I said:

>>I'll play 'Oberon' often.  'Die Zauberflote' will gather dust on the shelf.
>>Once again a Mozart work disappoints me.  Still, maybe I'll find salvation
>>in the much praised "Marriage Of Figaro", "Cosi Fan Tutti" or "Don
>>Giovanni".

To which Michael Stein  replies:

>I wonder if Bob Draper is having a problem enjoying the new experience of
>a new opera because he is hearing it without seeing it.  I suggest that
>even if you know the music well, you can't know the full experience of the
>opera without seeing it, hopefully in person, at least once.  After you've
>seen it, the music makes more sense, and you can enjoy different versions.
>But I've had an indifferent reaction to well-loved operas before seeing
>them.  Mozart's magic is still more potent when you see it enacted.  When
>the Countess forgives the Count at the end of FIgaro, time stands still.
>No recording can hint at this.

Ah Ha Micheal!  I have been wondering since I wrote the above just how much
the status of various operas will be affected by the CD era.

It is true that I, like many millions, have never been to a live opera in
my life.  Hence I have been wondering how this fact affects my perception.

Opera music was of course written for the stage.  So when I read that 'The
Marriage Of Figaro" is the greatest opera of all time, then the writer is
evaluating it in a stage context.  Factors like describing characters with
music and shaping the music to fit the state of the intrigue come into
play.

I wonder if the status of much opera music is going to change over the
next few decades as more and more people only hear the music.  Meanwhile,
expensive, live opera is the preserve of the few and audience figures fall.

We've already had the mass market 'three tenors' phenomenon.

Six months ago I saw Rossini's "La Cenerentela" on TV.  I found it very
enjoyable, to watch, read the subtitles and hear the music.  Then last week
I bought the opera on CD.  It left a distinctly less favourable impression.

Conversely I recently listened to Verdi's "I Lombardi".  This gets
mediocre reviews and in the Penguin guide we are warned "don't expect a
great masterpiece like Verdi's later work".  I've never seen this opera
anywhere but I reckon it has very attractive music in it; wall to wall
arias.

Another opera that I loved on music alone is Debussy's "Pelleas and
Melisande" this must be an underrated work, surely.

Yes I read the librettos, and the synopses.  In fact I'm reading the
synopses over several times before listening.  Just so I get a feel for
it.  But I'd have to agree it's not the same as seeing it live.

However, I have to reiterate that I have trouble connecting with most of
Mozart's music.  He just doesn't work for me.

Bob Draper
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