nicholas 1 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I've started going to the opera. Last week I saw Aida for the first time (a friend suggested it should be updated and set in Afghanistan and re-named Alqaida - not funny) and a couple of weeks before that Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppeia. I was quite surprised by how bored I wasn't. One would think opera and film music had quite a lot in common, so it is a little surprising it's not discussed more on these boards. I wonder what an opera by John Williams would be like - and I'm not talking "Thomas and the King." That's 'musical theatre' which is quite different. What would he choose as his subject matter?Do YOU like Opera? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitch 55 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Opera, hell YESNIXON IN CHINATHE DEATH OF KLINGHOFFEREL NINODOCTOR ATOMICTHE MARRIAGE OF FIGARODON GIOVANNITHE MAGIC FLUTECOSI FAN TUTTEFIDELIOEINSTEIN ON THE BEACHTHE RING CYCLE: DAS RHEINGOLD, SIEGFRIED, DIE WALKURE, GOTTERDAMMERUNGTANNHAUSERDER ROSENKAVALIER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,765 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Can't wait for The Fly: The Opera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neimoidian 13 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Not really, but there are some operatic cues I like, especially from guys like Puccini, Rossini, Verdi or Wagner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandor 459 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Not really into opera. An opera by Williams would be cool though.There was talk about it a couple of years ago by the way, but Williams didn't think he could do it. Well, Howard Shore can, so obviously he is the better composer...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholas 1 Posted November 23, 2007 Author Share Posted November 23, 2007 Not really into opera. There was talk about it a couple of years ago by the way, but Williams didn't think he could do it.Do you know what the subject of the opera was to be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandor 459 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Do you know what the subject of the opera was to be?I don't remember if that was known at the time. I do remember it was at the request of someone, but Williams didn't consider himself a "vocal composer" or something, a statement rightfully made after Thomas And The King IMO.EDIT: This is what I could still find on the matter (source: www.johnwilliams.org):Untitled opera projectPlácido Domingo, the new director of Los Angeles Opera, announced in September of 2001 that John Williams would create an opera for the company to be premiered during the 2004-2005 season. Williams was surprised to read this in the press, as he had made no formal commitment to such a project, although Domingo has commissioned novelist Michael Walsh to create a treatment of an unnamed literary work.And more about it was written in these articles:"Domingo Giving Coast Opera a Burst of Hollywood Magic," Bernard WeinraubNew York Times, September 12 2000"The Domingo Factor," January BreslauerLos Angeles Times, September 12 2000"L.A. Opera Tunes Into Movie Vets," Phil GalloVariety, September 12 2000"John Williams considers prospect of writing opera," Richard DyerBoston Globe, Sep 15 2000, D, 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholas 1 Posted November 23, 2007 Author Share Posted November 23, 2007 Thanks very much for the info. All very intriguing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWfangirl1992 18 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Hm...a Williams opera, that would be interesting.I'm not an opera fanatic but they really aren't that bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,759 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 We do not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melange 446 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 We sometimes do. Depends on the composer and style of opera, we have decided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_twinkle 44 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Light Opera not a chance. However I am developing a love for opera seria. La Traviata is beautiful. I like Wagner, and recently bought Berlioz' Les Troyens, which is fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrScratch 292 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I've tried to like opera, I want to like it but I can't get into it. I own Die Tote Stadt & Wuthering Heights, only because they are by film composers. I like a lot of the arias in WH but can't make it through even a single disc of that set in one sitting. I've never given DTS a serious listen.I've seen La Traviata live, I wasn't bored but wasn't in love with it either. I also own some opera pieces on various compilations and like some of them. Overall though, no I can't say that I like opera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 5,520 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Hell yes! I frequently attend local performances. Saw Tosca and Rosenkavalier (for the third time) recently, and can't wait for the new Ring cycle to start next month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,391 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Vide Cor Meum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Lewis 6 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I wonder what an opera by John Williams would be like - and I'm not talking "Thomas and the King."Forgive this digression but people in this boad are aware that the otherwise hard-to-find Thomas and the King can be pruchased at the iTunes store, right?-Tom, who thinks "Mussetta's Waltz" from La Boheme is one of the most beautiful melodies composed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 1,931 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I love Wagner's Ring Cycle, Tannhauser, Parsifal and The Flying Dutchman.I also love Mussorgky's Boris Godunov, Bizet's Carmen and Don Giovanni by Mozart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIEfighter 0 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I love Opera, it´s the finest web browser by far and has everything you need integrated...no need for add-ons. I don´t care about Opera music however... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artyjeffrey 20 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 If I am actually present, then yes it's cool. The last opera I experienced was Eugene Onegin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 5,520 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 I also love Mussorgky's Boris GodunovHell yeah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeshopk 8 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Yes and No. Mainly, I just want to turn down the soloists and listen to the orchestra. Sometimes I like the soloist parts, but not mainly. I love a lot of Opera Overtures and act starters. The music throughout Salome is exceptional, but again, the vocals ruin it for me. Chris DuMonde (Honnegger) also has great music in it when there's no singing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saxbabe 28 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Ooh, well, we like Opera more when they are not singing! The Wagner orchestral overtures and preludes are among some of my absolute favorite music ever. But the Ring cycle as a whole is amazing, when I was younger I would have considered it a life dream to make it to Bayreuth someday to see them in their originally conceived environment. Which really would be cool.And I also love the John Adams operas, as a whole, extremely thought provoking and intelligent. I would like to see more live opera, but it is very expensive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant 1,093 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 I love Opera music but I hate soprano singing.Actually Wagner's Parsifal is all we need. Best music ever written and not too big part for female disasters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 1,931 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 It is actually my favorite Wagner Opera But not because of the lack of sopranos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whill 0 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 I can't get into opera vocals, but some of the music is ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Skywalker 1,287 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 The Flying Dutchman.There is a POTC based opera?! OMG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Andrade 964 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Yes, I like opera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Composer_Fan 2 Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 I wish I could afford to see opera. Even the discounted student tickets are out of my budget.... I did get to operate spotlights and therefore watch my college's production of Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors." It was great, and I think it's a good way to introduce someone to opera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 85 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I mostly like the orchestral parts and cues in operas. E.g. Walkuren Ritt, Verdi and Mozart overtures. From the voal parts I mainly like the aria's (Puccini, Donizetti). I have seen 1 opera live: Orpheus and Eurydyce, which was choreagraphed in a modern fashion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 5,520 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 The Walkürenritt is a vocal part. There's 8 Valkyries singing in it. The orchestral version is just a somewhat dumbed down version of the original from the opera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSM 85 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 The Walkürenritt is a vocal part. There's 8 Valkyries singing in it. The orchestral version is just a somewhat dumbed down version of the original from the opera.You are right indeed, I forgot about that But I thought the vocal parts weren't that extensive? I prefer the dumbed down version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 1,931 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I don't. You can't beat the original... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genius_Gone_Insane 5 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Opera is among mankind's greatest achievements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 5,520 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 I don't. You can't beat the original...Hojotoho! Hojotoho! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olivier 5 Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 I only like he instrumental parts or versions; while I can acknowledge such and such has a great voice and talent, the vocal parts usually boil down to a lot of unintelligible screaming and amount to contests in sheer vocal power rather than melody, which I cannot stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QMM 4 Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 only opera I listen to consistently is from the Match Point soundtrack because I liked some of it a lot, other than that I don't listen to it much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 5,520 Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 I only like he instrumental parts or versions; while I can acknowledge such and such has a great voice and talent, the vocal parts usually boil down to a lot of unintelligible screaming and amount to contests in sheer vocal power rather than melody, which I cannot stand.Sounds like you've been listening to bad recordings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightscape94 965 Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 I'm a big fan of Tannhauser. I was listening to the recent Barenboim recording in fine digital goodness, and it sounded great.Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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