Opera and sex - alright, gender.

[Dave2002]

I am glad you are so enthused with it! If your memories go back to the 1970s, this is praise indeed. I believe that was the Aida with Fiorenza Cossotto as Amneris. Unforgettable!

I must mention also the current Glyndebourne Tour production of "Rusalka". It is completely stunning. Highly recommended. I found myself thinking "Surely this is has to be the most beautiful opera ever written." The staging of this production befits the music perfectly.

I'll take your word for it re Aida - though I'm not totally convinced. Could there have been several productions? Do you know who the Radames was? i remember the cheer when he appeared. It was ealy 1970s I think. Do the ROH have an archive of productions?

I enjoyed Rusalka, but it was somewhat different, and not as involving as MofF. Recommended, but first choice has to be MofF.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

And I thought this thread was going to be a discussion on the relative merits of female altos, male altos and castrati in pre-19th century operas.

These days, opera hardly seems to exist in most people's minds,other than in the derisive "Go Compare" advert.

[salymap]

I agree about Mozart's Marriage of Figaro being the greatest opera - whole life is there. I treasure an old Video with Bryn Terfel, Cecilia Bartoli, Renee Fleming and even Ian Wallace as the gardener. I think it was from the Met years ago. What a cast it has.

[teamsaint]

I agree about Mozart's Marriage of Figaro being the greatest opera - whole life is there. I treasure an old Video with Bryn Terfel, Cecilia Bartoli, Renee Fleming and even Ian Wallace as the gardener. I think it was from the Met years ago. What a cast it has.

That sounds fantastic. The Met certainly put on some dazzling shows. not much of an opera buff, but I do miss having a look at the Sky Arts shows from there since I unsubscribed.

[aeolium]

That sounds fantastic. The Met certainly put on some dazzling shows. not much of an opera buff, but I do miss having a look at the Sky Arts shows from there since I unsubscribed.

ts, have you tried going to any of the cinecasts the Met does these days (usually about £15, at least round here)? I should think Southampton must have some cinemas that show them.

{It would be cheaper and probably less painful than going to watch Saints on a Saturday )

[Serial_Apologist]

Encouraged by your enthusiasm I shall add Holmboe to my list of composers to try. I've done this before, but not done a thorough enough investigation to be persuaded to like his music.

Imagine a stylistic amalgam of Nielsen, Hindemith and Bartok - minus the folk influence - and you'll be in the Holmboe ballpark, roughly speaking. Clean, refreshing, invigorating, unsentimental.

[teamsaint]

ts, have you tried going to any of the cinecasts the Met does these days (usually about £15, at least round here)? I should think Southampton must have some cinemas that show them.

{It would be cheaper and probably less painful than going to watch Saints on a Saturday )

No I haven't, though some of the cinecasts have been shown in salisbury.
But its a good thought, and I am investigating. First two I looked at weren't on on Salisbury or Southampton.

It would be cheaper and more fun to sit in the garden and throw a pound to a passer by every 4 minutes than watch the Saints at present. !thats footy for you.

Oh, and £15 seems right. Thanks for the heads up !

Edit : La Boheme is on in Jan...that would cheer up a winter evening....and popcorn too !(perhaps not.....)

[Serial_Apologist]

La Boheme is on in Jan...that would cheer up a winter evening....

Especially if your tiny hand is frozen...

[teamsaint]

That is a la Boheme reference, isn't it !! I see what you did there. I am getting off this thread, way, way out of my depth !

Odeon here we come !

[aeolium]

ts, I think you should also have Les Troyens on 13th November.

You could also check the Southampton Harbour Lights Picturehouse cinema listings here (click on the 'Film' box on the top right hand corner and it will bring up a list of films including Met Opera screenings - select one and it will bring up the date).

For some reason Cineworld are pulling out of showing the Met screenings, though there is still another cinema near me which broadcasts them.

[teamsaint]

Ta, will check the ones you suggest...looks to be some fun stuff on. never been to harbour lights either.

[rauschwerk]

With my wife and myself it's much the same as with plays or films - our tastes are different but they overlap pretty well. In our early years together my tastes were somewhat off the wall, and I took her to see Moses and Aaron, Love of Three Oranges, The Fiery Angel and more besides. She was not fazed in the least. We have also both enjoyed Grimes and Rake's Progress a great deal (the latter twice). She was not particularly taken with Falstaff or Cosi fan tutte, both of which I enjoyed.

No scientific conclusions to be drawn from that, I fear.

I don't understand the regular complaints about wobble. I haven't seen a single live show, cinema relay or DVD in which that bothered me.

[Serial_Apologist]

I don't understand the regular complaints about wobble. I haven't seen a single live show, cinema relay or DVD in which that bothered me.

To me, in its most exaggerated manifestations it is just an ingenious method for ensuring that consistently avoiding being in tune never gets spotted.

[Nick Armstrong]

wobble. I haven't seen a single live show.... in which that bothered me.

There's usually quite a lot of wobbling in live shows... So I'm told

Ahem...

Turning back to opera, I've yet to try a Met broadcast on a Saturday afternoon / evening when the vibrato on offer (especially from the lady soloists, and also the matronly-sounding chorus) hasn't sent me leaping for the 'off' switch...

[Anna]

The Met broadcasts are dire, I agree, and OFF goes the switch. But the BBC are somehow tied in to a contract and perhaps there are performing rights issues with European opera houses. I've found that, amongst people I know, men are far more into opera than women (men, particularly, go for Wagner) I like some modern operas but the more traditional leave me cold, and bored, I'm sorry to say, although I do love some of the arias.