We're Shuttin' Down

enough carp flying through the air

Advanced Opera 101

I agree ..go steve:

Date:    Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:34:03 -0500
From:    "Steve B."
Subject: Entertainment? Art? Should we care?

Did Netrebko as Anna Bolena smile? Was it appropriate? Was it Anna's smile
or that of Ms Netrebko? To what extent does it matter?
  What does matter is the view each person has of opera in general. Does a
good/great performance of (say) 'Rigoletto' change the way we see the world?
Does it sensitise us to think before we judge people by their appearance?=
 Does it make us see beyond the bitter reaction of a disabled person who snaps
ungraceously if  if we try to help?  Does 'Traviata' tell us something important?
Does 'Otello' help us to see the Iagos in our society and avoid the mistakes of
Otello? Can opera allow us to move from the particular to the general to our
benefit? Or is it all just entertainment  - a kind of dramatic Laurel and Hardy
that entertains us for a while and allows us to talk with 'expert' facilty of
who 'owns' a role or who 'nails' a single note before we return to the real
world? Does this question really matter? Verdi thought it did. I agree with him.