# My First Venture into Opera



## Centropolis (Jul 8, 2013)

Tonight, after 10 months of buying classical CDs, spent maybe close to $800 since the beginning, I finally bought my first opera set. A complete opera...not highlights tagged on the last tracks of a "best of" CD, not part of a boxset of multiple CDs that I bought because of the other non-opera works.

In fact it's 4 operas...









In the beginning, I didn't have any interests in operas. But after reading a lot about them, I am going to give it a try. So I picked the TC's #1 recommended opera as a start.

Only CDN$30 (about USD$26) for the set used.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

I'm not terribly fond of Levine's Ring. Rhinegold is a pretty dismal mess. Stick with it if the first opera turns you off. It gets better. You'll find better Rhinegold's elsewhere.


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## opus55 (Nov 9, 2010)

Highlights and selections CDs are for wimps 

Keep on listening. You'll be rewarded.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Get Beethoven's Fidelio on DVD conducted by Bernstein 1978. Absolutely wonderful opera and absolutely wonderful performance of that opera. Here is a video clip from it.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Congrats on making the leap! 

I don't know that I would have started with Wagner's Ring though, but hopefully you'll enjoy it. 

If you find it a bit too much or don't really get it, you might try one of Mozart's Operas. Don Giovanni, The Marriage Of Figaro, The Magic Flute were my introductions to Opera and in that order. Don Giovanni is still probably my favorite Opera. From there I tried out Puccini's La Boheme and Madama Butterfly. Then I moved onto Wagner.


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## apricissimus (May 15, 2013)

Perhaps also try viewing opera on DVD, where you'll be able to see the visuals, the dramatic aspect, and subtitles.

I'm not a big opera fan. I've watched the Ring cycle once in it's entirety, and I think I got way more out of it than I would have if I just heard the audio alone.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

All operas are better with a good staging on video. Music is just half of the show. Drama is the other half.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

So how ya doing with the Ring?


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