"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 8 Aug 2008 16:27:02 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:


"hk" wrote in message
m...

Eisboch wrote:

STOP. I have this bizzare image of you on stage with one of those
pointy Viking hats with the horns on the side, hands clasped before
you,
belting out a "tune".

Eisboch




Wish it were so. These days, I can't carry a tune with a bucket. Back in
junior high, though, before my voice changed from boy soprano to gravel,
I
could sing. A little.

At that first opera, we had seats on the side of the house, probably the
second balcony, and one of the female leads had absolutely spectacular
cleavage. That hooked me. The same weekend, we got to see "West Side
Story" on Broadway.

I think the kids in the choir were charged about $20 for the whole trip,
including trainfare. The school picked up the rest. That was in the days
schools had a little money.

Opera has fascinated me for a long, long time. Virtually every aspect of
it is way, way, way over the top.

BTW, if you want a real treat, listen to Anna Netrebko's "Violetta" CD.
Violetta Valery, the woman who "strayed." Some of the most beautiful
vocal
music ever.

No thanks. Opera does absolutely nothing for me. However, I *can*
understand your early introduction to it.
My intro was the Boston Symphony Orchestra, probably at about the same
age.
The power of the orchestra blew me away and stuck in my head. Even
today,
once in a while, Mrs.E. and I get tickets and journey into Boston just to
hear a beautifully played piece of music.

But .... NOT opera!

Classical music I can buy into - I was introduced to classical music
by one of my mother's step-brothers who was a classical musician with
the Chicago Symphony.

Opera - sorry, I can't buy into that for a variety of reasons.

I agree. When I was in elementary school/Jr. High, those of us that seemed
to have an interest in music were herded onto the school bus occasionally
for a trip to Boston to hear classical music performed by the Boston
Symphony Orchestra ... or an evening event with the Boston Pops.

Nobody ..... and I mean nobody .... was dragged into Boston to listen to an
opera. Even the music teachers weren't that cruel.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 8 Aug 2008 16:27:02 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:

"hk" wrote in message
. ..

Eisboch wrote:
STOP. I have this bizzare image of you on stage with one of those
pointy Viking hats with the horns on the side, hands clasped before
you,
belting out a "tune".

Eisboch


Wish it were so. These days, I can't carry a tune with a bucket. Back in
junior high, though, before my voice changed from boy soprano to gravel,
I
could sing. A little.

At that first opera, we had seats on the side of the house, probably the
second balcony, and one of the female leads had absolutely spectacular
cleavage. That hooked me. The same weekend, we got to see "West Side
Story" on Broadway.

I think the kids in the choir were charged about $20 for the whole trip,
including trainfare. The school picked up the rest. That was in the days
schools had a little money.

Opera has fascinated me for a long, long time. Virtually every aspect of
it is way, way, way over the top.

BTW, if you want a real treat, listen to Anna Netrebko's "Violetta" CD.
Violetta Valery, the woman who "strayed." Some of the most beautiful
vocal
music ever.
No thanks. Opera does absolutely nothing for me. However, I *can*
understand your early introduction to it.
My intro was the Boston Symphony Orchestra, probably at about the same
age.
The power of the orchestra blew me away and stuck in my head. Even
today,
once in a while, Mrs.E. and I get tickets and journey into Boston just to
hear a beautifully played piece of music.

But .... NOT opera!
Classical music I can buy into - I was introduced to classical music
by one of my mother's step-brothers who was a classical musician with
the Chicago Symphony.

Opera - sorry, I can't buy into that for a variety of reasons.

I agree. When I was in elementary school/Jr. High, those of us that seemed
to have an interest in music were herded onto the school bus occasionally
for a trip to Boston to hear classical music performed by the Boston
Symphony Orchestra ... or an evening event with the Boston Pops.

Nobody ..... and I mean nobody .... was dragged into Boston to listen to an
opera. Even the music teachers weren't that cruel.

Eisboch



I think in Harry's school system, they spelled pompous with a capital P.

While we did many trips to the symphony, in my elementary school days, I
only had to go to the MET once a year to see The Nutcracker. I have
never enjoyed opera, but then again, I am uncouth.

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 8 Aug 2008 16:27:02 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:


"hk" wrote in message
om...

Eisboch wrote:

STOP. I have this bizzare image of you on stage with one of those
pointy Viking hats with the horns on the side, hands clasped before
you,
belting out a "tune".

Eisboch




Wish it were so. These days, I can't carry a tune with a bucket. Back
in
junior high, though, before my voice changed from boy soprano to
gravel, I
could sing. A little.

At that first opera, we had seats on the side of the house, probably
the
second balcony, and one of the female leads had absolutely spectacular
cleavage. That hooked me. The same weekend, we got to see "West Side
Story" on Broadway.

I think the kids in the choir were charged about $20 for the whole
trip,
including trainfare. The school picked up the rest. That was in the
days
schools had a little money.

Opera has fascinated me for a long, long time. Virtually every aspect
of
it is way, way, way over the top.

BTW, if you want a real treat, listen to Anna Netrebko's "Violetta" CD.
Violetta Valery, the woman who "strayed." Some of the most beautiful
vocal
music ever.

No thanks. Opera does absolutely nothing for me. However, I *can*
understand your early introduction to it.
My intro was the Boston Symphony Orchestra, probably at about the same
age.
The power of the orchestra blew me away and stuck in my head. Even
today,
once in a while, Mrs.E. and I get tickets and journey into Boston just to
hear a beautifully played piece of music.

But .... NOT opera!

Classical music I can buy into - I was introduced to classical music
by one of my mother's step-brothers who was a classical musician with
the Chicago Symphony.

Opera - sorry, I can't buy into that for a variety of reasons.

I agree. When I was in elementary school/Jr. High, those of us that
seemed to have an interest in music were herded onto the school bus
occasionally for a trip to Boston to hear classical music performed by the
Boston Symphony Orchestra ... or an evening event with the Boston Pops.

Nobody ..... and I mean nobody .... was dragged into Boston to listen to
an opera. Even the music teachers weren't that cruel.

Eisboch


Being the father of a musical daughter, I have listened to all the genres of
music. Some opera is good, if you do not have to watch it. As to Ballet,
is amazing the athleticsm of the dancers. Daughter was also into ballet, or
I had to watch a lot. Still not my favorite entertainment.

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
m...


Being the father of a musical daughter, I have listened to all the genres
of music. Some opera is good, if you do not have to watch it. As to
Ballet, is amazing the athleticsm of the dancers. Daughter was also into
ballet, or I had to watch a lot. Still not my favorite entertainment.


As for musicals like "West Side Story", some of them are good, but IMO they
aren't Operas. They are Musicals.

We often went to the local Music Circus to see performances such as "Man of
La Mancha", "Paint Your Wagon", and "Bye Bye Birdie".

I don't consider them Opera.

Thinking about it though, I have often listened to opera singers .... female
and male .... performing individually. Some of that is very good. I guess
what doesn't excite me is sitting through 2 hours of story telling through
song.

Eisboch

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
m...


Being the father of a musical daughter, I have listened to all the genres
of music. Some opera is good, if you do not have to watch it. As to
Ballet, is amazing the athleticsm of the dancers. Daughter was also into
ballet, or I had to watch a lot. Still not my favorite entertainment.


As for musicals like "West Side Story", some of them are good, but IMO
they aren't Operas. They are Musicals.

We often went to the local Music Circus to see performances such as "Man
of La Mancha", "Paint Your Wagon", and "Bye Bye Birdie".

I don't consider them Opera.

Thinking about it though, I have often listened to opera singers ....
female and male .... performing individually. Some of that is very good.
I guess what doesn't excite me is sitting through 2 hours of story telling
through song.

Eisboch




Bad stories also. Was the soap operas of the time.

Calif Bill wrote:
"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
"Calif Bill" wrote in message
m...

Being the father of a musical daughter, I have listened to all the genres
of music. Some opera is good, if you do not have to watch it. As to
Ballet, is amazing the athleticsm of the dancers. Daughter was also into
ballet, or I had to watch a lot. Still not my favorite entertainment.

As for musicals like "West Side Story", some of them are good, but IMO
they aren't Operas. They are Musicals.

We often went to the local Music Circus to see performances such as "Man
of La Mancha", "Paint Your Wagon", and "Bye Bye Birdie".

I don't consider them Opera.

Thinking about it though, I have often listened to opera singers ....
female and male .... performing individually. Some of that is very good.
I guess what doesn't excite me is sitting through 2 hours of story telling
through song.

Eisboch




Bad stories also. Was the soap operas of the time.




It's not that opera stories were "bad," generally, though some certainly
were. It's just that the story really isn't that significant a part of
the work in most of them. In most opera, the libretto is just a theme, a
beginning. It's the music, the singing, the show that is important. Even
in Mozart's time, the libretto for Don Giovanni was...bizarre. But the
work is one of the greatest ever written.

Consider the libretto for one of the greatest American musicals,
Oklahoma! Corny as Kansas, set in Oklahoma. Silliness. But...the music,
the singing, the dancing, the visuals are incomparable.

--
Republicans - They Take Special Pride in their Ignorance.

"hk" wrote in message
. ..

It's not that opera stories were "bad," generally, though some certainly
were. It's just that the story really isn't that significant a part of the
work in most of them. In most opera, the libretto is just a theme, a
beginning. It's the music, the singing, the show that is important. Even
in Mozart's time, the libretto for Don Giovanni was...bizarre. But the
work is one of the greatest ever written.

Consider the libretto for one of the greatest American musicals, Oklahoma!
Corny as Kansas, set in Oklahoma. Silliness. But...the music, the singing,
the dancing, the visuals are incomparable.



"Oklahoma" isn't an opera.

Eisboch

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"hk" wrote in message
. ..

It's not that opera stories were "bad," generally, though some certainly
were. It's just that the story really isn't that significant a part of
the work in most of them. In most opera, the libretto is just a theme, a
beginning. It's the music, the singing, the show that is important. Even
in Mozart's time, the libretto for Don Giovanni was...bizarre. But the
work is one of the greatest ever written.

Consider the libretto for one of the greatest American musicals,
Oklahoma! Corny as Kansas, set in Oklahoma. Silliness. But...the music,
the singing, the dancing, the visuals are incomparable.



"Oklahoma" isn't an opera.

Eisboch

Opera, Ohpra, ballet, Bailey's; Its all the same to Harry. What's important
is he's refined and cultured and knows good taste and what tastes good. He
is also a greenie. He knows exactly what size boat you should own and how
much of a carbon footprint you should leave. Yours is way to big by the way.
If it weren't for Harry we wouldn't know how to vote. He makes it easy
though. Don't look at names, just vote the big donkey. And does he know
trucks. They are all special purpose. For instance; For crushing legs you
want a Ford150 and for towing Parker boats down the interstate at 45MPH,
Toyota rules.

You can probably tell I haven't had my morning coffee yet.
Cheers,
Florida Jim

On Sat, 9 Aug 2008 23:38:54 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:


"hk" wrote in message
...

It's not that opera stories were "bad," generally, though some certainly
were. It's just that the story really isn't that significant a part of the
work in most of them. In most opera, the libretto is just a theme, a
beginning. It's the music, the singing, the show that is important. Even
in Mozart's time, the libretto for Don Giovanni was...bizarre. But the
work is one of the greatest ever written.

Consider the libretto for one of the greatest American musicals, Oklahoma!
Corny as Kansas, set in Oklahoma. Silliness. But...the music, the singing,
the dancing, the visuals are incomparable.

"Oklahoma" isn't an opera.

You do realise you missed a great opportunity there don't you?

Opera tunes - show tunes?

Twinkle toes?

Navy?

Ok, that was uncalled for - I'm sorry.

Really.

Honest.

It's all this Dunkin' Donuts Turbo Iced Coffee I've been drinking at
0530 - spins me right up and supercharges the brain.

And for somebody who doesn't drink a lot of coffee....

Well, I"m sure you get the idea.

Eisboch wrote:
"hk" wrote in message
. ..

It's not that opera stories were "bad," generally, though some certainly
were. It's just that the story really isn't that significant a part of the
work in most of them. In most opera, the libretto is just a theme, a
beginning. It's the music, the singing, the show that is important. Even
in Mozart's time, the libretto for Don Giovanni was...bizarre. But the
work is one of the greatest ever written.

Consider the libretto for one of the greatest American musicals, Oklahoma!
Corny as Kansas, set in Oklahoma. Silliness. But...the music, the singing,
the dancing, the visuals are incomparable.



"Oklahoma" isn't an opera.

Eisboch





No, it is a musical with a corny plot. Operas are musicals and many of
them have corny plots.

--
"The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade
and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion,
regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts
to weaken or undermine that right."