New to Opera, have some questions
Joan Sutherland ~ The Art of the Prima Donna. I purchased it based on a recommendation from this forum and I was not disappointed. You can sample some of the tracks on Amazon or try this link. It's not a complete Opera but the performance by Joan Sutherland is nothing short of spectacular. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000042EK/002-2237525-6829633?v=glance |
As Ellery911 an Sid42 point out, there is no substitute for seeing live performances of operas. Most opera houses now have supertitles, which removes the requirement for an understanding of the language. It is also true, as has also been pointed out, that DVD and laserdisc versions of operas are quite enjoyable. The Metropolitan Opera DVD (and laserdisc) of Carmen is certainly worth watching. In fact, "The Met" has recorded many operas, and they are available on DVD. Wagner's Ring cycle is also splendid, but all of these productions are worth owning: one watches them again and again. |
I respectfully disagree with Ellery911 and some of the others. As a professional orchestral musician, I've sat in my fair share of orchestra pits, and I've had quite a lot of experience with opera. You DON'T need to know the language or have supertitles to the enjoy the opera. While nothing subsitutes for a real staged performance, there's plenty to be said for listening to the music without having a visual cue. In fact, opera singers perform arias all the time as concert pieces, with no staging. There are some amazing operas out there, and some amazing performances. For me, Mozart has always been the pinnacle. The Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute, as well as Don Giovanni and Cosi Fan Tutti, are all great places to start. Good luck! |
