Favourite (non-Klingon/SW) operas...

[lurok]

Know a few fans here so hoping to draw out of woodwork And hopefully get some new recommendations. Is a passion so pretty familiar with most. But my personal faves:

Pretty much everything by Wagner (including Die Feen)
Elektra
Ariadne Auf Naxos
Die Frau Ohne Schatten
Akhnaten
Nixon In China
The Death of Klinghoffer
La Fanciulla Del West
Il Trovatore/La Traviata/Rigoletto/Un Ballo In Maschera
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
La Sonnambula
Cosi Fan Tutte/Don Giovanni (Figaro leaves me a little cold)
Orfeo ed Euridice
Pelleas et Melisande

Have you managed to introduce anyone to opera who didn't
know or like before? What did you choose?

I've found Wagner, Mozart and some of more 'obscure' composers haven't worked, but Carmen, Verdi, La Fanciulla, Elektra and Nixon/Klighoffer all worked for different reasons (drama/passion/politics).

Also curious why opera still has such a bad rep. Seems ridiculous thing to say but still find for many people common cliches are "fat ladies", "screeching/caterwauling", and "it's so gay".

 

[1001001]

I've taken my daughter to two operas, simply for the experience and the culture of it all. She was 13 at the time.

The first one we saw was Turandot. We enjoyed that quite a bit, although it was a little hard to follow.

The second one we saw was Aida. We both loved that one, and cried like babies at the end.

I think opera is good in small doses. I don't think I could go all the time or anything. But it is rather grand and a wonderful testament to the creativity of humans.

 

[Sakrysta]

Tosca - glorious