# An Opera Taster?



## michael walsh (Sep 6, 2009)

Like all true enthusiasts you wish to introduce others to your passion for opera. Remember though that the cautious novice is going to be wary and a tad reluctant at this stage. Anything too heavy or demanding and you have blown it. 

So you are looking for an opera that is entertaining, clever, its storyline is believable and easily followed. What you're looking for is a 'pupil' who at curtains down says; 'Hey, I liked that. Anymore?' 

I myself am torn between Carmen, Cavalleria Rusticana, and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.


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## nickgray (Sep 28, 2008)

The Ring Cycle, chronologically. Yeah, I know, even some people who are heavy into classical and opera can (and do) dislike Wagner, but to be honest if it wasn't for the Ring it's doubtful I'd be a classical music fan now. The idea of starting from the "easy" music isn't always a good one. Actually, I only relatively recently started to get acquainted seriously with Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, etc. If I've never had the realization that classical music can be complex, dark and dramatic (because of the "_Anything too heavy or demanding and you have blown it._" attitude towards the beginners), as I said, I wouldn't be a classical music fan now


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Seriously... as much as I love Wagner (and I place him just below Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart) his operas would be among the last I would recommend to the novice to opera. Let's face it, Wagner literally tore apart many of the conventions of traditional opera. Carmen is a good choice... and I would add The Magic Flute. Still... I would recommend that the best starting point might be to explore a good collection of arias performed by a top notch singer or two followed by an actual in-person performance of a traditional (pre-Wagnerian) opera.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

People might be more familiar with the music from Carmen, but I don't think the plot is as wonderfully structured as in some other operas, which could detract from overall enjoyment. I think a better starter would be something like _La Boheme_ or _Tosca_.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

First thing remotely operatic that I listened to was the semi-operatic recording of Bernstein's _West Side Story_ with Kiri Te Kanawa and Jose Carreras. My first 'real' opera was _Carmen_. It worked for me.


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## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

Well, I was heavily influenced by the highest charting classical album of all time. The soundtrack to the wonderful film Amadeus. So my first glance at opera was Le Nozze Di Figaro and Don Giovanni. 

I later went on to Cosi Fan Tutte, Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail, and Die Zauberflote. So I definitely had a great start in the world of Opera. Starting with one of the greatest composers of all time.

In searching for more, I decided to go for an opera that could stand up to Mozart's wonderful Vienna operas. 

I went for Rossini's The Barber Of Seville. I found wonderful singers like Sherrill Milnes and Ruggero Raimondi. 
I didn't believe it. It stood out well, and I put it next to Mozart as one of the best operas.

So then I took it upon myself to search into more Italian operas. 

I found refuge in Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto. I enjoyed seeing Luciano Pavarotti as the ever clueless Duke of Mantua. 

Later I decided to go for a series of operas that would be called un-operatic in nature, The Ring Cycle.
Wagner is known for his over the top instrumentation. Richard Wagner even has a term named after him for over the top music "Wagnerian". 

Mefistofele was another great I found. I had such a love for Italian opera so it would only be natural that I would pick it over it's French counterpart Faust. 

I didn't want to continue this anti-French opera trail because my ancestors are from France. So I recently picked up a copy of the most French opera I could find. Naturally it was Carmen. 

I have always preferred the bass singers (I don't know why.) I have always had a problem with tenors. Tenors just didn't phase me for some reason. So a good Tenor opera is long over due for me. Give me a good one to try out.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I have always preferred the bass singers (I don't know why.) I have always had a problem with tenors. Tenors just didn't phase me for some reason. So a good Tenor opera is long over due for me. Give me a good one to try out.

Have you looked into Russian opera? There seems to be a greater employment of the lower register male vocals there... as for a tenor opera? You've already listed a number of operas with strong roles for the tenor. To this you might add _Aida, The Magic Flute_, and almost any Wagnerian opera. Or you might take it further into the realm of the counter-tenor and explore a good number of Handel's operas including _Giulio Cesare_ and _Orlando_, Gluck's _Orfeo ed Euridice_, or more recently Benjamin Britten's _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ and _Death in Venice_, Phillip Glass' _Akhnaten_, and Thomas Adès's _The Tempest_.


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## Barger (Nov 24, 2009)

safest bet is always *The Magic Flute* 
-fun story & easy to listen music with usually clever staging


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## nefigah (Aug 23, 2008)

Salieri=Innocent said:


> Well, I was heavily influenced by the highest charting classical album of all time. The soundtrack to the wonderful film Amadeus. So my first glance at opera was Le Nozze Di Figaro and Don Giovanni.


this. Then, after seeing that movie, take them to a live performance of an entertaining (visually and plotwise) opera. For me, Don Giovanni worked well here because I was exposed to it from the movie, and I could enjoy the onstage action without being an "opera fan." I think people need time to get accustomed to:

a) Everyone singing all the time, even dialog
b) That it's (usually) in another language. Supertitles help here
c) The vibrato. This grows on you, but you need exposure
d) Idiosynchrasies of stage drama, if they haven't been to plays before
e) Length. Productions tend to be an order of magnitude beyond the typical modern American attention span
f) Prejudice. Opera and ballet, even moreso than other art, have a sort of stigma about them--it's "something the wife drags you to."

All of that can be overcome, but I think as a whole (again, in my experience) it's even harder to introduce someone to opera than to other classical music, and the latter is no easy task by itself.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I think as much depends on how you are introduced (i.e. is it a wonderful engaging production) as what it is, although I reckon a few good tunes help.

My seven-year-old is hooked on Giulio Cesare after watching the Glyndebourne version. Not necessarily one's first pick for an introduction to opera. 

I'd say la Boheme might also be a good choice.

I'm not sure about the Magic Flute, sure it's cute but the story is sometimes frankly incomprehensible (especially when Kenneth Branagh gets hold of it).


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

I actually started with Wagner, so far I've heard Tristan, Flying Dutchman, Tannhauser, and parts of the Ring cycle. I don't know if I can enjoy any other kind of opera now since Wagner is so amazing!! D:


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## Guest (Nov 24, 2009)

Mozart's Die Zauberfloete (Magic Flute) introduced me to opera and classical music at the same time. It was a great springboard. But them a performance without the non-singing portions - I highly recommend Klemperer's version on EMI. 

I like Mozart's operas - Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, Marriage of Figaro. Beethoven's Fidelio is also quite good. After that, I also enjoy Purcell's Dido and Aeneas (for some good Baroque opera), and Gluck's Orfeo et Eurydice (early Classical). I have listened to some of Wagner's Ring cycle, and parts of Tristan and Isolde - a bit harder to get into than these earlier works. You might want to start them off with something in a language they understand, if you are going to a performance, as it might seem less intimidating.


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## Mtl (Mar 8, 2009)

If the question being what would be a smooth entry path to opera then one should take into consideration what would be a nice experience for a novice. Wagner is way too dense for a novice. If someone started his opera journey with Wagner then that person is atypical to say the least. Wagner is an acquired taste. It would give a newcomer a very tilted view of what is a typical opera.

I would recommend operas that have a straightforward storyline which somehow makes sense to an ordinary person. Operas that have a mix of arias, duets, quartets which are melodic and are fashionned as to push the story forward. Some would say that is impossible... but some operas do make more sense than others.

So here are a few suggestion (these are not my favorite operas and they are not the road I took to discover opera) but these would be some of the suggestions I would give to a friend who would like to experience opera for the first time.

The first opera I would suggest would be Rossinni's Barbier de Séville.






Another one would of course be Bizet'sCarmen






Then I would suggest Verdi's Traviata






Then finally suggest that Mozart would be a grand avenue to take and would suggest to that person to listen to Cosi Fan Tute... and then let that person on its merry way to make his or her own discovery in the opera world.


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## Guest (Nov 29, 2009)

Mtl said:


> Wagner is way too dense for a novice. If someone started his opera journey with Wagner then that person is atypical to say the least. Wagner is an acquired taste. It would give a newcomer a very tilted view of what is a typical opera.


I'd say that the arguing from typicality is what's skewed. Has anyone ever met a typical novice? No, I thought not. No, for some people, Wagner will be the _only_ entrée into opera.

Not for me, I can tell you that, but then none of the operas so far presented would have got me going. And for a fact, did _not_ get me going.

What did was liking certain composers and running out of non-operatic music of theirs to listen to. Janáček was the first, not surprisingly, as he only has a couple of hours of non-operatic music. You like Janáček a lot? Sooner or later, you're going to have to listen to operas if you want to hear any more Janáček.

Same went, for me, with Berlioz and Prokofiev and Mussorgsky and Dvořák, to start with. And by the time I found that liking opera was really no different from liking symphonies or concertos or string quartets, I was ready to buy operas by composers I'd never heard before, the most notable being the Lithuanian Bronius Kutavičius, whose _Lokys_ I could literally not stop listening to for two weeks.

I say let's give over the idea that there's some ideal Platonic novice out there and a list of perfect operas for the ideal novice. There's not. Take each novice as they come. Find out what they already like. Give 'em some more of the same. I really can't think of a more foolproof way than that.


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## Mtl (Mar 8, 2009)

> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Like all true enthusiasts you wish to introduce others to your passion for opera. Remember though that the cautious novice is going to be wary and a tad reluctant at this stage. Anything too heavy or demanding and you have blown it.
> 
> So you are looking for an opera that is entertaining, clever, its storyline is believable and easily followed. What you're looking for is a 'pupil' who at curtains down says; 'Hey, I liked that. Anymore?'


I began my opera journey with Wagner. Would I suggest to someone that knows nothing about opera or classical music to begin there? When I stumbled upon Wagner I had a somewhat solid background in classical music. I would not suggest to a novice to classical music or to opera to begin with Wagner. I would do the same with litterature or art. I would try to give suggestions that would entice the novice to pursue discovery and not discourage him or her. Makes sense to me!


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Mtl said:


> Wagner is way too dense for a novice.


I don't see why. I agree with *some guy* in the post above. For me, Wagner was the _only_ route into opera, and for a very long time, with the exception of the famous heavenly bits of _Der Rosenkavalier_, Wagner's remained the only operas I was interested in, because they fitted in with my attraction to things I thought of as 'Northern'; and I loved the idea of the _leitmotif_, glueing everything together to make the whole so much greater than sum of the parts.

Gradually, things changed (thank goodness) and now I've found my way to a much wider range of stuff - and I listen to Wagner far, far less often now than then. But looking back - yes, that was the only way in, for me, and all those years ago I wouldn't have given tuppence for _Cosi Fan Tutte_ or _La Boheme_. They seemed (remember, I was ignorant, and a lot younger) trivial and fussy by comparison, and I found Verdi far more impenetrable than Wagner. (I still do.)


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## Mtl (Mar 8, 2009)

I began liking opera with Wagner. I spent five years listening to all and nothing but Wagner. Have I outgrown it? Yes of course. Was it the best route to opera? In retrospect: no it wasn't. The last time I listened to Wagner? Maybe 30 years ago. Do I miss it? No. Would I suggest to a friend of mine who doesn't know squat about classical music or opera to go down the Wagner path. No. Simply no.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

I started with Janacek and Wagner also


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

emiellucifuge said:


> I started with Janacek and Wagner also


Well there you go. Thankfully, we're all different.

I wouldn't suggest plunging right into the entire _Ring_; that would be a huge commitment. But it can be tasted easily enough, just to see if it's your thing or not, with a 'highlights' disc or discs.

This is the one that did it for me, in its earlier and very inexpensive vinyl incarnation:









Gotterdammerung Highlights

But I think I'd have found this an even better introduction, had it been available back then:









Solti Ring Highlights. 2CD set


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## Poppin' Fresh (Oct 24, 2009)

Actually, if one were to start with some of Wagner's earlier, more traditional "romantic operas" as opposed to his later "music dramas", I don't think he's so dense and inaccessible at all. _The Flying Dutchman_, _Tannhäuser_, and _Lohengrin_ are all rather approachable really.


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## nickgray (Sep 28, 2008)

> I wouldn't suggest plunging right into the entire Ring; that would be a huge commitment.


Why not? One doesn't have to listen to the whole 14+hr. work in one session. Just start with Das Rheingold and slowly make your way to Gotterdammerung.



> Actually, if one were to start with some of Wagner's earlier, more traditional "romantic operas" as opposed to his later "music dramas"


Why do people recommend Mozart instead of Shostakovich, Beethoven instead of Mahler and Puccini instead of Wagner?... *it's more of a rhetorical question than an actual one*


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

nickgray said:


> Why not? One doesn't have to listen to the whole 14+hr. work in one session. Just start with Das Rheingold and slowly make your way to Gotterdammerung.


Well, I was thinking as much about financial outlay as anything. I wouldn't _dis_courage such an approach as you suggest, particularly since the intro to _Rhinegold_ is so marvellous. So in terms of suggesting something accessible, I'd have thought your plan of starting with _Rhinegold_ is as good a plan as any - _provided_ one had ready access of the whole set without making the substantial cash outlay that would be needed otherwise.



> Why do people recommend Mozart instead of Shostakovich, Beethoven instead of Mahler and Puccini instead of Wagner?... *it's more of a rhetorical question than an actual one*


I suppose it's because there's a general consensus that _Don Giovanni_, _Figaro_, _Cosi_ etc represent the pinnacle of the operatic art. It wouldn't have cut any ice with me though, when I started my particular quest. I was looking for something quite different back then.


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## nickgray (Sep 28, 2008)

> Well, I was thinking as much about financial outlay as anything.


There's always the downloading option. Although for people who prefer having cds there's Janowski that costs ~$50 on amazon (as of now), which I would rate as the best Ring, having the best "interpretation/performance/singing/sound quality" ratio currently available. In fact, it's this Ring that I would recommend as the first one, not Solti's and not anyone else's.



> I suppose it's because there's a general consensus that Don Giovanni, Figaro, Cosi etc represent the pinnacle of the operatic art.


The pinnacle of a certain part of the whole operatic art. And it is my experience that the "toughest-to-get-into" vocal music is pre-romantic


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

nickgray said:


> it is my experience that the "toughest-to-get-into" vocal music is pre-romantic


That was largely my experience too, though these days I'm inclined to conclude that the 'toughest-to-get-into' is simply whatever merely _happens_ to be toughest-to-get-into at the time, for a whole rack of different reasons, all of which will vary from one person to another. When I survey my own progress, it doesn't in the least resemble a progression from 'easy' to 'difficult'. It's not something I've 'worked at' in any way. In retrospect, I can't understand why some operatic doors (Wagner) opened so easily, while others (Mozart) remained closed for so long. I can't really understand why I now find Mozart's operas so profoundly satisfying (having been indifferent for so long), except that I think it might have been something to do with approaching Mozart from the early side (Handel and baroque opera), rather than going back to him from the Romantics.


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## classidaho (May 5, 2009)

The same thing that got me envolved......simply anything Italian, with the least amount of recitative as possible. Rossinn, Verdi Donezetti, Puccini etc. Contrary to Wagner, I would definitely stay away from anything German, especially Wagner

Any opera that must be explained by elaborate essays and speaches is a little heavy for the beginner.

A good example for a first would be 'La Traviata....light, moving with beautiful music!!


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I'd say Rossini (as mentioned above), Verdi & Puccini are great places to start with opera. Not only is the music great, but the plots can be very involving. To beginners I would also recommend _The Barber of Seville_ (Rossini), _Aida _(Verdi) or _Turandot _(Puccini). I'd also add _Cavalleria Rusticana_ (Mascagni) &_ Pagliacci_ (Leoncavallo) as they are quite short and plots relatively easy to understand. I think Italy is synonymous with opera, and beginners would benefit from a solid grounding in Italian operatic composers before moving onto other great opera composers like Mozart, Bizet, Berlioz, Wagner, R. Strauss, Janacek, Berg, etc.

I'd also say that a good place to start when getting into opera is to listen to orchestral suites extracted from operas. I've recently began to listen to Peter Briener's arrangements of some of Janacek's operas in orchestral form on Naxos, & I haven't heard his operas before, so it's a good introduction...


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

I don't think there is just one place to start. Pick a composer you like: If he/she didn't write any operas I guarantee you there will be a similar composer who did.

For example if you like Bartok and Janacek's SQs, Prokofiev's concertis and ballets, and Shosty's symphonies, go ahead and try operas by these same composers. All 4 of them wrote astounding operas.

If you're into baroque music... listen to Rameau, Handel, or Monteverdi. They will fit your bill perfectly.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Is Michael Walsh on this forum the Michael Walsh who used to cover classical music for Time Magazine? I'm curious to know.


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## TWhite (Feb 23, 2010)

I think if I were introducing someone to opera, I'd probably choose some works that would enable them to get their feet wet before diving into the deep end of the pool. Mozart's "Le Nozze Di Figaro" is a good example--it's hard to listen to that opera without the eyebrows raising and telling yourself, "Oh, I've HEARD that tune before." It's really kind of "Opera's most familiar hits" rolled up into one. And one of the supreme operatic masterpieces of all time, at least IMO. It's always nice to start out with something that's easy on the ears and jaw-droppingly 'perfect' at the same time. 

Also "Cavalleria Rusticana" is a good one--tuneful melodies, some good, rousing choruses and it doesn't waste a note. And dare I? Johann Strauss' "Die Fledermaus" is chock-full of good stuff, and there are those champagne-laden Viennese waltzes all over the place--okay it's really an "Operetta" with spoken dialougue, but if you can land a recording with the Garson Kanin dialogue in English (which is REALLY funny!), it'll do quite well, IMO. 

Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" and "La Boheme" are always good operatic 'weepers'--they're romantic and melodious and if the heart is on the sleeve, somewhat like an old 1940's Bette Davis movie, they still do the trick. 

"Carmen" is a pretty good choice (except for that deadly dull third act), it's got nifty tunes and a lot of color. And who doesn't blink at that sexy "Habanera", especially if it's sung with the right touch of eroticism?

"Aida" has a lot of drama, passion and spectacle, and like most Verdi, it moves along at a really good clip. I'd add "La Traviata", myself--Verdi was not only a great operatic composer, he was a past master at highlighting the drama. 

Myself, and I'm a HUGE German opera fan, I wouldn't tackle Wagner or Strauss until one has their operatic feet wet. And even then, with Wagner, I'd introduce the novice to him with either "Tannhauser" or "Dutchman." With Strauss, I'd make it his rapturous Mozart homage "Der Rosenkavalier," but I'd be careful even then--the novice might be expecting Arias, and what they'd be getting is basically Monologues and Parlando--unless you fast-forward to that incredible third act Trio. 
Perhaps an easier foray into German opera would be Weber's "Der Freischutz". It has discernable arias, duets, trios, ensembles and that nifty "Wolf Glen" sequence. 

Those might be my picks.
Tom


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## classidaho (May 5, 2009)

After thinking about this question for some time, I'm leaning toward an approach with a great series of operettas. Such as:

Die Fledermaus, Naughty Marietta, Babes in Toyland, The Merry Widow, Song of Norway, Rose Marie, The Student Prince, Porgy and Bess, The Desert Song

and on and on.

Reason: Much shorter and lighter with wonderful (usually) stories.

These can be purchased for less than $10 (my 9 disc set was a wopping $3.00) Just make a selection with a great Soprano and cast

I believe that these would be great building blocks with a natural transition to heavier stuff for thoset hat have a musical incination to this great type of 'story music' with real class! Chuck


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

If I had to introduce someone to opera, I would choose Die Zauberflöte regardless of the person's age, or La Traviata for someone already approaching adulthood or older.


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## classidaho (May 5, 2009)

I could strongly applaud those two choices


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