Opera Fans In The FL?

[Chas]

Any other Operaphiles out there?

I have a current crush on Diana Damrau. Sublime. And hot.

[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/C2ODfuMMyss&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/C2ODfuMMyss&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

 

[LadyStardust]

Oh absolutely! It is one of my greatest indulgences! The last time I posted here, on the What Are You Listening? thread I had a brief exchange with another Lounger about favorites/ recommendations.
The Magic Flute is of course such a timeless and ever popular opera, it is one I personally often revisit. My favorite variation of this aria(Der Holle Rache) is actually still, and perhaps foolishly, the one performed in Amadeus. I knew who the singer there was once upon a time, but her name escapes me at the moment.
I am currently enjoying Barbara Bonney singing early music/Renaissance pieces, but all time favorite operatic singers include Kathleen Battle, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ettore Bastianini, Franco Corelli, Domingo and the for the period most resonant with this forum, Grace Moore.
[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bMkfqnuzUmM&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bMkfqnuzUmM&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

 

[dhermann1]

Another opera lover here. Somewhere here there's a picture I posted of myself as a spear carrier in Aida in 1963. Pretty hilarious. I get to the Met once every couple of years, but I really grew up on the Chautauqua Opera Association, the third oldest opera company in the country. I just saw a delightful production of Pirates of Penzance there last summer.
Any Wagner lovers out there?

 

[LizzieMaine]

I don't know as I'd consider myself a hard-core opera fan, although I do enjoy it -- but over the last three years I've gotten to like it even more, since the "Met in HD" series has become a *huge* success at the theatre where I work. Our tickets went on sale for the new season just a month ago, and now the entire season is, for all intents and purposes, sold out. I'm *definitely* a fan of that!

 

[Flivver]

Back in the late 1960s, when I was a teenager just getting interested in the history of radio, I used to listen to the Saturday afternoon broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera, announced by veteran announcer Milton J. Cross.

It wasn't so much the opera that I was interested in, but hearing Milton J. Cross doing a live broadcast over the NBC Radio Network in 1969 was a real time machine experience for me! Oh, I should mention that I would listen to these broadcasts on my (then) recently restored 1934 Philco Model 60B that I had purchased at the Salvation Army Store for $5. And the station that carried these broadcasts was one of the original NBC stations, WTAG in Worcester.

 

[John in Covina]

My dad listened to Opera on the radio when he was working for extra money in the basement shop. I think it was an opera program from the Met and sponsered by Texaco. Also I recall Tony Randall as one of the announcers. I enjoy some a lot and find I am a Puccini fan as of a late.

 

[Harp]

Any other Operaphiles out there?

I have a current crush on Diana Damrau. Sublime. And hot.

I still have a crush on Kiri Te Kanawa.

 

[dhermann1]

I saw Kiri in recital at Lincoln Center in 1984. It was right after the royal wedding, and of course she sang "Let the bright Seraphim". Then she sang something else and flubbed the words and had to start over. She was apparently famous for this. No problemo, Kiri. I still love you. Between her and Mirela Freni I don't know which one I adore most. Mirela Freni is MY WOMAN!!!

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I like the music. Rossinni rocks! Joe Green was pretty good too,...

 

[Caity Lynn]

If I could get it and if I could translate it, I'd be a fan of it. I saw one of those taped off the stage operas with subtitles on PBS on vacation and fell madly in love with it, but can't remember the name. I'd love to have it though.


I'm a huge musical fan, and also enjoy opera, if I can get my hands on it [huh]

 

[Harp]

I saw Kiri in recital at Lincoln Center in 1984. It was right after the royal wedding, and of course she sang "Let the bright Seraphim". Then she sang something else and flubbed the words and had to start over. She was apparently famous for this. No problemo, Kiri. I still love you. Between her and Mirela Freni I don't know which one I adore most. Mirela Freni is MY WOMAN!!!

Mirela reminds me of Beverly Sills, another favorite.
And Renee Fleming certainly ranks with Kiri--vocals and charms. :eusa_clap

 

[LocktownDog]

I wasn't until a friend of mine was hired on with the San Diego Opera. She sends me performance videos pretty frequently. Really loving it more and more. :eusa_clap

 

[Chiliarches]

Singer here.

Being an audience member ain't bad either.

 

[Fletch]

On the fence myself. I kiss the hem of musicianship wherever and whenever it may be found. When it coincides with expressive human feeling, there is nothing like it. What I don't care for is the much venerated institution called opera - the tropes, the temperaments, the conventions, and especially, the embrace of drama for its own sake, which can leave a cheap gloss over the artistry.

 

[vonwotan]

You have found a life long fan here. Although, even after a few decades, I still consider myself no more than a passionate amateur.

 

[dhermann1]

This obviously means that we should plan a Lounge outing to the Met this year. It will require some planning, but let's kick it around. This might warrent coming in from out of town for. Anyone interested?
Oh, and of course dressed to the NINES.

 

[Matthew Thompson]

Count me in as a Puccini fan and rank amateur listener. I don't know much about Opera, but I know that listening to Pavarotti in his prime makes my eyes wet every time (and that means good music in my books).

 

[Dagwood]

...Between her and Mirela Freni I don't know which one I adore most. Mirela Freni is MY WOMAN!!!

Mirella Freni is amazing!

Listen to the emotion in her voice (especially starting around the 2:40 mark).

[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bm29-POmIg8&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bm29-POmIg8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Dr Doran]

Amateur listener here, too. The last time I went was to see John Adams' Dr. Atomic. That was several years ago. A few notable ones I've seen before that: Alban Berg's Wozzeck (terrifying), Puccini's La Fanciula del West, and several versions of Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera. I also watch opera dvds when I visit my father. He does this almost every day. I finally saw a performance of Mahagonny by Kurt Weill two Christmases ago on dvd and I was blown away. It was so great that we stalled opening the presents solely so that we could finish watching it.

 

[Chas]

This obviously means that we should plan a Lounge outing to the Met this year. It will require some planning, but let's kick it around. This might warrent coming in from out of town for. Anyone interested?
Oh, and of course dressed to the NINES.

I'm in for next April - Die Zauberfloten is playing at the Met.