# One Act of Opera from Each of the Greats?



## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

I'm trying to get my brother into opera, but don't think that I could get him to listen to complete operas (at least initially). I'm wondering if you could recommend ONE ACT OF OPERA from each of:

Verdi, Wagner, Mozart?

Thanks!


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

First act of Die Zauberflote by Mozart is a good start .








20centrfuge said:


> I'm trying to get my brother into opera, but don't think that I could get him to listen to complete operas (at least initially). I'm wondering if you could recommend ONE ACT OF OPERA from each of:
> 
> Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Mozart, Handel?
> 
> Thanks!


----------



## Guest (Feb 13, 2015)

Slim it down to Mozart, Verdi, and Wagner for starters. The other two (Puccini moreso than Handel) are a bit too subjective for entire thread theme.


----------



## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

nathanb said:


> Slim it down to Mozart, Verdi, and Wagner for starters. The other two (Puccini moreso than Handel) are a bit too subjective for entire thread theme.


I think that's a good idea


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

Why not a short opera like Le Villi or one of the operas from Il Trittico by Puccini or Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni.


----------



## Loge (Oct 30, 2014)

Wagner Act 3 Die Walkure. Brilliant beginning, slightly meh middle, awesome ending!






Also tell your brother about the story, and how the story and characters are reflected in the music. For example you can hear Loge the fire god in the finale.


----------



## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

Loge said:


> Wagner Act 3 Die Walkure


I too was thinking along those lines for Wagner


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Loge said:


> Wagner Act 3 Die Walkure. Brilliant beginning, slightly meh middle, awesome ending!


That whole act is just pure genius. Never boring to me


----------



## Loge (Oct 30, 2014)

albertfallickwang said:


> That whole act is just pure genius. Never boring to me


I'm sitting there, the Valkyries have been banished and they are jabbering on about the nature of Wotan's will. And I'm thinking, get a move on I want to listen to Wotan's Farewell!


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

I would think King Philippe's "Ella giammai m'amo" and the Grand Inquisitor scene from _Don Carlo_ sums up everything superb about Verdi opera.
I would also sit him down and simply play him the Poker scene from Puccini's _La Fanciulla del West_ and watch his face. It is a winner for those who are not accustomed to opera and dislike hearing sopranos "screech".
Also the death scenes of _Otello_ and _La Boheme_.
Wagner's Vorspiel from _Parsifal_ is heavenly and a good introduction into the heavy stuff.


----------



## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

I used to use these to introduce my friends into opera:

*Mozart*
Cosi Fan Tutte, Act 2: You will get the best of the best from Mozart: the heart beat duet (_"Il core vi dono"_), the super moving _"Per pietà, ben mio, perdona"_, _"Fra gli amplessi" _, and heavenly quartet _"E nel tuo, nel mio bicchiero"_.

Le Nozze di Figaro, Act 2: so crazy and beautiful at the same time!

Idomeneo, Act 3: flooded with distinguished Mozartean arias, cavatina (give _"Accogli, oh re del mar"_ a try) , duets, and quartets.

*Verdi*
La Traviata, Act 2: Make sure that it is any performance with Maria Callas in it!
Il Trovatore, Act 4: with Callas.
La Forza del Destino, the first and the last act: ...Callas
Un Ballo in Maschera, Act 2: Callas again!
Otello, the last act.
Don Carlo, the last 2 acts.
Falstaff, any 

*Wagner*
Parsifal: Act 2, after the entrance of Kundry. 
Siegfried, the last act.
Die Walkure: Well, any act will be OK 
Tristan und Isolde: the last act, with Vickers


----------



## DonAlfonso (Oct 4, 2014)

La Traviata Act 2
Rigoletto Act 3
La Boheme Act 3
Le Nozze di Figaro Act 2

But I value duets and ensemble pieces over arias every time


----------



## Volve (Apr 14, 2013)

I'd say Walkerie's act 2, hair raiser from the start to the last note. My cousin didin't like Wagner because of his anti-semitism and she wouldn't like really anything from him untill I showed her the act 2. She was hooked. 
Anything from Don Giovanni might also be interesting, I've seen most people take a liking to that opera, even those with no inclinations towards classical music. 
I wouldn't suggest Parsifal though, absolute masterpiece of an opera, but too overwhelming for someone not used to it. Act 2 alone is longer than most operas and that might put him off.


----------



## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

I can not think of anything much more antithetical to get ones sibling into opera than anything chosen or presented by "the sibling." Seriously, it is like teaching your brother to drive... even if it works, it is some familial psycho disaster.

Find someone else to introduce him to opera. 

This above is completely in earnest... I think it is a terrible idea.


----------



## DonAlfonso (Oct 4, 2014)

PetrB said:


> I can not think of anything much more antithetical to get ones sibling into opera than anything chosen or presented by "the sibling." Seriously, it is like teaching your brother to drive... even if it works, it is some familial psycho disaster.
> 
> Find someone else to introduce him to opera.
> 
> This above is completely in earnest... I think it is a terrible idea.


I'm sorry I can't agree. I got my sister into opera (and my mother also). Probably depends on the relationship you already have with them. Mind you I did teach my ex-wife to drive so there's that.


----------



## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

PetrB said:


> I can not think of anything much more antithetical to get ones sibling into opera than anything chosen or presented by "the sibling." Seriously, it is like teaching your brother to drive... even if it works, it is some familial psycho disaster.
> 
> Find someone else to introduce him to opera.
> 
> This above is completely in earnest... I think it is a terrible idea.


You bring up a good point, but let me give you an idea of our relationship - he is my identical twin brother and we have many similar interests but over recent years our taste in music has diverged a bit. In high school we listened to classical music a lot and really got into the 20th century symphonic rep. I went on to get a music degree and he didn't. So now, in our 40's, I feel like I have a lot of exposure to music that I want to share with him. He is generally quite open.

I think it's true that a brother pushing something can be a turn off but I am thinking to share it in a low key manner. Maybe he'll bite and maybe he won't.


----------



## anmhe (Feb 10, 2015)

Menotti's the Telephone is very short, and very accessible.
If you want to just take one act out of context of Wagner's works, I'd actually go with Act III of Der Fliegende Holländer.


----------



## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I would suggest the Symphonia & Vorspiel of Busoni's Doktor Faust. These are the parts that precede the first scene and, in my opinion, can easily stand as a marvellous work in their own right.

Similarly, Wagner's Das Rheingold is about 2 hours in duration, is the prelude to the entire Ring cycle and is a full opera in itself.

Berg's Wozzeck is about 2 hours in duration and was the first opera, at the age of 18, that had me 

Hindemith's Sancta Susanna is a short one-act opera. Bartók's Herzog Blaubartsburg...


----------

