....leave Berlioz for later.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

sharik said:


> you know, it is better to watch Turandot or Madama Butterfly for a thousand time than die of boredom watching Les Troyens.


fair enough, but let her decide that  if she gets bored within 20min she can always stop watching.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sharik said:


> you know, it is better to watch Turandot or Madama Butterfly for a thousand time than die of boredom watching Les Troyens.


It's a wonderful and rewarding work, but admittedly it takes some patience to get into. I saw it live last year, and when it was finished I would really have liked to see it all again straight away.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> It's a wonderful and rewarding work, but admittedly it takes some patience to get into. I saw it live last year, and when it was finished I would really have liked to see it all again straight away.


I felt exactly the same at first & didn't even want to go & see it. But after a few listens & watching this DVD I fell in love with it.


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## Cavaradossi (Aug 2, 2012)

Sonata said:


> Very lyrical, melodic music is the biggest factor for me


All of your options are good ones on that account, but Les Troyens could be a real revelation for you.



> That's a good idea. I have some familiarity with the story of Troy, but not in the detail that would be enough to truly benefit me in the viewing. I'm getting more interested in history lately, so it won't be a chore.


I had some passing familiarity from high school, etc, but even at five hours, the opera is really just a few select scenes from the story with extended explorations of some of the character's relationships. I think reading through the libretto would be more useful. The relevant bits of the story you need to know are spelled out in the libretto too.


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## rborganist (Jan 29, 2013)

Of those on your list, I'd go with Aida. It's a great plot (a variation on Romeo and Juliet, only it's two warring countries rather than two warring families), and it is chock full of great tunes. The first one,"Celeste Aida", comes only fifteen measures after the overture, and it includes the thrilling "Ritornic vincitor", the very familiar "Grand March", and Aida's exquisite "O patria mia." I would also suggest Gounod's Faust, Bizet's Carmen (but don't miss The Pearl Fishers),Rigoletto (back to Verdi), La Traviata (also full of great tunes), and Il Trovatore (people accuse the plot of not making sense, but you must list to Ferrando's opening aria, as it gives essential background on what happened before the curtain went up--but oh my, is it ever full of gorgeous melodies). For twentieth century opera, listen to Vanessa by Samuel Barber, Amahl and the Night Visitors by Menotti, The Telephone and The Medium by Menotti, and Nixon in China by John Adams. Britten's Death in Venice is, from what I've been told very visual, so don't try to listen to it--watch it. Throw in a bit of operetta also, especially Die Fledermaus and from Gilbert and Sullivan H. M. S. Pinafore, The Mikado, Iolanthe, and Patience. Try to watch them as well as listen, you will enjoy them either way, but the visual element will enhance your enjoyment. We recently saw Pinafore for the first time, and the addition of the dancing and the physicality of some of the comedy really added a lot.


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

Sonata said:


> I think I'll go with Les Troyens! I'd better listen to the rest of my operas and get to know them well before diving into this big beast though


It's an amazing opera, and I'm very attached to the Colin Davis recording. Les Troyens was staged in New York in December and I strongly considered making a trip up there to see the performance. I wish that I had.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*HD Performance*



Novelette said:


> It's an amazing opera, and I'm very attached to the Colin Davis recording. Les Troyens was staged in New York in December and I strongly considered making a trip up there to see the performance. I wish that I had.


Saw the HD performance. It was great!!!


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

I'd go with "Aida" because it's the safest bet. It's multitude of great tunes make it hard to resist for the newcomer. Not that it really matters that much which one you'll hear first because if you really get into the genre you'll hear all of those operas in the poll anyway at some point.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

I'm thinking my nest "To listen to" opera will be Aida. I'm really enjoying Traviata at the moment so another Verdi opera will be good.
Really looking forward to Les Troyens, but it's more involved so I think I'd table that one and focus on it when I have more free time. 

But before even Aida, I have realized I need to listen to all of my current operas first!


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

Sonata....hope this starts you off, with a 'Triumphal March' to youtube?!






Happy Listening!


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