Blimey - a semi-serious article like this is a 'wrecking mission'? Maybe she should have gone for the burning down option instead, probably would have been less controversial...

 

But cinema is a similar hybrid art form, nonetheless, Rei, where several usually unconnected disciplines work together to create the final effect. OK, so films can be tweaked to give maximum effect in editing, but once they're released, that's it (unless there's a Director's Cut or some such).  In that sense, there's less to go wrong, other than a projector failure. There's also far less to explore: the change of a single cast-member within an existing production can have far reaching effects, and new, different, productions throwing a new light on old classics is the norm - remakes in cinema are rather rarer. And zero chance of those rare occasions when a performance suddenly ignites, and the whole thing reaches a new level completely.

I tend to side with Ian Pace on this. The article wasn't particularly well written but I do believe it was honest and the writer made valid points about what she didn't like about the "opera experience". I suspect I would have written about similar things if I was told to visit some operas and give my opinion.

But that tells us nothing about what opera is doing "wrong". Nor does it imply that opera needs to change in any way. Just because a random woman (and me) doesn't like opera is no reason for opera to reinvent itself. I can accept that opera just isn't for me, and move on. I don't expect the opera community to lose any sleep over that, or to change to "attract" me in some way. Some things suit some people and some things don't, and opera should continue trying to please the people it does suit.

And yet the 'Opera star' ethos continues, and with its demand for next-to-no rehearsals, and an insistence that the performer is more important than the piece, helps to perpetuate the same clichés about opera in general as the article, which had a rather strange choice of operas for a tyro to see, and a strange order, too - The Rake before Figaro?

Both you and I know that there are ensemble companies where stardom is irrelevant, and a large proportion of the regular audience comes from very ordinary, unprivileged backgrounds. Even in the UK.

Agreed.  I don't think it was the article that was flawed so much as the idea of it that was rather silly and pointless.

I can understand people getting annoyed about it however if there's a chance that someone who might have been toying with the idea of going is subsequently put off by the article.  I think that's the only risk.

Someone suggested earlier that it would have been a more balanced article if for instance she had talked to someone who loves opera about why.  I think that's very true.

He's just paid to fight rhetorical fires these days isn't he?

At first when we just came here I thought that opera was dead.

How wrong I was, very far from the truth. People love opera here. They know the most famous arias. They staged almost all major operas here: Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Wagner, etc). They don't know Russian operas and they are not familiar with Baroque or Contemporary operas.
Work has to be done to educate people in these areas. Somethings are done already.

There are different segments of population and they like different things.
There are people who only like Romantic opera and operetta (Verdi, Puccini, Strauss, etc).

Young people like more contemporary operas and musicals. And then there is Baroque.

They would all go to different operas to explore. It is important to keep them interested.

There are such a long tradition of singing here. We have our own three tenors, we have three tenors from Dublin, etc. People want to listen, no problem with that.

And people want their children to be exposed to opera. We have an organization that presents opera for children. (This particular group uses marionettes).

I am convinced that opera is going to be popular genre. There are so many people who sing and people love drama. To combine both is a special treat for many.

Now I am involved in preparation for opera concert. We are going to have many different arias and choruses. They think it is the beginning of continuation of tradition.


More opera for us, please. And we like oratoria (plural) too.