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Music Lane It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes. |
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Music Lane It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes. |
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In Reply to: Why do you like opera? posted by Richard BassNut Greene on June 15, 2009 at 10:41:16:
PAINTING: "Dinner for Don Giovanni" 1999
RBNG,
My parents essentially met through opera, at university my father played piano for opera rehearsals and my mum sang. She is at 82 still taking voice lessons.
Still, having grown up in an opera environment and having attended quite a few operas in England, France, Austria, and the U.S., I can't claim to be in the group of passionate devotees.
-That is, except when I attend an opera. I find the plots silly contrivances, the emotional atmosphere intensely artificial, but when seen live with great singers and orchestra it does have that theatre magic- you suspend disbelief and allow yourself to be caught up in the overblown qualities, and appreciate the demands of the singing, it is marvelous.
My characterisation is that opera is something analogous to 18th Century television- an attempt to create an immersive, complete entertainment at a time when the only media were print, music, and theatre. Wagner tried to to do this consciously and declared he had recreated opera into a total work of art. And, like television, it has to be a combination of extremes, exaggerations, and emotional cartoons. Besides the sometimes great music, there are many genuinely moving moments and important insights in opera.
Your question and rude comments to the opera lecturer seems to suggest an insecurity on your part, (and related to your comments on the comparative sound of wires) as though you feel you should like opera or that you're concerned you may be missing something. For that, my suggestion is to try and forget at what level other people enjoy and discover music and seek out the musical forms (and audio gear) that suits your tastes. If John Tesh (and lamp cord speaker wires) make you happy, you can save substantial time, emotional energy railing against what you don't understand- not to mention the money!
Still, I'd invite you to go to a good production of "The Magic Flute" in the big city with a good friend who loves opera, prepared as you would to see a goofy fantasy- suspend disbelief, fall into the audience mood, listen to the great arias, and you may find yourself an opera fan! -Don't worry, you won't have to tell anyone that you like something that some gay men also like.
Cheers,
Bambi B
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Follow Ups
- 18th Century Television - Bambi B 06/16/0908:43:34 06/16/09 (5)
- "Your question and rude comments to the opera lecturer " - Richard BassNut Greene 08:53:37 06/16/09 (4)
- Why ask questions? - Bambi B 10:32:32 06/16/09 (3)
- Your first answer included a character attack, while this post is almost entirely a character attack - Richard BassNut Greene 15:57:30 06/16/09 (2)
- You are free to concentrate on that, but I would prefer to focus on your original question - Bambi B 18:33:56 06/16/09 (1)
- Well I finally have a thoughtful detailed answer -- did you hire a ghostwriter? - Richard BassNut Greene 09:46:19 06/17/09 (0)
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