So, Are There Any Other Opera/Maria Callas Fans Here?

[ramama]

...or am I alone...so, so , so alone?:

[Jenifer76]

I'm a fan. Not devoted but a fan.

[1xmom]

I'm a fan as well. I don't follow alot, but I do like Kathleen Battle

[crittersmum]

Love it! Not totally educated on it, but we listen to some at home and try to take in one a year in the city.

[ramama]

: Yay, I'm not alone! I'm totally obsessed with Maria Callas right now. I was before but could not get a free minute to myself to listen (and I do not like being interrupted when I'm listening to opera!) but now that the girls are just a bit older, I can get back into it.

I don't get into the technical aspects of opera too much, because I don't want that to ruin it. I just want to enjoy it, not analyze it.

For those who don't already know, the Metropolitan broadcasts performances live in HD to some movie theaters. I about peed my pants when I realized that our local theater shows them! Haven't made it to one yet, though. Visit this site to check if there's one near you!
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metope...ents_next.aspx

[annettemarie]

Not alone.

[lolar2]

I used to listen to Maria Callas a lot but it's been a while.

[AuntNi]

You're not alone. I actually got my master's in vocal performance, and sang opera professionally for a few years. The first three years we were together, my DH was an usher at the MET, so he got me in to see everything. I thought my head would explode the first time I heard Pavarotti sing "Nessun Dorma" in person!

Are you going to hate me if I say I actually prefer Tebaldi to Callas? But Mirella Freni is my absolute goddess - she's my idol.

And I think you are right that getting too technical can be detrimental to your enjoyment of opera. I hate going with my "opera queen" friend, because he picks everything to death. I want to enjoy the whole experience: the "rich people" clothes, the chandeliers going up, the sets, the singing, and the drama.

Who else do you like besides Callas? Do you mostly listen to CDs, or attend live? My DH is such a snob. The first opera he ever saw live was La Boheme with Pavarotti and Freni - I guess everything else was downhill from there.

[ramama]

I haven't attended a live performance since my DDs were born, but hope to soon-ish since they're getting a bit older. I saw Tosca in performance three times (It's my first opera, so I have a tender place for it even though it's considered "low-brow") The first time was in Baltimore when I was in college. Then I saw it in Washington D.C. where Placido Domingo was the artistic director. He did a really modern version, with a rather graphic attempted rape and a very murderous Tosca. Then I saw it in Denver. I've also seen Norma (the tenor sucked, but the tenor isn't really important in Norma, right?). And I also saw Rigoletto.

After my first Tosca, I was the only student who enjoyed it (it was a college field trip) and my professor lent me his recording of Tosca with Maria Callas, and since then it's been only Callas. I probably could have enjoyed Tebaldi if I had heard her first. I'll have to check out more sopranos.

And yeah, seeing Pavarotti/Freni first would pretty much set an impossible standard! I hope to get to the Met someday. Of course, La Scalla would be nice too!

And I am sooooo not an envious person, but I do envy those who can sing opera!!

[AuntNi]

Tosca low-brow? Shut up! We LOVE Puccini - my DH's email address has Puccini in it. When DH went through Rome on an opera tour, of course he had to get his picture in front of Castel Sant'Angelo. We can't all be Benjamin Britten snobs, right?

I didn't mean to imply there's anything wrong with Callas - she was certainly incredible. I just was thinking of the huge feud between her and Tebaldi's fans. Hard to imagine bunches of opera fans coming to blows over their favorite soprano, right? But I always felt like my voice was much better than my acting, so I identified more with Tebaldi.

I haven't been to a live performance in years and years, unfortunately. I live three blocks from the opera house, but tickets are so expensive, as are babysitters. I was going to take my DD to see Tales of Hoffmann this summer, as that's one of my favorite shows. But they said the production was R-rated and she was too young to go. Such a shame, because she's fascinated with Olympia's aria.

Let me know if you make it to any of the "movie theater" MET performances. I think that's such a cool thing.

[Jenifer76]

Our local theater is doing the MET performances. I want to take my Mom.

[Arduinna]

Originally Posted by ramama

: Yay, I'm not alone! I'm totally obsessed with Maria Callas right now. I was before but could not get a free minute to myself to listen (and I do not like being interrupted when I'm listening to opera!) but now that the girls are just a bit older, I can get back into it.

I don't get into the technical aspects of opera too much, because I don't want that to ruin it. I just want to enjoy it, not analyze it.

For those who don't already know, the Metropolitan broadcasts performances live in HD to some movie theaters. I about peed my pants when I realized that our local theater shows them! Haven't made it to one yet, though. Visit this site to check if there's one near you!
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metope...ents_next.aspx

I love you! Thank you for posting that link. I found 6 theaters participating less than 10 miles from me.

[Arduinna]

Woot, I just got tickets for dd and I to see the encore of Thais.

[ramama]

Originally Posted by AuntNi

Tosca low-brow? Shut up! We LOVE Puccini - my DH's email address has Puccini in it. When DH went through Rome on an opera tour, of course he had to get his picture in front of Castel Sant'Angelo. We can't all be Benjamin Britten snobs, right?

I didn't mean to imply there's anything wrong with Callas - she was certainly incredible. I just was thinking of the huge feud between her and Tebaldi's fans. Hard to imagine bunches of opera fans coming to blows over their favorite soprano, right? But I always felt like my voice was much better than my acting, so I identified more with Tebaldi.

I haven't been to a live performance in years and years, unfortunately. I live three blocks from the opera house, but tickets are so expensive, as are babysitters. I was going to take my DD to see Tales of Hoffmann this summer, as that's one of my favorite shows. But they said the production was R-rated and she was too young to go. Such a shame, because she's fascinated with Olympia's aria.

Let me know if you make it to any of the "movie theater" MET performances. I think that's such a cool thing.

Yeah, I think the Tebaldi fans v. Callas fans thing is funny too. It's hard to imagine. I think I like Callas' voice so much because it's so inherently "flawed" (will I get struck my lightening for saying that?) but the expression is to die for! Her voice is so rich, certainly not the typical soprano.

And, man, I'd love to go to Rome and see all the landmarks of Tosca! I am such a nerd!

I knew Tosca was going to be my kind of opera. When we arrived for the performance, there was a sign on all the doors that said "Attention cardiac patients. This production involves canon and rifle fire." I was like, cool!

Originally Posted by Arduinna

Woot, I just got tickets for dd and I to see the encore of Thais.

Oooh, that's awesome! Let us know how it goes. I'm hoping to make Lucia in January.

[Arduinna]

DD and I just got back from seeing Thais, it was so wonderful and Rene Fleming was incredible as was the rest of the cast.

[myjo]

Rene Flemming is my favorite, and Dvorak is my favorite composer, so this song is to die for: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_lbJ1MaDeo

I also love Angela Gheorgiu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul9OT...eature=related

Has anyone heard Sumi Jo? Although she doesn't have the same emotional expression as Rene Flemming, the clarity and beauty of her voice is amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAj9R3BwhCw

And here's the flower duet from Lakme with Erika Miklosa and Bernadette Wiedemann. I think this is the best version I've heard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX-6Ej2lnwg

I also love to sing opera, although I don't have much training. Hitting a beautiful note makes me more ecstatic than almost any other thing.