There is no halfway with opera. You either love it or hate it. People who hate it, can't understand how anybody else can listen to, and enjoy all that 'screeching'. To me, there is nothing more beautiful to listen to than the purity and clarity of sound in a good soprano's voice. Monserrat Caballe, Maria Callas and Renata Scotto for example.The tenor voice is again, something to wonder at. For a sound so wonderful to come from a mans body has always been a marvel to me. There are few voices that will ever match Placido Domingo, and his stage presence cannot be beaten. However, for sheer listening pleasure I prefer Luciano Pavorotti or Andrea Bocelli. Bocelli's album 'Sogno' is quite beautiful.
Verdi and Puccini are my favourite operatic composers although they are very different, and my favourite opera is Verdi's 'Rigoletto' closely followed by Puccini's 'Tosca'.
'Rigoletto', based on a play by Victor Hugo, is a tale of love, betrayal and murder. Rigoletto is a court jester and is constantly ridiculed by others. He has a daughter, Gilda, who he tries to keep hidden and safe from the world. Gilda, however, meets and falls in love with the Duke of Mantua. Rigoletto despises the Duke so he hires an assassin, Sparafucile, to murder him. However, Gilda discovers the plot and by disguising herself as a man, sacrifices herself to save the life of the man she loves.
'Tosca' is along similar lines. Tosca murders for love and when she is herself double crossed, commits suicide.
Many operas are along the same vein and based on plays by other authors. Verdi's 'Otello' is obviously based on Shakespeare's 'Othello' and is a wonderful opera. I saw Placido Domingo and Kira Te Kanawa in this and it was a superb performance.
Many people don't understand the language opera is written in, Italian being the most beautiful. But, if you know the plot then it is quite easy to follow. The music will absorb you and two hours will very soon pass.
If you have never been to an opera, why not give it a go? The Colisseum in London is a good starting place. It is the home of The English National Opera (ENO) and they produce their operas in English, which might make it easier for a newcomer. The seats are reasonably priced too. Some of the travelling opera companies are also very good and an excellent way to introduce yourself to this type of music. They often produce quite light operas so can be quite easy to deal with. I introduced a friend this way, ('La Boheme') before taking her to the Colisseum and now, she loves it.
Anyway, why not give it a try and let me know what you think. You never know, you might discover a whole new world.
Happy Listening.
