# Recommendations



## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Hello. I am extremely new to opera...just started listening about two weeks ago. I am a music lover in general and wanted to experiment with some different genres. 

Of the little music I've listened to, I've fallen in love with "Senza Mama" from Suor Angelica. I heard it first on a compilation by Miriam Gauci. So much that I tried out the full opera. I really enjoy it, both the moving story as well as the music. Senza Mama was one of the most moving pieces of music I've ever heard. (I just had my first child three months ago so I think the subject matter really hit home).

Based on my enjoyment of this song, and its opera as a whole, do you have any recommendations? I love music with a haunting, achingly beautiful quality to it. (Not really into exploring comedic opera at the moment, but once I get more involved that may change)


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Hi Sonata & welcome to the forum from a fellow opera fan.

I find it so hard to recommend an opera to someone else because music touches people in different ways.

At the moment I'm listening to










I think it's wonderful but that's only my opinion. (Have got three versions of Lucia on CD & two DVDs & I love them all)


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Sonata said:


> I just had my first child three months ago so I think the subject matter really hit home.


Congratulations!

He/she will grow up hearing some great music.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

There's so much operatic repertoire to choose from on CD and DVD etc it's hard to know where to begin. I've been a huge opera fan as well as for classical music in general since I was a teenager. 
I got accustomed way back in the LP era to taking out recordings of complete operas on LP from my local library on Long Island,which had an extensive collection of classical recordings and lots of different operas. Like most CDs today, the LP set had booklets whuich contained a synopsis of the opera and an English translation right next to the world of the original libretto,so I was able to know exactly what was going on in the opera. 
Now,I know the standard operas so well I don't even need the libretto and translation any more.
I don't know if you live in or near a city which has an opera company,but if you do, by all means try to get tickets for a performance or performances,or if you're visiting somewhere which does. You can check out their websites for information about tickets etc. 
And don't miss the PBS telecasts of performances from the Metropolitan opera, and try their Saturday afternoon radio broadcasts if you can get them on your local radio station, 
and you can also see their performances online. Many movie theaters around the uS have HD broadcasts of Met performances on Saturday afternoons during the season.
The Met website is metopera.org. 
If you're new to opera,try CDs and DVDs of popular operas such as Don Giovanni ,the Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute by Mozart, The Barber of Seville by Mozart, Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti , and Rigoletto, La Traviata, Il Trovatore and Aida by Giuseppe Verdi, 
La Boheme,Tosca ,Madama Butterfly and Turandot by Puccini, Carmen by Georges Bizet,
Fidelio by Beethoven(his only opera), Cavalleria Rusticana(Rustic Chivalry) by Pietro Mascagni, 
and Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo, Orfeo&Euridice by Christoph Willibald Gluck, 
Faust by Charles Gounod, for starters. 
Get recordings with such great singers as Luciano Pavarotti,Joan Sutherland,Maria Callas, 
Marilyn Horne, Leontyne Price, Renee Fleming, Renata Tebaldi, Placido Domingo,Sherill Milnes,
Tito Gobbi, etc. 
The best place on the internet to order classical and opera CDsd and DVDs is arkivmusic.com, which has the widest selection you could ever want. 
You'll never regret becoming an opera fan ! Good luck!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

You should definitely start by La Traviata. Get the blu-ray (or DVD) version of the Salzburg festival performance with Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón. Watch the documentary first, then watch the opera. I bet that you'll love it.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

I'll definitely check that one out Almaviva.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

*I have used that version to make some "converts"...*



Sonata said:


> I'll definitely check that one out Almaviva.


... and it worked because it is a version that is full of passion, with interesting modern staging, good looking principals, and the music of La Traviata is just sublime.

But I have another idea for you that is a very good way to start.

There is a compilation box with 6 CDs called 100 best opera classics. Unlike *all* the other similar boxes or biggest hits that I've seen, the big advantage of this one is that the selections are often among the best ones available in terms of singers. Usually these compilations have tracks by artists that are not prestigious. Not the case here, this one has all the heavy weights.

Then, you'll probably fall in love with several of the arias, and will feel motivated to explore the operas from which those arias came.










Here is the Amazon.com link for this CD box, it's a bargain for a little more than 20 bucks:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Opera-Cl...1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1283223809&sr=1-1-fkmr0


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Well, I went the "less desirable" way to start and went with an album of La Traviata first. I know, opera's a visual art too. But to be honest, I'm so busy with my new little boy that I don't have much time to sit down to watch.

But I still think you were right on with your recommendation! I'm midway through act II, and I really enjoy it so far, even on the first listen. There's a bit in the middle of the first act that I'm not so crazy about, but I don't expect to connect with 100% on the first listen. I'm going to print a copy of the libretto this week as well so I get the story.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> There is a compilation box with 6 CDs called 100 best opera classics. Unlike *all* the other similar boxes or biggest hits that I've seen, the big advantage of this one is that the selections are often among the best ones available in terms of singers. Usually these compilations have tracks by artists that are not prestigious. Not the case here, this one has all the heavy weights.
> 
> Then, you'll probably fall in love with several of the arias, and will feel motivated to explore the operas from which those arias came.


Yes I would second that - I've also got it and it will certainly give you a good taste of what's out there.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Sonata said:


> Well, I went the "less desirable" way to start and went with an album of La Traviata first. I know, opera's a visual art too. But to be honest, I'm so busy with my new little boy that I don't have much time to sit down to watch.
> 
> But I still think you were right on with your recommendation! I'm midway through act II, and I really enjoy it so far, even on the first listen. There's a bit in the middle of the first act that I'm not so crazy about, but I don't expect to connect with 100% on the first listen. I'm going to print a copy of the libretto this week as well so I get the story.


In my humble opinion this is definitely not a good way to start.
You're just listening to it without even having the libretto? You're missing too much, and then, when you finally listen to it with the libretto or see a DVD, the surprise won't be as impactful. La Traviata has a very interesting structure, and frankly, there is no down point in ACT I, it is actually a formidable, perfect act. Everything has a place and a purpose in ACT I, it's spectacular in its precision. For example, the music changes suddenly from a major key to a minor one (maybe this is the part you cared less about) but it is because Violetta at that point is having doubts and is introspective.

I once gave a lecture on La Traviata, and I have the power point presentation for it. It is complete with pictures and musical fragments. I could try to send it to you if we find a way to do it without breaching the privacy of an anonymous site (upload it somewhere and then you download it? Or create an email account just to send it to you and you create another one to receive it?) I'm not very computer savvy in these matters and I don't want to appear like I'm trying to get your personal email address - but if you want to receive this file and you have some solution for how to receive it without breaching privacy, I'd be delighted to send it. It is long, though, so if your problem is time, you may not want it. And it is also very big, several gigabites (because it packs in itself all the images and the musical files) so it may be actually difficult to send by email or upload.

Another way to go would be to strip the file of its pictures and music and only send you the slides with the text of the lecture, which would be a much smaller file (but I'd have to have some time to work on it in order to extract the text from the slides).

Oh well, this is all getting too complicated. Here is another way to go: buy the Black Dog Opera Library edition of La Traviata. It comes with the libretto, and with a good theoretical introduction, and commentaries about the tracks, and it would achieve pretty much the same purpose of my power point presentation. And it is also a very good version with Beverly Sills.

Here:

http://www.amazon.com/Traviata-Blac...=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283229481&sr=8-3

Darn, Amazon.com has only two copies left. You gotta run!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Well I'm not sure I agree. In the past I have done a lot of "subliminal" listening before active listening and it really has not spoiled anything - in fact I am more receptive often when I subsequently actively listen. The only exception has been Wagner, where words, story, emotions, music go so closely together that only active listening has worked.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Well I'm not sure I agree. In the past I have done a lot of "subliminal" listening before active listening and it really has not spoiled anything - in fact I am more receptive often when I subsequently actively listen. The only exception has been Wagner, where words, story, emotions, music go so closely together that only active listening has worked.


Bud I'd say that Verdi is not unlike Wagner in this regard. Il Maestro took his work VERY seriously, and the care that he puts on the score of La Traviata is something phenomenal, starting with the overture - pay attention to the second part of it, when the horns are melancholic, symbolizing Violetta's counsciousness that she is doomed, while there is a violin obligato that is more jumpy and festive, showing her attempts at escaping her fate through denial and forceful happiness and endless partying. The two melodic lines, very opposed to each other in emotional quality, perfectly express her ambivalent feelings.

Or else, the whirlpool nature of the music when the revelers come back and interrupt her conversation with Alfredo and kind of try to drag her into the partying demi-monde again.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Almaviva: 

I appreciate your thoughts and the offer of the power point presentation, but I don't want to put you through the trouble. The Black Dog edition sounds like an excellent way to go and it's very reasonably priced. I could definitely take the time over my lunch hour at work to read the libretto and the other information included. Or over the weekend. I personally STILL like to give the music of an opera an initial listen then study it more fully before listening again. Even when I, at some point do watch operas, I think I'll still like to listen through once. Consider your passion for opera....this is my passion for music in general. When I delve into a genre that's new to me I can't wait to listen. That's just me.

At any rate, all of this other stuff aside, I wanted to just let you know it was a great recommendation. thank you.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Sonata said:


> Well, I went the "less desirable" way to start and went with an album of La Traviata first. I know, opera's a visual art too. But to be honest, I'm so busy with my new little boy that I don't have much time to sit down to watch.


If you don't have enough time to watch a complete opera in one go you can try watching one act at a time.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Sonata said:


> Almaviva:
> 
> I appreciate your thoughts and the offer of the power point presentation, but I don't want to put you through the trouble. The Black Dog edition sounds like an excellent way to go and it's very reasonably priced. I could definitely take the time over my lunch hour at work to read the libretto and the other information included. Or over the weekend. I personally STILL like to give the music of an opera an initial listen then study it more fully before listening again. Even when I, at some point do watch operas, I think I'll still like to listen through once. Consider your passion for opera....this is my passion for music in general. When I delve into a genre that's new to me I can't wait to listen. That's just me.
> 
> At any rate, all of this other stuff aside, I wanted to just let you know it was a great recommendation. thank you.


Fair enough, Sonata, enjoy! I'm glad that you found the recommendation helpful, and I welcome another opera fan! Opera will deliver you a lifetime of pleasure and entertainment. And if your style is to listen to an opera first and then do your homework, more power to you, I shouldn't try to recommend my style to others. Yes, get the Black Dog edition, it's very well done and instructive, and the two CDs included with the complete opera (actually more complete than some other versions that cut a couple of arias) is of excellent quality.

The Black Dog library has a handful of other items as well, Aida, La Boheme, the Magic Flute, Carmen, stuff like this. I find it a very effective way to introduce someone to the most popular operas, and usually once the person is bitten and catches love for opera, the person takes off on his/her own and starts exploring other works.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Bud I'd say that Verdi is not unlike Wagner in this regard. Il Maestro took his work VERY seriously, and the care that he puts on the score of La Traviata is something phenomenal, starting with the overture - pay attention to the second part of it, when the horns are melancholic, symbolizing Violetta's counsciousness that she is doomed, while there is a violin obligato that is more jumpy and festive, showing her attempts at escaping her fate through denial and forceful happiness and endless partying. The two melodic lines, very opposed to each other in emotional quality, perfectly express her ambivalent feelings.
> 
> Or else, the whirlpool nature of the music when the revelers come back and interrupt her conversation with Alfredo and kind of try to drag her into the partying demi-monde again.


I think for me it's more a question of accessibility and melody. I find I can enjoy the music of Verdi without necessarily knowing what's going on, although I take your point about how much more you get out of it if you listen carefully and relate it to the drama. Whereas Wagner I honestly don't even enjoy unless I know what's going on.

To illustrate my point just look at this opera in the market clip on YouTube - do you think they would have had the same reaction from passers-by with an extract from the Ring or Tristan? And did it really matter that most of them wouldn't have had a clue what the story was at this point?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I think for me it's more a question of accessibility and melody. I find I can enjoy the music of Verdi without necessarily knowing what's going on, although I take your point about how much more you get out of it if you listen carefully and relate it to the drama. Whereas Wagner I honestly don't even enjoy unless I know what's going on.
> 
> To illustrate my point just look at this opera in the market clip on YouTube - do you think they would have had the same reaction from passers-by with an extract from the Ring or Tristan? And did it really matter that most of them wouldn't have had a clue what the story was at this point?


Sure, but one of the reasons for this is that early Verdi is more accessible than Wagner (or than late Verdi with Otello and Falstaff being a lot more complex musically than La Traviata). Wagner is not easy listening at all and one needs to get into the atmosphere of his operas to fully appreciate them. Verdi's La Traviata is immediately accessible and tuneful, but also has some hidden treasures in terms of musical structure. In my opinion, the more I learn about the technical aspects (and currently I don't know much about them so I've been trying hard to learn more), the more my enjoyment increases.


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