Hey, Q (and other classical music geeks)!

[annathepiper]

So in today's episode of "why yes, we actually occasionally talk about other music besides Great Big Sea's on the OKP" theater, another lass thereupon asked me if I like opera and classical music at all. I told her that there was very little music I don't like if it's played with enough skill and talent and heart. Since this other lass tells me she is a classically trained vocalist and pianist, I told her that I tend to gravitate more towards symphonies than operas since I myself am an instrumentalist--but that kathrynt is an operatic singer and had extolled several pieces to me as ones I should check out.

So, Q (and any other classical music geeks on my Friends list)--can y'all cross-check Eirian's recommendations and give me some verdicts of your own? I'd like to whittle this list down a bit to see which ones I ought to buy first. And Q, I'm pretty damned sure you mentioned some of these pieces to me before, yes?

Now...on to opera! Your friend Kathryn is right -- Bocelli is definitely "popera" as opposed to "opera". He has a lovely lyric voice, but it's not quite strong enough to carry an opera off well. I think that's why he's recorded only one to date. Alessandro Safina has a stronger voice, although he too has put out a few "popera" albums. David Miller, an American tenor has a gorgeous voice and happens to be a singer in Il Divo. I've been dying to find some of his proper opera stuff because just singing the popera stuff, he gives me shivers!

However, I prefer bass/baritones -- especially Jason Howard and Bryn Terfel, both of whom are Welsh. Bryn Terfel especially gives me goosebumps up and down my back! My favorite singer is Anthony Warlow, an Australian baritone who has done everything from "Phantom of the Opera" to "Pirates of Penzance" to "The Magic Flute". He can sing literally anything.

Ummm...opera recommendations? My favorite five are "Rigoletto", "Carmen", "Aida", "La Traviata", and "Lakmë". Throw in "Il Trovatore", "La Boheme", and "Turandot", and you've just scratched the surface! *L* I like the Italian operas best -- the Germans tend to get a little heavy. Wager had too much time on his hands. Wink However, the "Love/Death" music from "Tristan & Isolde" is some of the most powerful I've ever heard.

Comments

[annathepiper]

I will admit, symphony and opera performances do seem to be ones that make you have to figure out how to shift around in your seat without disturbing your neighbors, don't they?

My problem at the last couple performances at Benaroya, too, was that during long instrumental pieces I have a hard time focusing on just the music; my thoughts kept wandering off. I'm too used to hearing vocals in music actively demanding my attention. I guess it's a symptom of using instrumental music for so long as background to doing other things.

Of course, it probably didn't help that the last performance we saw was on a school night and after I'd had two raspberry lambics at the Pike Place Brewery, either. ;)