YOUR FAVOURITE OPERAS

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Topic: YOUR FAVOURITE OPERAS

Posted By: mystic fred
Subject: YOUR FAVOURITE OPERAS
Date Posted: April 04 2006 at 15:32

well there seems to be a very strong leader in my recent NON-PROG MUSIC poll up to this point - OPERA! i never realised there were so many devoted opera fans on prog archive, so here's another poll for you - YOUR FAVOURITE OPERAS! any other faves not listed would be welcome!

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Prog Archives Tour Van

Replies:

Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: April 04 2006 at 16:36

What about soap operas? I vote for Coronation Street.

Posted By: NotAProghead
Date Posted: April 04 2006 at 17:15

"Jesus Christ Superstar"

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Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour)

Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: April 04 2006 at 20:32

The Who - Tommy
Pink Floyd - The Wall
The Who - Quadrophenia
Queen - A night at the opera
Genesis - Lamb lies down on broadway

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Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: April 05 2006 at 03:10

Carmen by Georges Bizet. Go and see it in Verona (Italy) in an old Roman amphitheatre. Great experience!

I must say I never really delved into the Verdi / Mozart - heritage. Except for Carmen, which I like for many many years, I never really liked vocal classical music. Carmen is an exception.

Posted By: R o V e R
Date Posted: April 05 2006 at 03:59

my favourie is

'MOZART'S

MAGIC FLUTE

Posted By: markosherrera
Date Posted: October 15 2006 at 03:27

CARMINA BURANA

Posted By: video vertigo
Date Posted: October 15 2006 at 17:21

Les Miserables

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"The rock and roll business is pretty absurd, but the world of serious music is much worse." - Zappa

Posted By: Bastille Dude
Date Posted: October 15 2006 at 18:12

Last Monday I saw Wagner's "Siegfried" at the performing arts center. Nothing is more prog than a 5 1/2 opera. Thumbs Up

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DEATH TO FALSE PROG!

Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: October 15 2006 at 18:17

Can I say Philip Glass - Einstein on the beach? I haven't seen it yet, but I've heard the music.

2:44 hours of sheer magic. Clap

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Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: October 16 2006 at 03:54

I voted for Wagner's Ring cycle from the above list, but if I had to list my favorites:

Verdi: Otello (his absolute masterpiece, and only for serious tenors), La Forza Del Destino (hugely under-rated, often overlooked, but most people would recognise its overture).

Puccini: Tosca (the very essence of opera - murder, suicide, executions, attempted ravishment, political intrigue... and everybody dead in the final act - perfect

)

Mozart: The Magic Flute (one of the few operas I love where the main characters actually survive)

Strauss: Salome (stunning, yet disturbing & a beautiful score)

Saint-Saens: Samson et Delila (classic grand opera - biblical theme, huge arias for all the principals... and, yes - everybody dead at the end)

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Jon Lord 1941 - 2012

Posted By: Certif1ed
Date Posted: October 16 2006 at 04:16

I voted Le Nozze di Figaro, but mainly because I've played the Count character in 3 performances and so am biased.

I also like Rossini's Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (the posthumously written prequel to Le Nozze) - Rossini's music really sparkles and shows a level of virtuosity that almost reaches Mozart's.

"Die Zauberflote" and "Don Giovanni" are other Mozart favourites of mine, and I'm also very keen on Verdi's "Macbeth" - more so than his more popular operas, but Otello comes a close second.

I have to say that I can't stand Wagner's music in general, even though I am in humble awe at his leitmotif techniques and gesamtkunstwerk philosophies.

The best - and probably only genuine - rock opera is Jesus Christ Superstar (the recording with Ian Gillan playing Jesus is especially notable). Just like in the best operas, the main character dies at the end... sorry for the spoiler...

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The important thing is not to stop questioning.

Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: October 17 2006 at 07:41

Certif1ed wrote:

The best - and probably only genuine - rock opera is Jesus Christ Superstar (the recording with Ian Gillan playing Jesus is especially notable)

Agreed - Murray Head in the role of Judas Iscariot, as I remember. That would have been a cast to see on stage - did Gillan ever actually take the role in the theatre?

Certif1ed wrote:

Just like in the best operas, the main character dies at the end...

Oh bloody hell, Cert! I've only just started reading the book... you've spoilt the ending, now.

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Jon Lord 1941 - 2012

Posted By: Eetu Pellonpaa
Date Posted: October 17 2006 at 07:57

Debussy's "Pelleas et Melisande" and Musorsky's "Boris Godunov" for me!

Posted By: bhikkhu
Date Posted: October 17 2006 at 12:47

Hey, where is Puccini's "Tosca" and Verdi's "Rigoletto?" My favorite, Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" is also missing.

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a.k.a. H.T.

http://riekels.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow - http://riekels.wordpress.com

Posted By: Certif1ed
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 03:02

Jim Garten wrote:

Certif1ed wrote:

The best - and probably only genuine - rock opera is Jesus Christ Superstar (the recording with Ian Gillan playing Jesus is especially notable)

Agreed - Murray Head in the role of Judas Iscariot, as I remember. That would have been a cast to see on stage - did Gillan ever actually take the role in the theatre?

Certif1ed wrote:

Just like in the best operas, the main character dies at the end...

Oh bloody hell, Cert! I've only just started reading the book... you've spoilt the ending, now.

The main problem with the book is that it's got some chapters missing...

...and, if I recall correctly, EVERYONE dies at the end. Film-makers, huh?

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The important thing is not to stop questioning.

Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 03:09

Er, I believe it's pronounced "prog-rockera."

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"There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson

Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 03:13

Classical Opera: Don't like most Italian Operas, give me Wagner or Orff:

Carmina Burana
Tanheusser
Der Ring Des Nibelungen
Lohengrin
Der Fliegende Holländer

Rock Operas:

Jesus Christ Superstar: Original Gillan version.
Tommy: Amazing with the original cast also
Quadrophenia

Iván

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Posted By: Certif1ed
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 07:42

Carmina Burana (cantiones profanes) isn't an opera. It's a collection of an adaptation of secular songs collected by monks in the 13th(?) Century, and you will find it listed as a Cantate or Cantata.

Cantata: http://www.classicalarchives.com/dict/cantata.html

Opera:
http://www.classicalarchives.com/dict/opera.html

and, since everyone around here loves Wikipedia;

Tommy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_(rock_opera)

"Although Tommy is conventionally described as a rock opera, author and Who historian Richard Barnes points out that this definition is not strictly correct, since Tommy does not utilise the classic operatic formulae of staging, scenery, acting and recitative. According to Barnes, Tommy could be more accurately described as a "rock cantata" or a "rock song cycle"."

The same applies to Quadrophenia.

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The important thing is not to stop questioning.

Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 09:08

Certif1ed wrote:

Carmina Burana (cantiones profanes) isn't an opera. It's a collection of an adaptation of secular songs collected by monks in the 13th(?) Century, and you will find it listed as a Cantate or Cantata.

Cantata: http://www.classicalarchives.com/dict/cantata.html - http://www.classicalarchives.com/dict/cantata.html

If you check http://www.carmina-burana.com/ - http://www.carmina-burana.com/

http://www.carmina-burana.com/bilder/cb_logo_schwarz.gif">

You'll find that even though Var4mina Burana by Karl Orff is a Cantata is also describe as what in Spanish we call an OIPERA BUFA (Satiric Opera against the Chutch)

You can also check: http://www.lukor.com/literatura/04122403.htm - http://www.lukor.com/literatura/04122403.htm La Magia y misterio de los tiempos Medievales llegaron a la ciudad de Madrid con la Opera Monumental Carmina Burana"

Tradutioonally Opera is defined as:

A theatrical presentation in which a dramatic performance is set to music.
The score of such a work.
A theater designed primarily for opera

Musical drama made up of vocal pieces with orchestral accompaniment, overtures, and interludes.

http://www.answers.com/topic/opera - http://www.answers.com/topic/opera

Also you could check:

Opera \Op"er*a\, n. [It., fr. opera work, composition, opposed
   to an improvisation, fr. L. opera pains work, fr. opus,
   operis, work, labor: cf. F. op['e]ra. See http://dict.die.net/operate/ - Operate .]
   1. A drama, either tragic or comic, of which music forms an
      essential part; a drama wholly or mostly sung, consisting
      of recitative, arials, choruses, duets, trios, etc., with
      orchestral accompaniment, preludes, and interludes,
      together with appropriate costumes, scenery, and action; a
      lyric drama.

http://dict.die.net/opera/ - http://dict.die.net/opera/

The definitions fit, surely not in your limitative music scheme, but also the words Symphonic Prog, Art Rock or Classicakl Music (As a broad term that goes from Late Medieval to Modern 1900 productions don't) but for the rest of the world not as prepared as you do make sense.

So even though Carmina Burana it's formally a Cantata is also described commonly as an Opera KARL ORFF tried to gave it that form and achived success, we know you're all covered by titles but you will finfd that popular wisdom turns into a rule even when formally is not exact to the formal definition.

"Although Tommy is conventionally described as a rock opera, author and Who historian Richard Barnes points out that this definition is not strictly correct, since Tommy does not utilise the classic operatic formulae of staging, scenery, acting and recitative. According to Barnes, Tommy could be more accurately described as a "rock cantata" or a "rock song cycle"."

The same applies to Quadrophenia.

Again despite all your knowledge which I recognize, TOMMY and QUADEOPHENIA are ROCK OPERAS, they may not have all the operatic formula of staging it's a modern or evolved form of Opera defined as ROCK OPERA not as a Rock Cantata.

This kind of productions d0on't have to share all the atributes of the Classic Opera to be an Opera, the author, every soingle site, every single copy includes the word Rock Opera to describe TOMMY, it was presented as an OPERA exactly as Jesus Christ Superstar.

You should also check some sites:

The Rock Opera Tommy

What I want to do with this page

There is sooooo much information about Tommy:

the http://homepage.mac.com/mikepinkerton/who/Tommy/tommy.html#Original - original album from 1969
the movie from 1973, directed by Ken Russel
numerous productions, including one recorded with the LSO
original stage productions
the 1989 "Join Together" tour celebrating Tommy's 25th anniversary
the Broadway production (which started right here in La Jolla, and I got to see twice before it left! To think, Pete Townshend was right here in La Jolla!!) http://homepage.mac.com/mikepinkerton/who/Tommy/tommy.html - http://homepage.mac.com/mikepinkerton/who/Tommy/tommy.html

You should be a bit carful when you quote an article from Wikipedia

Although Tommy is conventionally described as a rock opera, author and Who historian http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Barnes - Richard Barnes points out that this definition is not strictly correct, since Tommy does not utilise the classic operatic formulae of staging, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scenery - scenery , acting and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recitative - recitative . According to Barnes, Tommy could be more accurately described as a "rock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantata - cantata " or a "rock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_cycle - song cycle ".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_%28rock_opera - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_(rock_opera )

Mr Richard Barnes doesn't say Tommy is not a Rock Opera he says IN COULD BE MORE ACCURATELY DESCRIBED, or in other words in his modest opinin, or in his perspective but not in the perspevctive or the rest of the world neither oif the author Pete Towwnsend.

Tommy (1969) is the first of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Who - The Who 's two full-scale http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_opera - rock operas (the second being http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrophenia - Quadrophenia ), and the first musical work explicitly billed as a rock opera.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_%28rock_opera - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_(rock_opera )

If you check, TOMMY redefined the concept of Opera in a new form known as a Rock Opera, despiete what Mr Barnes said, and this definition is in the same page that includes Mr. Barnes words.

Tommy

In 1969, the Who released an album called Tommy. This album was very popular, and was hailed as the first great rock opera. Since then, the album has sold many coppies, and the opera has been turned into a musical. All photos and information about the musical in this page comes from the most recent production of Tommy, which is on Broadway

Quadrophenia

Quadrophenia, The Who's second rock opera, focused on an unusual boy, as did their first rock opera, Tommy. Instead of being deaf dumb, Quadrophenia's main charachter, Tim, had four personalities, each one corrisponding with a member of the Who. Each member also had a theme on the almum. Roger's theme was Helpless Dancer, Keith's was Bell Boy, John's was Is It Me, and Pete's was Love Reign O'er Me.

http://www.riverdale.k12.or.us/students/jackr/opera.html - http://www.riverdale.k12.or.us/students/jackr/opera.html

May 23, 1969 in History
Event: Who release rock opera "Tommy"

http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1969/may_23_1969_136815.html - http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1969/may_23_1969_136815.html

So Mr. Barnes can say anytrhing he wants to look intelligent, but TOMMY is considered the work that defined the term Rock Opera and for that reason doesn't have to share all the characteristics of a Classical Opera.

Iván

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Posted By: andu
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 10:21

i'm zero at knowledge on opera, so my vote goes for any opera that gets shown on Mezzo. damn, those french TV guys can make a full and brilliant experience out of anything they want. they're the ones that got me into opera.

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"PA's own GI Joe!"

Posted By: Pnoom!
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 17:43

I voted for The Wall (but Tommy's #2).

However, my true favorite is Genesis's Rock Opera, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 17:53

I usually prefer requiem masses to operas, so I would pick Faure and Verdi.

Posted By: tuxon
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 18:26

I only like the overtures.

Rossini is my favourite,

Semiramide (haven't heard it in prog yet)
William tell (Yes I like Arena)
La Gazza Ladra (yes I'm a Marillion fanboy)

Tsjaikofski (or however you write his name is good also), though that's more ballet than opera i guess (don't know, never studied music).

The magic flute from Mozart is sweet, canadians will love it.

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I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT

Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 18:34

Honestly I don't believe The Wall is a Rock Opera, it's a concepttual album (Of course Rock Operas are also conceptual but another specie)

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is by no mean a Rock Opera, this is the quintuaessential Conceptual album, the interaction between the characters (Contrary to Tommy and Quadrophenia where the conversations between Tommy and his mother, Frank or Cousin Kevin and Uncle Earnie are the main part of the plot as in any Opera) is almost non existing, IMO The Lamb is more based in The Trial by Kafka than in any form of Opera.

Iván

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Posted By: tuxon
Date Posted: October 18 2006 at 18:46

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote:

Honestly I don't believe The Wall is a Rock Opera, it's a concepttual album (Of course Rock Operas are also conceptual but another specie)

Iván

I see no relation between The Lamb and The Trial, but I'm not a big fan of the lamb, so maybe I haven't paid enough attention.

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I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT

Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 00:29

tuxon wrote:

I see no relation between The Lamb and The Trial, but I'm not a big fan of the lamb, so maybe I haven't paid enough attention.

Both Mr. K and Rael are sucked into a parallel reality (Mr K to a triakl with no sense and Rael to a sub-world) both don't know how they reached there or hopw to live and both are ready to surrender.

Rael apparently is saved when troies to help his brother but Mr. K surrenders and allows the guys to kill him.

Peter once wrote something about it if I can remember well.

Iván

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Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 03:48

Did I mention, by the way, my youngest cat is named Tosca?

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Jon Lord 1941 - 2012

Posted By: ResidentAlien
Date Posted: October 19 2006 at 10:15

Where's Trapped in the Closet? That'd be my vote.

LOL