Opera

[Christine Daaé]

How many of you listen to opera? I do -- big time. Carmen, Faust, Romeo et Juliette, Otello, The Magic Flute, Rinaldo, Madama Butterfly, La Wally -- you name it, I've heard at least some of it. I think it's an incredibly passionate thing above all, the way it's sung.

I happen to sing it sometimes, too -- not always very well, but I'm getting there. I hope to train a bit for opera when I get to be around seventeen.

Any thoughts?

~ Zelda de le Fantome

[Countess Cain]

It's interesting to listen to, but there's no way my voice could handle it if I ever did it. My voice cracks really badly, and I'm not very loud to begin with...

Good luck, by the way. ^^;

[you_are_not_alone]

Well i've been singing opera since i was 7 years old(before my dad died) then i decided to live with my grandpa......because he is the sweetest man alive he took me to a opera house to listen to the Magic Flute, then he signed me up to take ballet lessons. Then after 2 years my grandpa died leaving me no choice but to live in the opera house because they have a orphanage for girls like me. So that's why i sing opera today and i still do!

[cinty]

I'm not a huge opera person, although I LOVE the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas. My dad has played them all my life, but I have never paid full attention.... they seem to be a bit overdone to me. But it is a beautiful style of music, indeed.
oh, and I do like Carmen! :)

[Mysteria]

I have been only to Quasimodo. I loved it. But since I don't have so much time anymore. :(

[Christine Daaé]

*sings* "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle, que nul ne peut apprivoiser . . ." That's "Habanera" from "Carmen".

Anyway, some of my favorites are "Faust", "Romeo et Juliette", Rossini's "Otello" . . . of course, Phantom stuff. But recently I've been getting into Puccini. "Gianni Schicci", "Madama Butterfly", etcetera. I also love "Die Holle Rache" from "Die Zauberflote", or "The Magic Flute".

So, anyway, yeah, I sing opera obsessively, and was pretty upset when I couldn't sing for five days. But I'm back singing F sharps above high C now. You can't even find that note on the piano, I don't think. Mwahaha!

~ Zelda de le Fantome

[Luciana]

PoTO was my only experience with Opera so far, but i think i'll for sure be searcing deeper into the Opera world. Any suggestions?

[Christine Daaé]

I suggest something well-known at first, like Verdi's Aida. You'll be surprised at how many tunes you recognize. Also good is anything by Puccini, or Gounod.

~ Zelda de le Fantôme

[The_Persian]

Around christmas i was cast as Christine for a production of POTO that my summer arts camp is doing, and i have been taken operatic (is that a word??) voice lesson ever since. They are so much fun! To get me started on opera, my teacher introduced me to a song in Faust and another one from Romeo and Juliette.... I liked them a lot! I have started listening to opera more and more, and now i listen to it all teh time!

[cinty]

Originally posted by The_Persian
Around christmas i was cast as Christine for a production of POTO that my summer arts camp is doing, and i have been taken operatic (is that a word??) voice lesson ever since. They are so much fun! To get me started on opera, my teacher introduced me to a song in Faust and another one from Romeo and Juliette.... I liked them a lot! I have started listening to opera more and more, and now i listen to it all teh time!
That's wonderful! I will have to try and get into opera some more. It really is beautiful. We have alot of appreciation of it on here. :D Which is awesome of course. :)

[Night feather]

Ah there is a topic on it, wonderful...

I LOVE opera, I've been raised in a real opera loving family so I've been used to opera, I think it's really much a case of habit.

Anyway, Puccini is one of my favorite opera composers, and I've seen two of his opera's Madama Butterfly, it was a horrible modern version, but she sung very beautifully. But two years ago I watched La Boheme, with Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu, she is one of my very favorite opera singers, and she sung so beautifully I almost got tears in my eyes.

I've also seen Cosi Van Tutte, but I can't remember much, because I was not very old, and I'm going to see the rosechevalier this summer.

My favorite opera's is Faust like you Zelda, and La Boheme, figaro's wedding and Don Giovanni I think... But basically almost everything Puccini has written is amazing, and it's not a very complicated opera like Wagner or something, so it's easy to love because there is so much emotion in it. La Boheme is a very very good opera and not difficult to listen to

To newbies to opera I would probably recommend The magic flute, because there is so many well known tunes, or otherwise La boheme which is very good, easy to understand and has wonderful and moving music. Or get your hands on a collection of opera aria's. That's always a good place to start.

[Masked Shadows]

I don't usually listen to it out of the theatre but I've been in 8 operas and counting. Starting with Carmen when I was 7 and I've been in La Boheme, Falstaff, Madame Butterfly, Travatore, Barber of Seville, Turandot and the Act 2 of Carmen again for the Opening Festival for our new Theatre. I did props for Help, Help the Globalinks, The Fantasticks, Romeo & Juliette, Don Giovanni, and De Flitermaus. I may been in Magic Flute & Faust this year too. I love singing in teh Chorus' so I guess I like listneing to Opera.

[Night feather]

(screams exitedly)

Wow have you actually been singing in a real opera choir!?!?

That's just... wow.. wish it was me, This past half year I've really picked up my singing, and I really regret that I never joined a choir before....

(mumbles angrily)

[composer15]

I absolutley adore Opera! I wish so hard that I could take Singing Lessons but I don't think my mom will allow it to happen. :( :(
It has got to be the most passionate form of Music there ever was and it takes a lot of talent. Your so lucky The_Persian! My dream is to sing in the Opera so one day my voice will be as good as Christines. It's nice to know that you guys love Opera as much as me!

Much Love :mask:

[Christine Daaé]

I think the best way to start training for opera would be to get a hold of a French art piece from the late nineteenth century or early twentieth century and start singing that. It's similar to opera, but not nearly as demanding. I'm told that most opera teachers get their new students to start with French art pieces.

I'm currently working on one called "Beau Soir", by Debussy, written in 1878. It's beautiful.

~ Zelda

[Night feather]

Oh I'd so much wish I started singing much sooner...

My mom will only let me take single lessons if my choir teacher thinks I've got the talent it takes. SOlo classes are only for the talented she says...

My father thinks it would be okay, if I still want to do it after a year with a choir, so I'm hoping I've got the talent, because my biggest ambition is to become an opera singer.

[YoungGiry]

I love opera, but I don't intend to ever train for it. As much as I love the music, the only singing I'll ever do, is likely to be musical theater. I'm really more of an actress then a singer. But I do love Opera, and I always will. My favorites include Aida, Taurandot, Madame Butterfly and Alcina.

[Night feather]

Oh I was in the musichouse in Aarhus yesterday and watched "Der Rosenkavalier" by Richard Strauss, anyoen who knows it?

Anyways, the field machallin was breathtaking, played by the danish opera singer, who though mostly sings outside of denmark, Ann Petersen. She was a great actress at the same time being a exquisite singer, she was terribly moving, and you really got to pity her.

The finnish mezzo-soprano, Monica Groop was exellent as Octavian, and she had a fabulous voice.

Ying Huang had a beautiful voice, but it often was drowned out by the two other leading roles much more rich voices....

Anyways I'm rambling, but it was exquisite... Anyone heard it, and wants to discuss it?

[YoungGiry]

My family bought tickets to the New York City Opera season, and I'm so excited! I get to see Don Giovanni, which I've been wanting to see for ages, Ariane et Barbe Blue which I've read about and it sounds fascinating, Lysistrata, and maybe Carmen!

[Christine Daaé]

Awesome, Rachel! That sounds so fun.

I've got tickets to see "Il Barbiere de Sivilia", "The Barber of Seville", on the 16th of September -- my birthday!

And Dad's thinking of taking me to the Golden Gate Opera to see "Carmen". I'm a happy duck.

~ Zelda

[Night feather]

Oh you're all so lucky. I want to go and see more opera, I see opera in like every second year, because it's only there there is really high quality singers in the jutlandic opera, the most of the very good danish opera singers are in Copenhagen, or abroad to sing, not that I blame them, Denmark is tiny and not a stepping stone to fame and glory.

Who's your favorite opera singer?

[Christine Daaé]

Right now my favorite opera singer is Mady Mesplé. She's a French coloratura.

Kind of like Adeline! Heh.

Normally I don't like singers with what I call "machine-gun vibrato", but this is an exception.

~ Zelda

[Night feather]

Hmm I have never heard of her actually. I LOVE angela gheorghui because she has an absolutely breathtaking voice and a great actress as well... But for the moment I absolutely adore the danish one Ann Pedersen, oh I'm telling you, you should have heard her as the fieldmarchallin... I wish I can get a voice like hers.

[Christine Daaé]

Not a whole lot of people have heard of Mady, actually, but she was really big back in her day. Now everybody seems to have forgotten her . . . *pouts*

I've never heard of Ann Pederson, though, so it's fair, I guess.

Angela Gheoghiu I have heard of, but I've never heard her sing.

~ Zelda

[Night feather]

Yes fame is a fickle friend, or whatever it is Gilderoy Lockheart says to Harry...

But well Ann Pedersen mostly sings in Denmark, my homecountry, and the western part of Europe.

But you should really try to listen to Angela, she is wonderful.

[Christine Daaé]

I just saw Il Barbiere de Sivilia -- "The Barber of Seville" -- last night. It was my first opera, and I loved it!

Figaro was especially good, but everyone was excellent. It was funny many times, touching sometimes, and just extremely well done.

~ Zelda

[The_Persian]

Has anybody here seen, or heard a soundtrack of Faust? I got the soundtrack of Faust in english for my birthday, and I LOVE it!!!

It was apperently very hard to find because it's not a very popular Opera, but I really thought that it was fantastic!

I also love Aida... well, what I have heard from it anyway... and I also really enjoy Carmen... I would love to play Micheala one day!

[Night feather]

Yeah I picked a soundtrack of Faust of at my library, but that was in the original language, if you need to find the best opera recordings, then I have this site you to look at www.operamania.com. There you can tjeck out which recordings are the best. Of the most famous opera's. Well as you say Faust it amazing, Gonoud was incredible talented.

[Point of No Return]

I love Opera! People my age at school find it weird that I love it but I dont care. :) Recently The Scottish Opera visited our school and perform various arias in different languages from many operas such as Carmen and also they performed some from The Mikado and other Gilbert and Sullivan musicals. Whenever I listen to opera it makes my heart beat so fast. I just love it to bits.

[Silverstream]

I love Opera!
Man, you must think I'm a little odd. i like Goth Music, Punk, MCR, Opera....

I like people like Katherine Jenkins (who did a copy of Music of the Night which isn't relly that good, but nice try, Kath!), Vittorio Grigollo and loads of other people who I can't remember the names of because my mum hid the CD's.

*glares at mom evilly*

[Minoru Inoue]

I never really listen to operas. ^^; My mom hates them, so I don't get much (or any) experience with them. But from what I can tell, I have more fun singing the arias than listening to them. It's like climbing a mountain! So exhilarating, and I know I can do it better the next time I sing it. It's like the epitome of singing; if I can sing this, I can sing anything. Plus, Italian is so pretty. I stink at French. Just... eugh... *shudders* But I'm quite good at Italian. And any language is prettier than English. ^^;

[Lord Moe]

I've recently begun to listen to a lot of Pavarotti's recordings, He's absolutely amazing. His "Nessun Dorma" always gives me chills. He even was amazing in the recording where he was about 70 years old! That's a voice that has withstood years of singing.

[Night feather]

Yes Pavarotti was indeed a very good singer, but I must say though, his voice began to fade as he gained weight. The whole thing about opera only having fat singers are a ridiculous myth, you have to be fit to sing, as you sing with your entire body not just your throat.

Anyway, yes Pavarotti, magnificient voice when he was at the peak of career, such force and beauty... But I prefer his colleagues in "the three tenors". Placido Domingo and especially Jose Carreras.

[masquerading rose]

I've read (i think it was Mozart's) THe magic flute and I've heard it. I really actually liked it.I didn't think I would. I haven't seen it, but I heard it.

[The Countess]

I adore operas so it's hard to say which is my favorite. I've seen the Magic Flute and I asure everyone that it's breath-taking. It's so enjoyable and you find yourself taping your feet to the Queen of the Night's aria in the 2nd act. *sigh*

Other operas I enjoy are Faust (surprise), Carmen, and La Fille du Régiment.

[The Countess]

I know double post but it's been a month or so I hope that it's acceptable.

To all opera fans, I just found out that they made a Magic Flute movie in France back in 2006 I think. Here's the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGMz8OlunO0 and it's in English!

You got to look on Amazon with the French name of it and it doesn't work with an American DVD player, but it looks good.

[Christine Daaé]

Don't worry about the double-post, Viktoria -- as long as it's been a while, it's acceptable.

That looks fantastic, indeed -- even to a purist like me who believes all operas ought to always be sung in their original languages. Hey, it is Kenneth Branagh, after all.

Thanks for posting it!

~ Zelda

[masquerading rose]

At alst! I have seen The Magic Flute, in English LIVE!!! Holy God in Heaven was it Amazing! Loved it loved it loved it. And now I look forward to this movie. Although I, like Zelda am a bit of a purist, I think the English lyrics are glorious so therefore I like it both in French and English....

[Christine Daaé]

The Magic Flute was originally written in German, and is usually performed as Die Zauberflote. (Never mind that this computer can't do accent marks; there are supposed to be a couple of dots over the O.)

But being a Francophile myself, I enjoy the French subtitles, too.

~ Zelda

[maskedsinger]

This is how much I love opera, for our research paper I chose to do it on the history of La Bohéme. How I did this, well I have really no clue. I had to examine three major songs and everything.

It is by far my favorite opera. It is just so beautiful with the music. My dream role is Mimi. I would just die to sing O Suave Fancuilla. It is so beautiful. While I was in NYC for my spring break I sat down and read the Libretto. Wow. I was fasincated even though it was the score. It sounds weird I know, but it was so awesome.

[The Countess]

I'm ga-ga over opera's right now. I've listened to most of Tosca and Carmen and I've watched all of Don Giovanni and Magic Flute. *sigh* I feel so completed.

Please, people, let's talk more about opera!

[masquerading rose]

With pleasure!

For Christmas, I go the most amazing book ever written. It's a book all about Opera; what goes on behind the scenes, the history from Monteverdi to Mozart, Callas to Netrebko... Its so fricking amazing!

So Opera is currently my favorite thing under the sun, and I'm teaching myself successfully how to sing it with my three octave range (G to G to G to G, baby!) and without hurting myself.

That's to say I'm a Wagnerian soprano. Not at all. I'm more of a Mozartian (Yes, those are technically terms) or more of a Puccini and Handel gal. What about y'all?

[The Countess]

I adore Mozart, but I've lived to Puccini recently and I like him too. I think his music is a lot more heart felt but Mozart's is definitly better technique wise. It's hard to choose!

I've found that I'm able to reach a G# but it's a little forced. But it's a nice thing to show off after a C3.

Loves me my opera!

[masquerading rose]

Oooo! G#! Can you reach an Ab yet? Okay, okay, I know, lame joke.

Puccini versus Mozart? Wow.... Tough call. Mozart was an utter genius, brilliant man who wrote his first concerto at age eight. Puccini's stuff I find a bit more.... I dunno. Is there a way to describe it? I'm just more attatched to Puccini stuff, But Mozart is also very very very up close to the top of my list. Its pretty much equal I guess. I'm going to shut up now before I say something totally dumb and sound strupider....

bee tee dubs, I found I can sing to a C# above G6, which ironically is (in the world record book) the highest singing note ever recorded. I'm kinda shocked...

[The Countess]

Wow! C'est super! That must be like, glass-shattering worthy. Can you record it so our ears can bleed?

Anywho, in my voice lessons we're getting back to opera so I may as well post here. We're doing O Mio Babbino Caro and I keep getting major dejavu each time I sing it. It sounds so familar! Anyway, the Italian est tres difficile. You see, at my school they only teach Spanish, French, and German. It's very irksome actually. But the aria is beautiful anyway and it comes from the most charming opera about a rich dead broad and everyone wants her money.

[masquerading rose]

I would love to! I will once I find a good recorder that'll hook up to my computer. My phone does, but my phone's quality makes me sound horrid! I sound like Elmo with a cold on my phone's recording! lol

O Babbino Caro!!! Mi amore il aria!!! Bellisima, producè felicita mucho per mia! Yes, that was Italian. I speak it.. well, a great deal of it so if you need help, let me know, Viktoria!

For me, Italian is the easiest to sing in (other than English), and actually the only I will sing. I sing the Queen of the Night aria, all the way through, but only on las and ooos. Because my German is... to put it nicely... crap. And that was being nice, but the melody is nice and soooo much fun.

And while talking about opera in other languages. I FINALLY got Un bel di. Not a hard song to sing, excpet the fact the lyrics I printed out have it all as one word, so it made it extra long.

[Hidden Away]

My teacher is going to teach us the various genres and Opera is no exception, but that's junior year. Any who, to graduate as a musical theater major you have to be able to read IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet). I hope that the languages are going to come easier than by just reading it from straight music. Opera is something that is big at school but we just don't really know how it functions because it's soo different from Musical theater. ha, if only.

[masquerading rose]

Yes, Opera IS very very different from MT. That is, unless you are careful, know EXACTLY what you're doing, are taking care of your voice or arevery expirienced in both.

When looking at music books at a music store, one of the workers was talking to me about how if you go from opera to MT, you could ruin your voice.

Hence why I went the other way, MT to opera and my voice is doing better than ever with no worries about ruining it whatsoever.

[The Countess]

I think if your voice is handled correctly, it can't to damage either way. I started out doing opera and have been flip-flopping with MT. But I know if you go from really heavy stuff to light stuff, you can shatter your voice. Poor Maria Callas...

[masquerading rose]

Yeah, that's what I mean. You have to gently flip flop between the two, so gradually, your voice will be fit for both. Its just like teaching yourself higher notes or expanding your range. Its all gradual. I mean, opera is sung kinda in a different range, even if the same notes are used.

I know that made like no sense. But I just got out of rehearsal so my brain is fried and I'm ezhausted. lol. sorry.

[Hidden Away]

I'm going to my first opera in a three weeks. I've never been more excited in my life! Don Giovanni. How amazing. Thank you student priced tickets.

As from what vocal coaches have tole me in the past, if you take the basics of Opera, you can pretty much sing anything else safely.

It's just like dance...you have to start from the basic Ballet style and then you can do Modern, Contemporary...etc. Right?

[La Masque]

I saw my first and only Opera when I was very little. It was an amusing comedy called Lend Me a Tenor. I remember it was about a famous Italian Opera star who became friends with a butler to the hotel, or mansion he was staying at. Then he tried to commit suicide when he realized he hated opera, and the American butler and his nincompoop sidekick had to hide the body and learn to sing in Italian..in the end the Italian woke up and tried to go to his performance to sing...but was thrown out and the butler had to come clean. It was so funny!!!

I haven't really listened to opera, and still don't...but I know some of the familiar tunes like the unmistakable often parodied melody from Carmen and other popular pieces.

But last year in choir we sang two operatic songs...one was Adoramouste, a lovely Italian operatic song that when translated means 'I Adore You.' We also sang...well I'm not even going to try to type it because I know I will spell it wrong...but I remember I phreaked out about it because it was the same song Erik sang when he rescued the Persian from the lake and called him a booby before rowing off 'huffing and puffing like a walrus'. Help me someone!!

[Hidden Away]

I'm excited! Ten dollar tickets for La Boheme, Porgy and Bess, Madame Butterfly, and Don Giovanni!!! What rocks my world? OPERA! and applied voice teachers who get awesome discounts for working with the Local Opera! Wh00t

[Edith]

I never saw an opera before but there was an event near my house I went two where they invited 3 opera singers to come sing parts of operas for us. And it was FREE! From then on I've adored opera and best part was--it wasn't Carlotta's Think of Me. I mean she's a good singer just... that one song does not showcase her voice but anyways..!

I am supposed to see my first opera this spring break. I've heard some of Madame Butterfly and Faust. But I have no idea what I am to see..! Or what is going to be playing or--in fact I have no idea how it even works! I feel so dumb but I'm excited to be back into the city I love for my first oepra!

But unfortunately... as much as I already love the way opera is sung I will never be able to sing such music at all... no matter what classes I take. But I still will enjoy every minute of it! Even if everyone runs away cause I killed it when singing along (or trying to) when it's playing on the radio (yes, there is a station). Can't wait for my first opera eek!

[Soprano Rose]

I just got back from a screening of Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette" filmed live at the Met, at my local theatre. It. Rocked. So. Hard. Gorgeous music, an overall great cast, and, of course, a timeless story. It was a bit strange, though, because the conductor was none other than Placido Domingo. I loved the little backstage segments in between scenes, and the sets and costumes were very beautiful and effective.

My only complaint was they rewound the ENTIRE FILM because some obnoxious dude got mad that he missed the first 15 minutes - and it was his own fault for not getting there on time! Also, there was no intermission, so you can imagine I was quite stiff from sitting for 3+ hours, not counting the watching the first 15-20 minutes again.

If anyone's local cinema is showing these, I would highly recommend it. I't's the next best thing to being there in person. You can find the information here:

http://www.metoperafamily.org/

[masquerading rose]

Alyssa,

I go to those all the time! I love them! I do feel bad, though, because I always sing along... and I'm the youngest one in the theatre. But I adore them. It's something special my mom and I do.

[Soprano Rose]

Yeah, they're great. I went with a friend, and we were the youngest there (There really weren't many people). I've never sung along, though. lol Perhaps next time (I'll be seeing "La Boheme") I can sing along with "Si, mi Chiamano Mimi" and see how everyone reacts.

What operas have you seen?

[masquerading rose]

I saw Magic Flute (both live and the 2006 cast on the big screen), La Fille du Regiment (with Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Flores), La Boheme (with Angela Gheorghiu), Der Rosenkavelier (with Renee Fleming) and I saw a crappy version of Don Giovanni Live (singing was great, acting was fine, but the thing as a whole... baaaad idea). That last one was my school's attempt to make all the students cultured. All the opera singers at my school (which there are a few since it's a performing arts school) were kind of apalled by it.

What about you?

[Soprano Rose]

Unfortunately, I've never seen an opera live. I watch them on youtube and PBS all the time, though, and only recently started going to these HD broadcasts from the Met. They're showing "Eugene Onegin", "La Boheme", and "Turandot" next month, so hopefully I'll be able to go to a few more of these before summer ends. Also, my local opera company is putting on "La Traviata" and "Cosi fan Tutte" this season, so hopefully I'll get to go to one of those as well.

So, are you training in opera or is it just something you enjoy? Also, which operas are your favorites? Sorry, I'm just full of questions, and it's not every day I get to speak to someone who actually likes opera, let alone knows anything about it.

[masquerading rose]

I wish I could go see those!! Man, I'm jealous.

Nah, it's cool. I like it when people ask me questions. It makes me feel famous. ;)

I've been in love with opera since I was in the third grade. I've been training myself since then and I've recieved a lot of training from a former opera singer. Next year, my teacher changes (and my former teacher might be my english teacher), but my training continues. I attend a school for musical theatre, so I mainly sing that, but my teachers secretly train me in classical as well ;). I want to get a recording of me on here, but, alas, I lack the technology, and the money to get it. haha.
My favourite operas are "the magic flute", "Turandot", "la traviata"... man, the list goes on forever. There are so many beautiful ones, but my guys are Mozart and Puccini. I have yet to see or hear an opera I don't like, except I'm not a fan of Wagner, mainly because I'm a mozartian coloratura, not a wagnerian soprano.

What about you?

[Soprano Rose]

I've been training classically since I was 11. I've been in love with opera since I was about 12. Since then I've basically been doing my research and watching old footage from the greats and am still with the same teacher, she's a very well-trained classical singer, and my voice (and confidence) has grown so much in the years I've been taking from her. I've worked on a few arias like "O Mio Babbino Caro" and am currently working on "Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion" from Handel's "Messiah". I've asked her if we could start working on "Batti, Batti, O Bel Massetto" from "Don Giovanni", but she seems to have forgotten about it. lol

As for my favorite operas, I agree with you that Mozart and Puccini are "the men", but I also love Rossini, Gounod, and Verdi. "Le Nozze di Figaro", "Tosca", "Don Giovanni', "La Traviata" ... the list goes on. I also have to mention Gounod's "Faust" because it's the first opera I ever heard and it is to blame for my obsession. After seeing "Romeo et Juliette", I have to say that one ranks pretty high on the list as well. I absolutely love the poison aria in the second act!

So who are your favorite singers/performers?

EDIT: Just came across this and thought you might enjoy it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zmwRitYO3w

[masquerading rose]

YES!!! Rossini equals love! He was a beast mode guy. Handel's rather fantastic as well. I'm so glad you know what you're talking about with opera. So many people don't. Not only does that make me mad, it makes me sad as well.

As far as my fellow sopranos go, I love Renee Fleming and Anna Netrebko. I also really enjoy Natalie Dessay and Diana Damrau. I saw Natalie in La Fille du Regiment, and she was fantastic. I saw Renee in Der Rosenkavelier and she did amazing. And I saw Andrea Bocelli in Il Cavaleria Rusticana when he was in town. I cried.
And by six degrees of separation, I gave Jose Carreras flowers. Yes, ma'am, I am the proud owner of flowers touched by him. :lovies:

At the moment, I'm working on "Glitter and be Gay" from Candide and "Un Bel Di" from (as you probably know) Madama Butterfly. I was going to do "O Mio Babbino Caro", but I went with "Glitter and be Gay instead", mainly because I like high E's and flashyness. haha

Opera is actually where I learned most of my italian. But unfortunately because of ignorant, uncultured peers, I stopped my opera training for a year and thus stopped my practicing my Italian. But I digress.

I loved that video. Thanks for sharing! I espescially enjoyed the old woman with the Starbucks cup. It made me smile more than I already was.

[Soprano Rose]

YAY! A fellow Rossini fan! I agree, I hate it when people try to make an argument, but have no idea what they're talking about!

I saw Anna Netrebko in "Romeo et Juliette" on the big screen this past Wednesday. She's not one of my favorite singers, but she's very beautiful and I liked her in the poison aria (which you can see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhCm2PHxHaM). The audience actually started applauding after this aria, and they hadn't done so all night! I really like Renee Flemming, she was the first opera singer I ever really got into. A friend of my dad's actually met her, and I believe got to know her quite well. He said she was a real sweetheart. (His wife at the time was an opera singer, and he got to see many operas at the Met and meet many of the greats including Pavarotti! *jealous!*) I also really like Natalie Dessay, and Diana Damrau's Queen of the Night is fabulous! That's cool that you got to see Andrea Bocelli.

As for my favorite singers, I'm a bit old fashioned. As far as my fellow mezzos go, I love
Marilyn Horne and Frederica von Stade, and for sopranos I like Joan Sutherland and Maria Callas, among others. For the men, Jussi Bjorling and Enrico Caruso.

Those are two great pieces you're working on. "Glitter and be Gay" is such a fun song, you can go as over-the-top with it as you want, and "Un Bel Di" is just gorgeous.

I've learned quite a bit of Italian and French from listening to opera, as well. I was surprised at how much I understood when I saw "Romeo et Juliette". Are you learning/fluent in any foreign languages?

Glad you enjoyed the video.

EDIT: I can't believe I forgot to mention Rosa Ponselle!

[masquerading rose]

I like Jussi Bjorling and Enrico Caruso as well! I also like Jose Cura, but no one I know has ever heard of him. I saw Nathan Gunn in 'The Magic Flute' and I saw Carmen recently. It was beautiful.
I do like Joan Sutherland (espescially in 'La Fille du Regiment'), but, unfortunately, I'm not that big a fan of Maria Callas. I know, call me a blasphamist. I just never really got into her as much as I had hoped.

No, I'm not fluent in any other language, but I'm taking Spanish in school, I used to be really really good at Italian, but I lost a lot of it. One of my sister's first languages was Russian and she's teaching me that.

[Soprano Rose]

Nah, you're not a blasphamist. I actually wasn't all that into Callas when I first heard her.

Habla usted Español? Impresionante! Spanish is my first language, though I'm a little rusty now, so I'm taking a refresher. That's cool that you're learning Russian. It seems like such a difficult language. I'm teaching myself French and Italian.

I recently saw "La Boheme" on the big screen with Angela Gheorghiu. It was great! The sets were incredible.

[masquerading rose]

I know!!! The behind scenes the look was awesome! Paper for snow? That's a lot paper!!

I haven't seen an opera in a while, I need to get back out there to watch them.