# Snobby Musicologists



## Xavier (Jun 7, 2012)

Are you a proponent of opera being an elite art-form, the domain of musicologists as well as a few select others allowed into the guild, or is opera more a living art form, governed by the composers, artists, and a broader audience muddling about and finding the way?


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Musicologists never wrote an opera, did they? I can't imagine they really have much control over it.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Well that's something of a leading question. A better way to phrase it might be: Should opera and operatic traditions be preserved if it comes with a cost of being perceived as too esoteric and arcane for those not invested in it, or should opera be made more accessible at the cost of being perceived as being dumbed down by afficionados?

And even then, forcing a binary choice seems arbitrary and wrong. The answer is of course a middle ground. Once upon a time, projected surtitles were seen as an affront but I would guess that the percentage of opera fans who feel that way in 2013 is in the small single digits. And I think a (perhaps slim) majority would say that an increasing emphasis on acting is a good path to follow, though others say that the vocal aspect must come first and any time taken away from that to work on acting is a bad decision.

In short, respecting the traditions that work while evolving those that don't is the correct method. Though that may just be begging the question -- after all, the traditions I agree with are possibly different from views held by (for example) Peter Gelb.

What would I like to see done? A much larger role for music generally and classical music specifically in our schools, including a yearly field trip to see a symphony or opera. A larger focus on learning a foreign language for Americans, starting in grade school and extending through high school. These are unlikely, but so it goes. 

Honestly, maybe the best way to get opera more exposure is if George Clooney starts dating the newly single Anna Netrebko


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Cerendy said:


> Are you a proponent of opera being an elite art-form, the domain of musicologists


Are you proponent of broom being an elite tool, the domain of charwomen?


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

rgz said:


> Honestly, maybe the best way to get opera more exposure is if George Clooney starts dating the newly single Anna Netrebko


Is there a petition I can sign?


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

rgz said:


> Honestly, maybe the best way to get opera more exposure is if George Clooney starts dating the newly single Anna Netrebko


judging by her ex, she might be more into Brad Pitt  but I'm all for her going to Hollywood and staying there.

as long as we've got youtube opera is not an elite art form.


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

I can't stand snobbery and elitism, so I'm all for opera being a "people's art form."

However, opera should stay true to what makes it a unique art form (notice I don't say "the greatest art form," just a unique one). That means, for example, casting _primarily_ according to voice-type and voice-suitability rather than physical appearance.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Egon Wellesz (1885-1972? ) , was an eminent musicologist as well as a composer , although his
music is very little known today except on CD . He wrote at least two or three operas and at least
one has been recorded , although I can't recall the title .
Wellesz was the foremost authority in his day on Byzantine music . I've only heard one short 
piece of on youtube, so I can;t judge his output overall yet, but I want to hear more .
I don't know if the recording of the opera is still available, but check arkivmusic.com,
the best place on the internet to get hard to find classical CDs .


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

rgz said:


> Honestly, maybe the best way to get opera more exposure is if George Clooney starts dating the newly single Anna Netrebko


Netrebko doesn't strike me as being at all interested in being a male Hollywood star's beard.


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

It strikes me that thinking that musicologists decide how operas get staged is like thinking that ornithologists decide how many species of birds there are.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

ahammel said:


> It strikes me that thinking that musicologists decide how operas get staged is like thinking that ornithologists decide how many species of birds there are.


"Aesthetics is for me like ornithology must be for the birds" ~ Barnett Newman


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

superhorn said:


> Egon Wellesz (1885-1972? ) , was an eminent musicologist as well as a composer , although his
> music is very little known today except on CD . He wrote at least two or three operas and at least
> one has been recorded , although I can't recall the title .
> Wellesz was the foremost authority in his day on Byzantine music . I've only heard one short
> ...


In fact, _Die Bakchantinnen_ is available on youtube:


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

The onus needs to go back on the OP for that cluster"FEST" of a question. But, yeah, if it's some weird, lame musicologists that ensure that Verdi is routinely thrust upon the unwitting opera-going public ahead of living and/or contemporary opera composers, I say hang em high


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

rgz said:


> Honestly, maybe the best way to get opera more exposure is if George Clooney starts dating the newly single Anna Netrebko


...too old for Clooney.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Drat ! Clooney has a lot more chance of getting to date Anna than I do . But I don't even know if he likes opera
or knows anything about it .


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

Is this redolent of one of Artmusic's thread openers?


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

dgee said:


> Is this redolent of one of Artmusic's thread openers?


It doesn't have a poll, thankfully!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Mahlerian said:


> It doesn't have a poll, thankfully!


But the tone of the OP seemed to me to have its own answer and polemic within. We see enough of those here, i.e. supposedly put up for discussion while really a platform for the opinion of the OP, with a feeling it does not matter what one might contribute or add, the entire point was to post the OP like an office memo from 'the boss," with it implicit that other views will barely, if at all, be considered 

I find those so earnestly self-contained that they seem to need, or at least not want, anything else, rather like the complete and self-contained melody which does not really need any harmonization, or will not lend itself to any other harmonic treatment..


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

superhorn said:


> Drat ! Clooney has a lot more chance of getting to date Anna than I do . But I don't even know if he likes opera
> or knows anything about it .


he sings so there's a starting point. Although you don't have to have that much in common for a quick shag


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## Piwikiwi (Apr 1, 2011)

Bellinilover said:


> I can't stand snobbery and elitism, so I'm all for opera being a "people's art form."
> 
> However, opera should stay true to what makes it a unique art form (notice I don't say "the greatest art form," just a unique one). That means, for example, casting _primarily_ according to voice-type and voice-suitability rather than physical appearance.


Too bad that "the people" whoever they maybe don't care about opera at all


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