# What acts to skip at the opera



## AlanPalgut (Apr 11, 2012)

Pressed for time at the opera? Sick of sitting for five hours in a crowded seat? The book _Skeletons from the Opera Closet_ suggests skipping the following acts:


Acts I and II of _Fidelio_ by LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN, Acts I and II: No dramatist Ludwig was.
Acts I, II and III of "_La Verismo_" (_Cavalleria rusticana_, _I Pagliacci_ and _Il tabarro_) by PIETRO MASCAGNI, RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO and GIACOMO PUCCINI: Three short operas tell the same story of a lovely woman, her suspicious husband and her secret admirer.
Act II of _Siegfried_ by RICHARD WAGNER: Too many beasts indeed!
Every act of everything by JULES MASSENET: in short, the title character dies. _Hérodiade_ should be titled _Salomé_, though.
Act III of _La forza del destino_ by GIUSEPPE VERDI: Everybody who's sick of what's been going on, raise your hands.
Act I of the original 5-act version of _Don Carlos_ by GIUSEPPE VERDI: the act is summarized in Act II.
Act III of _Parsifal_ by RICHARD WAGNER: How slow does it go without Klingsor, bro?
Act III of _Der Rosenkavalier_ by RICHARD STRAUSS: How slow does it go with Baron Ochs up front, bro?

Which acts do you suggest skipping?


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Act III of _Parsifal by RICHARD WAGNER: How slow does it go without Klingsor, bro?

what the ****_


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## Dakota (Jun 30, 2012)

Well, it is not a complete act but I always considered the end bits of Don Giovanni superfluous. After Giovanni is dragged down the hell, the other characters burst in and sing a bit of "well, now that HE is gone we can get on with our lives". I can fill those parts in from my imagination so would rather see the opera end with that hellish blast of fire, brimstone and music.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Skip Bellini's operas. I don't see the point of having them around.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Skip Bellini's operas. I don't see the point of having them around.


Well, I had no chance to study Bellini's operas so carefully. Maybe I'll change my mind later but at the time ... no Bellini and also no Donizetti for me.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Penderecki Die Teufel von Loudon and Paradise Lost 

Messiaen Saint François d'Assise 

Can't bear these operas even for one act !


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

All Bel Canto operas seem extremely cliché


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> All Bel Canto operas seem extremely cliché


I concur. You may pick up just a few dramatic scenes like Madness in Lucia di Lammermoor and ignore the rest.


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## AlanPalgut (Apr 11, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Skip Bellini's operas. I don't see the point of having them around.


...Except _Norma_.


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## powerbooks (Jun 30, 2012)

AlanPalgut said:


> ...Except _Norma_.


Right on! Exactly what I wanted to pointed out!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

AlanPalgut said:


> ...Except _Norma_.


Okay I think I need to see Norma before I give a proper opinion.


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## eorrific (May 14, 2011)

AlanPalgut said:


> [*]Act I of the original 5-act version of _Don Carlos_ by GIUSEPPE VERDI: the act is summarized in Act II.


Ah, yes. Might as well skip every act of every opera since all of them are summarized in Wikipedia.


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## powerbooks (Jun 30, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Okay I think I need to see Norma before I give a proper opinion.


You are lucky because there are a few good DVD available:

I like this one a lot, even though the production looks a little bit childish.

http://www.amazon.com/Bellini-Norma/dp/B0020MST72/ref=pd_cp_mov_1









This one has the supreme soprano singing at the high notes at age well over 50. Very impressive:

http://www.amazon.com/Bellini-Norma-Edita-Gruberova/dp/B000JJSRMU









And, of course, there is the classic Australian production form the famous couple. But I personally do not get warm on that version, and the video looks fussy and outdated.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Skip Bellini's operas. I don't see the point of having them around.

:scold:


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## Dakota (Jun 30, 2012)

Oh, I quite enjoyed La Sonnambula and am looking forward to hearing I Puritani and Norma. Call me callow, but I think there is a place for simple loveliness.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Callow, my ***. The same criticism (beautiful, lightweight fluff sans any "real" substance) gets thrown at Mozart, Chopin, Puccini, and any number of other composers... all far more popular than Ligeti... and all of whom will remain long after Ligeti is but a footnote.:devil:

Don't forget _I Capuleti e i Montecchi_.

:tiphat:


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## Moira (Apr 1, 2012)

I am all for highlights and shortened versions, but sometimes one misses a precious gem that way.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I love I Capuleti et I Montecchi too.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Skip Bellini's operas. I don't see the point of having them around.


Aargh ... need dislike button!


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

Il_Penseroso said:


> I concur. You may pick up just a few dramatic scenes like Madness in Lucia di Lammermoor and ignore the rest.


No, no, it's just the reverse. It's the mad scenes you DON"T need.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

powerbooks said:


> You are lucky because there are a few good DVD available:
> 
> I like this one a lot, even though the production looks a little bit childish.
> 
> ...


No, no, the only DVD of Norma to have is the one from Orange (the opera is set in the time of the Roman occupation of Gaul, and this production is performed on a stage built by the Romans when they occupied Gaul - plus you have Il Incomparablo, Jon Vickers as Pollione, and La Marvelousa, Montserrat Caballe as Norma, and you can just skip the Adalgisa parts, they're not important anyway)


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## powerbooks (Jun 30, 2012)

guythegreg said:


> No, no, the only DVD of Norma to have is the one from Orange (the opera is set in the time of the Roman occupation of Gaul, and this production is performed on a stage built by the Romans when they occupied Gaul - plus you have Il Incomparablo, Jon Vickers as Pollione, and La Marvelousa, Montserrat Caballe as Norma, and you can just skip the Adalgisa parts, they're not important anyway)


I never watched this version, and was wondering if it is worth getting. i will make a note. (Somehow I was put off by Caballe 's studio recording, and that may be the hesitation.)


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I think this is pure magic:


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## powerbooks (Jun 30, 2012)

I prefer this one, even not in costume:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

powerbooks said:


> I prefer this one, even not in costume:


Can't access your link. Did you press the link icon before inserting it?


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## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

AlanPalgut said:


> Acts I, II and III of "_La Verismo_" (_Cavalleria rusticana_, _I Pagliacci_ and _Il tabarro_) by PIETRO MASCAGNI, RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO and GIACOMO PUCCINI: Three short operas tell the same story of a lovely woman, her suspicious husband and her secret admirer.


What's "La Verismo" ?
Although I'm not that fond of Pagliacci, all three are worth a listening.
If the samey story is his problem than he shouldn't be talking about opera cause that could be said of many other works ...


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## bellini (Jul 12, 2012)

http://www.amazon.com/Bellini-Caballe-Vickers-Theatre-Antique/dp/B000083C73/ref=pd_bxgy_mov_img_b

Caballe is just amazing here. Along with Callas, she is just the best Norma.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

mamascarlatti said:


> I think this is pure magic:


Bless you.


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## Hesoos (Jun 9, 2012)

I agree!! Caballé is the best Norma!!
Caballé and Carreras are from Catalonia like me!!! They have such a nice voice!!

For me the best aria singed by Caballé is "Sempre all'alba ed alla sera" from Verdi's Giovanna d'Arco.

The first minute or so is a bit like "casta diva". Don't you agree? Is a prayer to god.


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