Opera - tell me about it, please

[yogabird]

How do you get into it? It sounds a bit too complex and difficult to me but I liked bits that I heard on 'Morse' when that was on tv. A resolution that's forming gently in my mind is to find out more about something a bit complex and difficult and I thought that opera might be it. What should I do? Is there an opera affecionado out there who might be willing to advise/hold my hand through my first wobbly steps into it?

do you have sky arts? they regularly show different operas

I've been to a few, in Glasgow. The cheap seats are really cheap (£5-10) and all the operas I went to had "supertitles" translations that ran on a screen above the stage, so you know what was going on. Don't know if I'd be keen to go without a translation!
I really loved parts of all of them, cried at a few, and some were a little too long . But give it a shot - it's only one evening out of your life, and you might love it!

just looked at Sky Arts, and can subscribe for the princely sum of £1 per month. THink that I just might - thanks!

the met opera site is also good, think you can watch online but it costs quite a bit!

There are some good NY Met opera relays that are on Radio 3 (usually on Saturday) with a very knowledgeable woman who talks about the performance. You can also see relays at some cinemas (usually Picturehouses).

shuffles off to the radio 3 website thinking podcasts...

How is your opera education going yogabird?

I would suggest you try something popular first with tunes that you might recognise from elsewhere:

Carmen is good, as is Madame Butterfly, Cosi fan tutti and La Boheme. All have easy stories to follow and are quite short (in Wagner terms!!!) and have themes and arias you may be familiar with from things like TV commercials or TV backing tracks.

I'd love to know how you're getting on as I have a DF who is going down the same road!

I would go live, I get bored watching opera on TV but enthralled watching it live.

For a forst time I would go to something accesible and emotional. La Boheme, Madame Butterfly, Carmen seomthing like that rather than Wozzek or Peter Grimes!

Agree with islandofsodor. It's very different seeing it live.

Try Impropera - hilarious improvised opera show at the Leicester Sq Theatre every 3rd Sunday of the month. Its a kind of 'Whose Line is it Anyway' but operatic . Brilliant voices, and amazing & hilarious improvisers. Great for kids 8yrs + too.
www.impropera.co.uk