To See or Not to See: A Novice’s Question

[doversoul1]

I always said that opera was not for me but mainly thanks to mercia who posted the link, I watched the ROH production of Les Troyens back in summer. I was completely engrossed but when I think back, I cannot recall anything about music. Is this a good thing?

Then while I was rather in an operatic mood, I watched (online) Giulio Cesare in Egitto with Andreas Scholl and Cecilia Bartoli.

Since then, I have been trawling through youtube etc. (mostly Baroque operas) but I am not yet quite convinced that all operas need to be watched. Does seeing Cleopatra riding on a torpedo shaped balloon while she sings an aria help to see any deeper meaning of the story (other than rather obvious symbolism, so the reviews said)? Or will I learn as I watch more works?

What sort of things on the stage should I be watching if I chose to watch rather than listen?
Are there any combinations of work and production you don’t approve of?
(Do I dare ask this?) If, one day, I decide to watch Tristan, which production will the experts on this board recommend?

Live performances are for the present not an option.

P.S. I owe my introduction to opera to Chris who urged me to watch Poppea on Arte Live.

[Flosshilde]

(Do I dare ask this?) If, one day, I decide to watch Tristan, which production will the experts on this board recommend?

Tristan & Isolde is probably the opera that loses least in a concert performance (or on CD), althgough it does help if the singers put some physical expression - gestures, both with the face and hands, turning to the person they are addressing, etc - rather than stand still & face the front (mind you, that would be more acting than you got from some 'old school' opera singers on the opera stage!).

One of the advantages of watching a production is that you can tell which role a singer is in; in a concert performance it's difficult (especially in Handel, for example, where so many characters are sung by a high voice, often female) to tell who's who unless you have a libretto.

[grandchant]

Does seeing Cleopatra riding on a torpedo shaped balloon while she sings an aria help to see any deeper meaning of the story (other than rather obvious symbolism, so the reviews said)?

Well I suppose it might imply that, in riding Caesar in the physical sense, she was also dealing with a force that could destroy herself and Egypt. Whether this is what was intended doesn't matter, and it's ours as audience to accept or reject as we choose, but the point is it makes you think about the story. So yes, persevere with watching the action.

There's lots of good stuff on youtube. Jonathan Miller's production of Rigoletto is there;

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

Another reason to watch is that once in a while the acting can be good, although performers are obviously chosen for their vocal ability before all else. The best acting I've seen is Callas and Gobbi in act 2 of Tosca, which is also on youtube.

[verismissimo]

To me the answer is both/and, not either/or, dover.