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Original poster

calling all opera lovers (or anyone good at researching stuff)

22 replies

nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 00:42

i want to get dp something for his birthday that he really actually wants. and i know that he either has, has had, or will get it himself when he thinks of it, everything he ever wanted (lucky bugger)

but i do know that hed like to see a full performance of Carmen in Verona someday. apparently every X-number of years theres a 'full' performance with the cast of hundreds singing round the walls of the castle or something... i dunno much about it and have no idea how to find out. tried calling tailor made travel to see if they could do it, but they just seemed to think i was a bit mad really. any ideas?

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Blu · 09/10/2006 00:43

Keep bumping this til Marina sees it!

Siunds wonderful.

anniediv · 09/10/2006 00:43

This might help Verona Opera

HumphreyPETERCUSHION · 09/10/2006 00:46

Blimey NG - I think I've done well if I find a vaguely interesting tie and a box of Thornton's for DH every year.

What a fab birthday idea - lucky DP!

(Sorry, no advice on how to find more info though. )

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nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 00:47

oh hello Blu! thanks for your post on my sis - nice things you said. shes doing much better (well, you know)

anyways - did you know mum has just had a full hysterectomy? maybe i shouldnt say if you dont - but then, she tells the whole world about all my health issues!

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Original poster
nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 00:48

hi humph - yeah well, you should see the ungratelful buggers face when presented with cufflinks or whatever... even 'joke' presents dont impress him. he doesnt pretend to like them either - just reiterates that he would rather i ignored birthdays than made a fuss. grumpy git.

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nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 00:51

anniediv - you are a marvel! (was prob really easy if you have a brain, right?)

first glance tells me it was on in july... bugger.

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anniediv · 09/10/2006 00:55

I think you can look up the 2007 season on there though? Would add to others that have said what a fab pressie!

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nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 00:56

agh! wasa on all summer this year. not on next summer... wonder how long till they do it again... maybe i should just book a diff opera?

anyone know which ones have big impressive casts?
out of: Aida, Barber of Seville, La Traviata, Nabucco and La Boheme?

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nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 00:58

you would be soooo jealous of what he got me this year then. i was actually a embarrased at being spoilt so much (was because i turned 30 tho, hopefully nowhere near such a fuss on 'normal' years!)

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anniediv · 09/10/2006 00:58

Oh dear, now you will have to wait for a real expert to come along to answer that

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nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 00:59

dont be - i dont know either

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HumphreyPETERCUSHION · 09/10/2006 01:06

Aida usually has a HUGE cast IIRC.

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nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 01:10

ok. is it any good then? any particularly good arias or solos or whatsits?

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HumphreyPETERCUSHION · 09/10/2006 01:17

Well, I'm gonna stun you with my in-depth knowledge of opera here.

I was taken to see Aida when I was about 6 years old.

It was in a huge open-air arena. There were lots and lots of people with headdresses and pointy staffs.

And they sang lots of stuff - and they were good.

I have seen La Traviata and La Boheme as an adult though, and I adored La Boheme.

Think Aida is usually grander than the other two.

Someone will no doubt be along to rubbish my theory at some point.

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE DO NOT CONSIDER BOOKING ANY VERY EXPENSIVE TICKETS BASED ON THE VIEWS AND VAGUE REMEMBERINGS OF A RATHER SLOSHED CUSHION.

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nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 01:26

no, no cushion, i wouldnt dream of it

hey, that review was good enough for me. my mum took me to la boheme about 15 years ago. dont rmember any of it, but remember i liked it. but if Aida is grander, i think thats what im after on this occasion. ta!

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CorpseBrideOfJohnCusack · 09/10/2006 02:50

hello
it's Aida - it's the big event of the season and totally OTT. they do a special production with elephants, camels, horses, the Nile, anything they can lay their hands on really! There can be a cast of thousands with unlimited slaves, prisoners, priests and priestesses etc.
Aida is set in Egypt & there are loads of good arias/choruses but the most famous is the 'Grand March' which everyone would recognise the tune too.
HTH

CorpseBrideOfJohnCusack · 09/10/2006 02:52

da daaaaaaaaaaaa
da da da dah dah dah da-da-da daaaaaa da da
da da daa di da
da da daa di da

HumphreyPETERCUSHION · 09/10/2006 09:33

Phew!

HumphreyPETERCUSHION · 09/10/2006 09:34
Grin
julienetmum · 09/10/2006 14:33

Aida is bery big and grand, huge cast.

La Boheme is a more intimate opera, one of my favourites, tale of a group of penniless arty friends living in Paris.

Never seen Nabucco but famous for Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves.

Barber of Seville, great music, not what I would call big and grand like Aida. You come home humming the music.

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nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 18:35

wow - sounds like Aida is totally perfect for the occasion! i want to see them all, tbh, but for the birthday, aida sounds like just the job.

eeee, lookin forward to it muchly!

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Original poster
nappiesLaGore · 09/10/2006 18:36

lol at corpses rendition...

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