Anyone like Opera?

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I don't think the OP meant -that- Opera. Also, I will make a respectful suggestion here: "To hell with Windows; get Linux."

I disagree with Postperson about Mozart. ("Too many notes" is the critique the king offers in Amadeus!) The Marriage of Figaro is my favorite opera. In addition to a subversive story and great characters, there are plenty of "set" arias anyone can enjoy. The Magic Flute was written for a popular audience. In fact, if you like the set pieces, you should go with early opera -- Purcell, Handel, Mozart, Rossini and stay away from the Wagner.

I love classical music, but opera is a sticking point. The style of singing that came about in the 19th century is loud, annoying and unnatural. (Not good for an aspie sensitive to noise.) Because the orchestra grew in size, singers needed more air and vibrato to be heard over it. Result? What I refer to as the screaming Banshee school of singing and overdramatics -- operas by Wagner and Verdi mostly (although I do like Richard Strauss). I enjoy early opera because singers (like Dawn Upshaw or Bartoli) sing in a more natural voice with minimal vibrato. I also watch opera on DVD for the subtitles and ability to rewind when my attention wanes.

As far as 20th century opera, you might try Berg (Wozzeck), Poulenc (Dialogues), Prokofiev (Love of 3 Oranges), Stravinsky (Rake's Progress). Cheers.

But Aero is pretty...

I can agree with that, but Linux is practical. I guess it's a matter of preference; I prefer function over form.

I generally like opera.
I watched Carmen, something I don't remember right now, and Aida, and those went down fine.

Tristan and Isolde was a tougher pill, and I mostly blame it on the horrible decor of that particular setup.
Aida also had some weird ideas in that regard, like taking place in the 1930's..., so I suppose it might have been a trend at the time to make weird and stupid choreography and such.

During Tristan and Isolde, the times I weren't trying to choke myself with my fist, I also found that it had a story equivalent of the every day life of a horny 13 year old.
I must have been very ill that evening or something, because I still can't believe and I'm very disappointed that Wagner could ever be such a load of crap.
But I'm willing to give it another chance at least.

Haven't been back since. It's been a few years.
I hope they have shaped up a bit...

I love Mozart's Requiem.

I also like a video game opera song called One-Winged Angel, although it's a bit scary, and I'll give you a link if you want to hear it.

Oh.... but loud is good. BTW, I sing and it is VERY natural if it is done right. When the resonance locks in place and it vibrates your innards.....oh God. Vibrato is actually not forced; it occurs naturally when the voice and breath are being used efficiently because the chords vibrate both side to side and top to bottom causing fluctuation of pitch (although there are dramatics who go a bit overboard).

For the OP, the first opera I listened to in it's entirety is "Die Zauberflöte" ("The Magic Flute") by Mozart and it remains my favourite with Don Giovanni being a close second. There are NOT too many notes. Mozart had an I.Q. of around 250 and knew exactly how music worked aesthetically. It is amazing in many regards. Just keep the libretto around so you can read what's going on in the plot. If you want opera that's a little less....operatic, try Gilbert and Sullivan. To the fans of "true" opera, English operetta may seem a little trite, but it entertaining nonetheless.

P.S. I post here the Queen of the Night aria from "Die Zauberflöte" being performed by the AMAZING Diana Damrau. This woman is SCARY (in a good way). I would advise you to take several steps away from the speakers as this woman's voice is huge like xbox.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=DvuKxL4LOqc[/youtube]

There aren't any subtitles, so I'll do my best to translate without a dictionary. P.S., this opera is WAY sexist. The music is great, but the libretto.....no so much.

Pamina- Mother.

Queen- Where is the teenager whom I sent to you?

Pamina- Oh, mother, he has contract from the world and people. He has join the "Initiated".

Queen- "The Initiated?!

Pamina- Yes

Queen- Unfortunate daughter, now you have been taken from me forever.

Pamina- Taken?! But mother, under your protection, I...

Queen- Protection? My beloved daughter, your mother cannot protect you any more. With your fathers death, my power also died. Your father gave so easily the Sevenfold Circle of the Sun to the initiated. Before he died he said, "Wife, my last hour is here. All treasures are yours and your daughter. Only the Sevenfold Circle of the Sun will be given to Sarastro's masculine wisdom, as such power does not belong to female spirits. Your duty is this: to find wise men to lead your daughter.

Pamina- So the youth is lost from me forever?

Queen- Forever! Do you see this dagger? It has been sharpened for Sarastro. You will kill him and deliver the Circle of the Sun to me.

Pamina- But mother...

Queen- Silence!!
[i]music begins[/b]
The fire of Hell burns in my heart.
Death and destruction burn all around me.

If Sarastro does not feel the pain of death by your hand, then you will be my daughter no longer. Ah! (really long melisma)
You will be disowned forever.
You will be left forever.
You will be wrecked forever,
by all bonds of nature,
if Sarastro is not turned pale by you.

Heed! Heed! Heed!
Gods of vengeance,
Heed the mothers vow.

I'm a big fan of some of it, the more powerful pieces.

Rossini's Largo al factotum has to be among the best songs of any kind I've ever heard.
I like Ponchelli's "the dance of the hour" too.
Verdi's "Libiamo, libiamo" also, which I must admit I discovered while playing the game GTA 2.

As far as watching operas, I want to get around to enjoying Wagner's ones, but I would need to learn better German first.

Wagner is amazing. I just saw "Die Walküre" in its entirety tonight. Leave it to Wagner to have the climactic love duet not about a man and a woman in love, but a father and his daughter whom he must let go. That scene was powerful.

You don't need to know German to enjoy Wagner (although it doesn't hurt). Just remember that all of the words for wife and woman are the same ("weib", "frau")

I generally adore opera (and I'm glad to see dongiovanni's tip of the hat to operetta as well). At the Seattle Opera House I've gone to see The Magic Flute, The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro... and my favorite, Faust. I've also checked out many from the library. I'm no expert at all, I just appreciate what I hear.

Sad news about Pavarotti's passing. Which of his performances on CD or DVD should I check out?

Thanks for the youtube clip of The Magic Flute. That part of the aria where the high notes are hit is very famous and I never knew where it came from til now. Listening to Don Giovanni, Le Nozze Di Figaro and Tristan and Isolde, I haven't yet come across anything nearly as memorable. I haven't listened to the operas in their entirety yet. I should get the DVDs of those three to get my bearings straight.

My advice for people who enjoy opera, here are some jewels:
Prokofiev opera "the fiery angel" (you can also find much of the thematic material in his third symphony)
Prokofiev's "war and peace"
of course, Weber's "freischütz"
in french operas, Dukas's "Ariane and barbe bleue"
all of rimsky korsakoff, for example "the golden cockerel" and "snegouroschka"
Mussorgsky "Boris godunov"in its original version.
Rossini' Guillaume Tell in French (it's the original version) (it's very long, but it's very enjoyable)
and you now, Meyerbeer 's operas are actually good: especially "les huguenots".
sorry about Pavarotti, but first, I prefer the baritone voice.

Do a youtube search on "Diana Damrau" and you'll get the aria from the first act which is actually harder than this one. You'll also hit her singing La Traviata among others.

The recording of The Magic Flute conducted by Klemperer is awesome. The opera has both singing and spoken dialogue and the recording does not have the dialogue included, which is a very good thing.