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What do you think is the best first Opera to see?
admin 31 Jan 2008 at 9:49pm (Report this message) It's often hard for newcomers to the Opera scene to pick something from the wide number of Operas. What advice could you give to someone seeking their very first experience of Opera?
smitty 27 Jun 2008 at 2:48pm (Report this message) like the nutcracker suite as an introduction to classical music, boheme plays the same role in opera. if you are not hooked by musettas waltz and the third act, you never will be!
LorisIpanoff 24 Sep 2008 at 9:51pm (Report this message) Well, I took a young first timer to see a starry cast Boheme, and he thought it was fat overweight people being puppyish, and all that talk of lurve was merely soppy, despite knowing some of the tunes. Same adolescent saw ENO's Jenufa a season or so back, and was truly converted, hit between the eyes.
sabine 01 Oct 2008 at 5:11pm (Report this message) Eugene Onegin as a first opera may sound like a strange proposal, but I loved it. It has such a good story that I was swept along by that as well as the music. Obviously it helps if Gerald Finley is singing the lead!
fairygreen 01 Dec 2008 at 6:18pm (Report this message) The Magic Flute! It was my first opera. I had loved classical music for years but had never intended to listen to opera. I went with a group of theater students to a production at the Pittsburgh Opera. It was perfect. Mozart is very accessible. The story is (on the surface anyway) easy to understand. There is excitement, humor, love. Depending on the staging, I think it would be great for kids or adults as a first opera experience.
aaronbear 29 Dec 2008 at 8:19am (Report this message) I agree that for the younger beginnner, Die Zauberflote would be a good choice. For an older person, Boheme or Traviata would be a good place to start. That being said, the first opera I ever saw was The Marriage of Figaro because I was in it a few years ago. I thought that was a great introduction to the genre. Nobody dies which is what might put people off of other works early on. Most of the standard repetiore sung in English makes opera accessable to people right away. The Chandos 'Opera In English' label would be a great place to start.
CardiffTraviata 08 Jan 2009 at 10:40am (Report this message) For a first time experience I'd suggest either La Boheme or Carmen - both are populated with scenes that should be able to hold the attention of even the most reluctant viewer. For something a bit lighter perhaps a Rossini - maybe La Cenerentola (I'm puzzled why it is that Il Barbiere is better known) which has scope for humour alied with plenty of room for ear tickling music.
BrianinSutton 19 Jun 2009 at 5:00pm (Report this message) I agree that it depends on the person you are trying to introduce. However, I think Carmen would be a very good choice for most people for its blend of drama, well known melodies and excitement. I found Boheme went down well with teens and twenty-somethings. I told them it was essentially the same idea as "Friends", with the first two acts set in the youngsters' apartment and their cafe, just as in the TV show! The final act wouldn't be found in the TV series, however.
wagnertuba 27 Dec 2009 at 11:02pm (Report this message) I don't think there's any one opera that's best. Any of the most famous ones would be a good place to start. Tosca is very exciting ,dramatic and fast paced. Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute. La Traviata, Rigoletto, Aida , Madama Butterfly, Carmen, Il Barbiere di Sibviglia, etc, would all be good, or Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, Orfeo&Euridice, Hansel&Gretel for youngsters, or Lucia di Lammermoor, or possibly Turandot.

Forum: Your Say

What do you think is the best first Opera to see?

admin 31 Jan 2008 at 9:49pm (Report this message)

It's often hard for newcomers to the Opera scene to pick something from the wide number of Operas. What advice could you give to someone seeking their very first experience of Opera?

smitty 27 Jun 2008 at 2:48pm (Report this message)

like the nutcracker suite as an introduction to classical music, boheme plays the same role in opera. if you are not hooked by musettas waltz and the third act, you never will be!

LorisIpanoff 24 Sep 2008 at 9:51pm (Report this message)

Well, I took a young first timer to see a starry cast Boheme, and he thought it was fat overweight people being puppyish, and all that talk of lurve was merely soppy, despite knowing some of the tunes. Same adolescent saw ENO's Jenufa a season or so back, and was truly converted, hit between the eyes.

sabine 01 Oct 2008 at 5:11pm (Report this message)

Eugene Onegin as a first opera may sound like a strange proposal, but I loved it. It has such a good story that I was swept along by that as well as the music. Obviously it helps if Gerald Finley is singing the lead!

fairygreen 01 Dec 2008 at 6:18pm (Report this message)

The Magic Flute! It was my first opera. I had loved classical music for years but had never intended to listen to opera. I went with a group of theater students to a production at the Pittsburgh Opera. It was perfect. Mozart is very accessible. The story is (on the surface anyway) easy to understand. There is excitement, humor, love. Depending on the staging, I think it would be great for kids or adults as a first opera experience.

aaronbear 29 Dec 2008 at 8:19am (Report this message)

I agree that for the younger beginnner, Die Zauberflote would be a good choice. For an older person, Boheme or Traviata would be a good place to start. That being said, the first opera I ever saw was The Marriage of Figaro because I was in it a few years ago. I thought that was a great introduction to the genre. Nobody dies which is what might put people off of other works early on. Most of the standard repetiore sung in English makes opera accessable to people right away. The Chandos 'Opera In English' label would be a great place to start.

CardiffTraviata 08 Jan 2009 at 10:40am (Report this message)

For a first time experience I'd suggest either La Boheme or Carmen - both are populated with scenes that should be able to hold the attention of even the most reluctant viewer. For something a bit lighter perhaps a Rossini - maybe La Cenerentola (I'm puzzled why it is that Il Barbiere is better known) which has scope for humour alied with plenty of room for ear tickling music.

BrianinSutton 19 Jun 2009 at 5:00pm (Report this message)

I agree that it depends on the person you are trying to introduce. However, I think Carmen would be a very good choice for most people for its blend of drama, well known melodies and excitement. I found Boheme went down well with teens and twenty-somethings. I told them it was essentially the same idea as "Friends", with the first two acts set in the youngsters' apartment and their cafe, just as in the TV show! The final act wouldn't be found in the TV series, however.

wagnertuba 27 Dec 2009 at 11:02pm (Report this message)

I don't think there's any one opera that's best. Any of the most famous ones would be a good place to start.

Tosca is very exciting ,dramatic and fast paced. Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute. La Traviata, Rigoletto, Aida , Madama Butterfly, Carmen, Il Barbiere di Sibviglia, etc, would all be good, or Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, Orfeo&Euridice, Hansel&Gretel for youngsters, or Lucia di Lammermoor, or possibly Turandot.

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