# Did your interest in opera distract from other genres of classical music?



## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

It is something I'm experiencing. Opera is so much diffrent from the rest of classical music that sometimes I think that if there wouldn't be connection coming from the fact that most of composers that wrote great operas were the same fellows who contributed to other genres, there would be clear partition between "classical music" and "opera" listeners. These are like two vast areas and it's rare to find person who is active listener of both. 

I used to have great interest is piano stuff, now I feel that my knowledge about pianists got backward in comparison with opera performers because I know all major contemporary singers while when it comes to pianists I can hardly think of any whose style I could describe and give opinion. Of course I already estabilished my taste, I have my favourite recordings and know my share about great figures so there is no regression but I feel that my familiarity with the subject heavily lags behind since I undertook serious interest in opera. 

Operas are long, listening to them is musically exhausting and these days I hardly can find some time to check out new symphonies, concertos or works of chamber music which used to be 99% of my listening time some time ago. To put it simple, the more I'm into opera the less I'm into all the rest of classical music. 

While thinking about our community I get impression that I'm not the only one. Regular posters in opera section rarely or never discuss elsewhere (except community forum, but it doesn't count). Isn't Almaviva the guy who could ask "never heard of the man, did he write any operas?" when asked about Chopin, Brahms, Mahler or Liszt? Or about Richter, Mutter, Maisky, Rampal? 

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

The Arab's ruler son option is attractive enough, but I'll go for the "No" instead.

I don't limit my classical musical exposure to Opera. In fact, my first love were other genres, and Opera came later, already well into my teens, as an acquired taste after repeated exposure to _Norma_, _Aida_, _Carmen_, ... recordings.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

Speaking for myself, I dabbled in Opera early in the days of my first exposure to Classical Music-- but absorbed Symphonies, Concertos, Sonatas _et al_ more spiritedly.

Somewhile later, my enthusiasm for Opera increased... but to describe myself as an "Opera enthusiast" would be about as accurate as calling myself a "Symphony enthusiast."

So... what's the question? Has my interest in many of the very best Operas detracted from opportunities to absorb second-tier Orchestral and Chamber works? Why, yes... I'd have to confess that it has.

Guilty as charged.


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## Festat (Oct 25, 2011)

Although I voted for no, I could say yes, it does distract me from everything else — not only other genres of classical music, from everything at all — but only for a while.
I have phases during which I'm completely immersed in a specific genre or period, which may or may not belong or relate to music, although they often do, along with film, which I study, and still photography.
These phases may last weeks or years, but eventually the craze will fade, usually once I had a rather extensive experience in the subject and my tastes are solidly established, and I come back to my normal life of music/movie/photography appreciation with a considerably larger amount of knowledge and a considerably smaller amount of money and HD space than I had before.
Most times the interest strongly persists, but it turns into a healthy habit rather than an obsession.

This is just me, though, getting into my very own opera mania just now.

Edit: The phase may occasionally come back one or more times and turn into a cycle, like me and bebop.


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## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

The difference between an opera and an oratorio is the presence of sets and costumes. On a CD, who knows?
The difference between an oratorio and a cantata is essentially, length.
If you listen to cantatas, you probably love Bach, and also listen to his non-vocal pieces.
If you like non-vocal classical music, you've got the whole territory covered.

So the leap isn't that big...


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Although I prefer vocal music to instrumental music, I still enjoy listening to the latter. (If Beethoven wrote it, I love it!) And though most of the vocal music to which I listen is opera, I also enjoy oratorios, Lieder, masses by Mozart and Haydn, songs by Stephen Foster, popular songs from the (American) Civil War, and the traditioinal German Weihnachtslieder (Christmnas carols).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I started out as a Classical music enthusiast and then got into opera, although in my first phase in the 80s I still maintained my interest in instrumental music.

When I came to NZ my interest in opera died down considerably as there was so little opportunity to attend it live. I also started learning to play the piano and discovered Scarlatti. 

It was my realisation that there are a lot of fantastic DVDs out there that revived my interest in opera. Now I listen to nothing else, even Domenico lies languishing on my shelves. As Aramis says, operas are so long, and there are so many I don't know at all or at least don't know well, that it consumes every moment of my watching/listening. I would only make an exception for Handel oratorios and for lieder, and the odd Bach cantata (but no, not his instrumental music any longer).


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Aramis said:


> Isn't Almaviva the guy who could ask "never heard of the man, did he write any operas?" when asked about Chopin, Brahms, Mahler or Liszt?


No, I actually have a long relationship with classical music since I was a pre-teenager. I own (or used to - I gave away my vinyl collection to a nephew) all the essential works, and much later I got into opera. I regularly attend live symphonic and chamber concerts, and I still have both CDs and DVDs or various symphonies, sonatas, etc.

However these days I *do* love opera far - very very far - beyond any other genre.

The reason why I don't post in other classical music fora is because I'm busy enough here, and thanks to moderation tasks, I wouldn't be able to follow any discussion outside of the two areas in which I was given moderation responsibilities (opera and the community forum).

Rest assured that I'd not say that I've never heard of Chopin, Brahms, Mahler, or Liszt.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Just for the record, Liszt did actually compose an opera (in his teens) & when he was here, the pianist Leslie Howard said that it has been produced recently (I'm not sure if it's been recorded as yet, though)...


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## hutchscott (May 13, 2011)

Liszt also did piano transcriptions of other people's opera works.

Yes, my study of opera has taken me away from other classical music genres, yes.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)




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## BalloinMaschera (Apr 4, 2011)

My first encounters with classical music were at home as a child, I suppose- piano lessons, chamber music, symphony concerts and opera performances attended as a family etc...

I did however, still as a child develop a penchant for opera, and for a while, I almost exclusively listened to opera...

I guess it was as a student in college that I re-discovered non-operatic classical music. I found non-operatic music better to listen to, while studying, as I concentrate on the music much more when listening to opera; non-operatic music was better for studying (less singing along).

Now I appreciate both equally, and will attend/purchase non-operatic classical music concerts as well as operatic.

Today, my music collection is certainly not restricted to opera, and includes symphonies, concertos, chamber music, etc.

These days, I also don't sing along much, anymore. I do a lot more conducting in my head.


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## Sieglinde (Oct 25, 2009)

I never cared for other genres before opera. I need my vox humana and my plot or I'm not interested.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Just starting to get into opera now thanks to Mama and Annie!


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

I enjoy both vocal and instrumental equally. While there are a number of operas I really enjoy there are also those, often by the same composer I do not care for. It would be reasonable to say that I enjoy Lieder, Oratorio and Cantatas more in most cases. It depends to a large measure on my mood. For relaxation I prefer orchestral pieces or chamber. and of course Organ or Harpsichord. I also like small Jazz groups but cannot stand Jazz vocals. Strange, aren't I?


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## brianwalker (Dec 9, 2011)

Aramis said:


> HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
> 
> It is something I'm experiencing. Opera is so much diffrent from the rest of classical music that sometimes I think that if there wouldn't be connection coming from the fact that most of composers that wrote great operas were the same fellows who contributed to other genres, there would be clear partition between "classical music" and "opera" listeners. These are like two vast areas and it's rare to find person who is active listener of both.
> 
> ...


Definitely; I went from a 12 versions of Mahler's 9th guy to an 8 versions of Rigoletto guy. Now I only have 2 Mahler 9ths on my hard-disc (many more on other non-immediate formats). Opera has, however, led me further down the Lieder rabbit hole, of which Mahler plays a large part.

This is why I'm a "lists guy"; finite time, infinite works of art - choices choices.


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Yes, it did and still does ! But it also works the other way around. Sometimes I have phases where all my attention goes to one particular piece, or an opera. Some time ago I listened to many recordings of Tchaikovsky's last 3 symphonies (excl. the Manfred), then there is not much time for other music. Fantastic music, btw.

At the moment my focus is on opera, I've been playing a lot of Elisir d'Amore. So, for the last week there has been Una Furtiva Lagrima in my head, sometimes from the moment I wake up... it never gets old. But, yesterday I went to a concert where Anna Vinnitskaya (a pianist) performed, a little change. 

The biggest "obsession" I ever had with an opera was Don Giovanni (ah... my nickname gave it away) when I was a teenager. I still listen to it, and keep checking for the new productions.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Nope. I have a constant interest in the whole of classical music, then three to five times per year I get into the mood for opera, which lasts anywhere from 3 days to 2 months.


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Aramis said:


> While thinking about our community I get impression that I'm not the only one. Regular posters in opera section rarely or never discuss elsewhere (except community forum, but it doesn't count). Isn't Almaviva the guy who could ask "never heard of the man, did he write any operas?" when asked about Chopin, Brahms, Mahler or Liszt? Or about Richter, Mutter, Maisky, Rampal?


I started my classical journey with instrumental music. At the same time I started to play the piano and got very interested in Chopin. Everytime I listen to his melodies, I feel his music is like opera for piano.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

I really don't understand this question. Classical music is vast, with lots of sub genres. It isn't possible to know and appreciate everything. There just aren't enough days in a life. Knowing one genre desn't ruin you for others. There's time for that.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

I already loved Lieder and some choral works before I got around to opera, so I'd say, no. Just another genre.

Then again, when I got into lieder, (I 'discovered' Winterreisse in my early high school years, LOL) I must admit to a chunk of 'time out' devoted to that remarkable cycle before I got back to my other listening, and perhaps some practice time at my instrument suffered as well 

There is a lot of opera I cannot 'get into,' either musically or dramatically, so it was / is not like I had discovered another planet with oceans (they do 'run long' compared to symphonic works, concerti, etc.)


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## dionisio (Jul 30, 2012)

What's the meaning of the thread?


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

When I got interested in opera, I stopped listening to classical music of other types. I went to a few concerts, just to explore a bit, but nothing else satisfied.

Now, it seems I'm becoming less interested in opera, although whether classical music will return to my life is unclear.


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

It has before, insofar as I can become obsessively interested in a composer's works that are new to me. Thus when I began listening to Rameau, I collected every opera I could find recordings for and "devoured" them. For nearly 12 months, all I listened to was Rameau: an amazing 12 months, too.

But it wasn't unique to opera, I get that way with composers' music in general, I focus entirely upon a new composer until I become interested in another. That's usually how I explore new music, by dwelling almost exclusively on large blocks of music.

So I answered "yes". It has happened to me before, and it will undoubtedly happen again.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Yes and I like to be distracted in this way


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

As far as the 18th century is concerned, there are only two other "genres", if we define the term in the way people at the time really thought. (Today, there is this nonsensical notion that Mozart thought the divertimento somehow a different genre from the symphony or the string quartet, for example.)

"I amuse myself in the mean time by writing church and chamber music, and we have two excellent contrapuntists here, Haydn and Adlgasser." -Mozart, in letter to Padre Martini, 1776

"In its original sense, “chamber music” simply meant music which belonged to the nobility at court as opposed to music of the church or theater. This is confirmed in the contemporary writings of Johann Walter (Musicalisches Lexikon, 1732), Meinrado Spiess (Tractatus Musicus Compositorio-Practicus, 1745), and Heinrich Koch (Musikalisches Lexikon, 1802). By the mid-eighteenth century, it also was heard in the common household and served as a form of relatively inexpensive private entertainment. Although our current convention is to use the term to designate a medium which requires but one person to a part, during the 1700s, “chamber music” denoted something different. Eighteenth-century musicians and theorists recognized three functions of music: to enhance worship in church (ecclesiasticus), to heighten the drama in the theater (itheatralis), and to provide entertainment in the court or chamber (cubicularis). This distinction was maintained well into the last quarter of the eighteenth-century, not only amongst theorists but by the general public as well."
(The _String Quartet_, 1750-1797 : _Four Types_ of Musical Conversation by Parker, _Mara)_


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

I'd say, if you appreciate Mozart in opera, you could also try K.321, K.339











hammeredklavier said:


> To me there's something about Classical period Catholic music that makes it stand out from that of the other periods in European music. It reminds me of-
> _"We must grow down until we become like a child. Jesus' words are true, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3), and “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3)."_
> more than that of the other periods. I don't expect you to "sympathize" with the sentiments. After all, (I suspect that) you have no interest in opera music of the period either.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

No. I've always been interested in a wide range of music, but as a singer I like nothing more than great singing. Listen to enough opera, and you'll occasionally get to hear some. Would that it happened more often!


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

hammeredklavier said:


> I'd say, if you appreciate Mozart in opera, you could also try K.321, K.339


I am not sure how much I appreciate Mozart. My partner, who doesn't like opera at all, says he understands my feelings. It is like reading The little prince by Exupery and feeling the heavy weight of social expectation to like every single word of it, because it is sooo deeep and great. ( It has several things about physics wrong, by the way. How would gravity work at those miniature planets ? ) But I guess I like the Zauberflötte, at minimum.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

hammeredklavier said:


> As far as the 18th century is concerned, there are only two other "genres", if we define the term in the way people at the time really thought. (Today, there is this nonsensical notion that Mozart thought the divertimento somehow a different genre from the symphony or the string quartet, for example.)
> 
> "I amuse myself in the mean time by writing church and chamber music, and we have two excellent contrapuntists here, Haydn and Adlgasser." -Mozart, in letter to Padre Martini, 1776
> 
> ...


Now then, there are three kinds of music, or genres... Do we need any more?


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

I tend to listen to loud music! Opera and symphonic music in bunches. Lifelong, opera wins out for sure and it's my first and greatest love. Opera, symphonies, concertos, big choral works are what I listen to. Occasional periods of chamber music but even there, bigger is better. Almost no solo piano or sonata repertoire and surprisingly little lieder for a devoted lover of the voice, particularly the male voice..........yeah, loud music!


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

ScottK said:


> Opera music in bunches. Lifelong, opera wins out for sure and it's my first and greatest love. surprisingly little lieder for a devoted lover of the voice


Try developing an interest in liederspiele. They're opera that will distract you from your _first and greatest love, _which is opera.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

It's a hard "no" from me.

As a pianist, you'd think that I might lean towards piano music. I really don't favor piano music; sometimes it just makes me feel inadequate as a pianist. I mean, yes, I'm a very good pianist, but only marginally a virtuoso, and only THAT in specific genres, like *Bach* and *Haydn*, and *Mozart*. And Musical theatre. And Gilbert & Sullivan. 

Starting with the Romantic era, I start faltering*.

* For instance, 3rd mvt. of the *Moonlight Sonata* . . . ALL of it is somewhat difficult, but playable, but playing the WHOLE DAMN THING is way too much. Some *Chopin* is very unplayable, while some of it is a walk in the park. Half of *Rhapsody in Blue* is easy, some is merely challenging, while a good quarter of it makes me want to take up boxing.

Frankly, I really enjoy orchestral and symphonic music from Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Impressionistic periods.

As for Opera, I LIKE the music, but often have issues with the singing.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

ScottK said:


> I tend to listen to loud music! Opera and symphonic music in bunches. Lifelong, opera wins out for sure and it's my first and greatest love. Opera, symphonies, concertos, big choral works are what I listen to. Occasional periods of chamber music but even there, bigger is better. Almost no solo piano or sonata repertoire and surprisingly little lieder for a devoted lover of the voice, particularly the male voice..........yeah, loud music!


Interesting, I feel something similar. If there is just one instrument or just a few, it is less attractive for me. The instrumental trios, quartets etc often bore me. The opera recitals with a piano accompaniment are very dissatisfying, too.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I like listening to classical music in the car but have no interest in hearing instrumental music in a recital concert. I love opera live. I don't get passionate about classical musicians but do about opera singers.


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