Opera - The Top Ten List
Ok Ladies and Gentlemen. I need your honest opinion. What are the best operas? Send me a message and let me know.
Opera is a powerful art form that many of the naive fail to appreciate. Opera singing requires a passion for music and a lifetime of practice. A typical opera involves a full orchestra, elaborate sets and costumes and elegant opera houses. It is one of the highest "brow" entertainment events.
Opera had its beginnings during the Renaissance in an effort to bring back the old Greek dramas. It was understood then, that the Greek tragedies included music which was sung to. The word opera means "work" in Italian. Learn more.
VOTE for your favorite OPERA
Vote for your favorite operas or submit one that isn't on the list.
Die Zauberflöte ("The Magic Flute") - Mozart
An opera ahead of its time.1 point
Il barbiere di Siviglia, ossia L'inutile precauzione ("The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution") - Rossini
Witty. Hilarious0 points
Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) - Wagner
Drawn-out but a powerful classic nonetheless0 points
Opera albums on Amazon
I recommend Bryn Terfel or Andrea Bocelli
One Chance
Great, humble guy. Started out as a car phone salesman and was made famous by "Britain's Got Talent."
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 10/07/2008)
The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere
Amazon Price: $9.97 (as of 10/07/2008)
Luciano Pavarotti: The Best (Farewell Tour)
Amazon Price: $15.49 (as of 10/07/2008)
Il Divo - Live at the Greek
Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 10/07/2008)
The #1 Opera Album
Amazon Price: $11.49 (as of 10/07/2008)
Rate these Opera Videos
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Perhaps you can guess which operas these videos come from!
My TOP 10 OPERAS
Tell me what you think in the feedback below.
Below are some of the best operas ever written. I chose Mozart's Singspiel, The Magic Flute, for its breakthrough musical variety and its highly imaginative plot line. I have written a bit of historical fiction about the premiere of the Magic flute (read "ZAUBERFLÖTE: It's Eventful Premiere").
La Boheme, stands as one of the most emotionally passionate of the Italian Operas. The story seems to include true love, an aspect many operas fail to represent.
- Die Zauberflöte ("The Magic Flute") - Mozart
- La Boheme - Puccini
- Il barbiere di Siviglia, ossia L'inutile precauzione ("The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution") - Rossini
- Carmen - Bizet
- Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) - Wagner
- Fidelio - Beethoven
- Don Giovanni - Mozart
- Arabella - Strauss, Richard
- Die Fledermaus ("The Bat") - Strauss II, Johann
- Tosca - Puccini
What's on Your Top Ten Opera List?
I'd appreciate your feedback. Let me know about your top 10 operas. If there are any I like, I might consider changing my own.
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davidscoville
Jeff, I agree. There are some very pleasant Operettes. Operettes are generally, more light and often humorous. Posted October 03, 2008 |
I love Daughter of the Regiment
Posted October 03, 2008
I really like some of the operettes over operas.
Posted August 23, 2008
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Tiddledeewinks
I don't know a lot about opera yet, even though I made the lens about it. It would be fun to go see them. Posted July 06, 2008 |
Papageno's Aria - Excerpt from Zauberflöte Libretto
Read entire libretto
View the YouTube Video above
Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja, The birdcatcher am I indeed,
Stets lustig heisa hop-sa-sa! Always merry, heisa, Hop-sa-sa!
Ich Vogelfänger bin bekannt I, birdcatcher, am well known
Bei alt und jung im ganzen Land. To old and young throughout the land.
Weiß mit dem Lokken umzugehn, Know my way around with the traps,
Und mich aufs Pfeiffen zu verstehn! And how to be understood on the fife!
Drum kann ich froh und lustig sein, Thus can I happy and merry be,
Denn alle Vögel sind ja mein! For all the birdies belong to me!!
Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja, The birdcatcher am I indeed,
Stets lustig heisa hop-sa-sa! Always merry, heisa, hop-sa-sa!
Ich Vogelfänger bin bekannt I, birdcatcher, am well known
Bei alt und jung im ganzen Land. To old and young throughout the land.
Ein Netz für Mädchen möchte ich, A net for girls is what I would like,
Ich fing sie dutzendweis für mich! I'd catch them by the dozen for me!
Dann sperrte ich sie bei mir ein, Then lock them up I would by me,
Und alle Mädchen wären mein. And all girls would be belong to me.
Wenn alle Mädchen wären mein If all girls belonged to me
So tauschte ich brav Zukker ein, I would bravely trade in sugar,
Die welche mir am liebsten wär, The one I liked the best,
Der geb ich gleich den Zukker her, Her I would immediately give the sugar,
Und küsste sie mich zärtlich dann, And if she kissed me tenderly then,
Wär sie mein Weib und ich ihr Mann. She would be my wife and I her husband.
Sie schlief an meiner Seite ein, She would fall asleep by my side,
Ich wiegte wie ein Kind sie ein. I would cradle her to sleep like a child.
Königin der Nacht
Queen of the Night - Zauberflöte
Die Zauberflöte (8) Königin der Nacht
Elena Mosuc sings the aria "Der Hölle Rache"
Runtime: 3:16
135871 views
10 Comments:
Opera Houses
Places to go to see an opera
- Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera), Vienna
- Národnà Divadlo (National Theatre), Prague
- Coliseum Theatre (English National Opera), London
- Palais Garnier, Paris
- Deutsche Oper Berlin (Berlin German Opera), Berlin
- Oper Frankfurt (Frankfurt Opera), Frankfurt
- Teatro alla Scala, Milan (La Scala)
- Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Rome
- Sydney Opera House, (Opera Australia), Sydney
- Metropolitan Opera House (Metropolitan Opera), New York, New York
- Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (Los Angeles Opera), Los Angeles, California
Vienna Opera House interior
Visit the Vienna Opera House!
Don Giovanni - Mozart (a short excerpt from the film AMADEUS)
Watch Amadeus Online
Much of the film is fictional, however, I believe it provides powerfully emotional insight into the mind and life of Mozart.
Amadeus: Don Giovanni Final Scene (Upgraded)
Music only: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGWxlFiTQnw From the movie Amadeus. This is an upgraded and full version! English translation of the lyrics: http://themaingate.net/don_giovanni.html
Runtime: 5:56
16352 views
10 Comments:
Tosca - Puccini
Near the end of Tosca, the beautiful, Tosca, who has just lost her man, is chased up to the wall where she commits suicide by throwing herself off of the wall.
At one performance in Vienna in the early 1900's the director suddenly realized his extras to play the soldiers were missing. Between acts, he rushed into one of the local cafes and asked for 6 men to play the parts. He quickly had them dressed and took them from the dressing room to the stage just as their scene was about to take place. They were supposed to chase Tosca up the stairs until she would fling herself off the wall. Unfortunately, the director had no time and simply commanded, "Follow that lady!" All 6 six soldiers chased Tosca up the stairs and, one by one, they each followed Tosca by jumping after her off the wall like lemmings.
Angela GHEORGHIU - Vissi d'arte - Tosca - Puccini
Angela Gheorghiu sings the wonderful and moving aria "Vissi d'arte" in Puccini's opera 'Tosca'. Conducted by Antonio Pappano. (Film directed by Benoît Jacquot)
Runtime: 3:21
132965 views
10 Comments:
ZAUBERFLÖTE: Its Eventful Premiere
Fictional Account by David Scoville
It was perhaps, complete chance that the small theater was filled that evening. The splendid chit-chatting, gossiping and discussions filled the room almost in a symphonic rumble. Silly, pompous women dressed in overly "clothy" gowns and roccoco jewelry whispered to eachother in the upper boxes. They seemed to cling to the late Baroque style in their prided attitudes and overemphasized fashion. A night at the theater meant a night of sociality, where one could interact with the elegant and highly cultured class of Vienna. It also meant a night of social competition.The scarlet carpet seemed to wave in the candlelight that evening. Wax candles flooded the simple chandelier hanging over the center chairs. The air above bended and skewed as the heat rose and cast its waxy paste on the ceiling. The room was pleasant, although a little warm. Late September wasn't usually so hot and stuffy as it was today.
Freihaustheater auf der Wieden was situated a little out of town in the suburb of Vienna. It happened to be south of Karlskirche in a lovely neighborhood. (Read the rest at my blog: Zauberflote Premiere)
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