courtney2222 t1_j6xeby2 wrote
For someone who is new to Opera, can you recommend some operas to start with?
redditsonodddays t1_j6y9kcd wrote
(Not the IAMA dude) It really depends on your preferences in music and drama in general. Operas do cover a wide gamut of styles.
I would personally recommend
- Wozzeck or Lulu, by Berg (dark, psychotic, gritty) - there are great versions in English on Spotify
> Wozzeck is about a melancholic/mentally ill soldier who suspects his wife is cheating
> Lulu tells the story of a young girl’s downfall from upper class living to murder and prostitution
- Susannah, by Floyd (southern/folk, melodramatic)
> Susannah sets the apocryphal biblical story “Susannah and the Wise Elders” into pre-civil war Kentucky. A small town community wrongly accuses a sweetly innocent orphan teen of harlotry. A traveling preacher attempts to grapple with her sin, and finds his own downfall.
- Carmen, by Bizet (boisterous, European)
> A comedic tragedy, Carmen tells the story of a soldier who is seduced into abandoning family and duty for a traveling woman.
- Don Giovanni, by Mozart (clever, lush and fantastic)
> An adaptation of Don Juan, a beautiful and strong man engages in criminal mischief until the supernatural world intervenes.
- Highlights of Wagner’s Ring,
> Der Ring des Ninelungen comprises four gigantic operas telling an epic story of gods villains and heroes. Drawing on various Germanic legends, the story begins when a dwarf steals enchanted gold from immature mermaids who were duty bound to protect it. From it he forges an all powerful ring, which becomes the envy and desire of the mortal and immortal planes.
vissidamore t1_j6zyo10 wrote
LOL I’ve never seen someone recommend Wozzeck as a first opera for someone to see. That’s wild. Everyone usually says La Boheme or Magic Flute. You’re coming in hot with the deep cuts!
redditsonodddays t1_j71y28m wrote
Lol I guess so, I just think it’s easy to grasp the story and could be engaging for a newbie who like everyone else is already aware of the romantic opera tropes and was never moved to listen to them. Wozzeck is very cerebral and reminds me of some of the thriller shows that have been popular in television.
The score is also a marvel. A beautifully orchestrated diatonic piece can be unnoticed in our world of music production, but there’s no avoiding the great amount of work that goes into a constantly churning and unsettled orchestra like Berg’s.
vissidamore t1_j721gvb wrote
Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Wozzeck and I think for the right person it would be a really interesting introduction to the art form. Heck I wish it was performed more, but smaller theaters don’t usually put it on where I’m located. They stick to the standard crowd pleasing rep to make sure they can sell enough tickets. But there’s only so many times one can see Carmen or Merry Widow, good lord.
Royal_Ad6640 t1_j6xf2a5 wrote
I would listen to Carmen, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Boheme and La Traviata to begin. Those are the staples of the opera world. Pieces that will never get old and whose stories are timeless. Check it out!
daltydoo t1_j6zedn8 wrote
I’ll add Barbier of Seville and Marriage of Figaro to that list. I watched the movie versions with DFD and Prey back to back and it was a good time.
Skyhouse5 t1_j6ziup0 wrote
New to opera I tell people to do Carmen and Don Giovanni. You already know about all the music in Carmen and so can ease into to dynamic play of orchestra and singer and story. Don Giovanni is just fun AF with dramatic and sublime melodies and a fun fun story.
Those two are your beachhead.
Amphy64 t1_j6zftcf wrote
The site Operavision has a changing selection of free opera, if you'd like to have a look and just see if anything sounds interesting (that's how I got into watching it, during the pandemic). Puccini's Tosca, La Bohème, Bizet's Carmen are 'safe' classics but sometimes people (like me) end up loving the weird stuff, so it can be hard to say.
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