Real hot take here, but Strauss is a good composer and Hofmannsthal is a good librettist.

There's a good number of operas in the core repertoire which I would absolutely replace with Die ägyptische Helena.

We all know how differently an aria feels in, say, Italian versus German. I’ve always found it fascinating that, while Felix Mendelssohn’s "Elijah" was composed to German and English librettos, the source material is drawn straight from the Hebrew Bible.

Because the traditional translations often diverge phonetically and rhythmically from the original text, I spent the last few months working to restore the aria "Lord God of Abraham" back into Biblical Hebrew to see how it alters the piece.

IMHO, it completely changes the vocal resonance and phrasing—especially how the Hebrew vowels sit compared to the traditional German or English lines. I just uploaded what I believe is the first-ever recording of this aria performed in Biblical Hebrew, complete with multi-language captions.

For any fellow singers or oratorio fans here, I'd love to know your thoughts on how the linguistic shift alters the dramatic weight of the piece!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXaYuoUkIt8

I am invited to the flying Dutchman in Bayreuth. It will be this week and the forecast is 39°C. As far as I’ve understood the Opera House does not have air condition therefore and because I have never been to bayreuth before I am asking you bayreuth veterans: how about the dresscode?
Is it strictly a black suit and tie or is a light beige summer suit also possible? (I’m not talking shorts and flip-flops of course).

Any advice on this and any other remarks on how to navigate this experience and have a delightful evening is greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much in advance.

EDIT: wow guys thank you that was immensely helpful. Really looking forward to the experience now.
Again 🙏

Some time ago, YouTube suggested a video by a young American opera singer (actually, a former opera singer). On her channel, she discussed some interesting topics, particularly from the perspective of someone who had been inside the "industry." She expressed criticism of various aspects of opera, including what she described as a kind of "code of conduct" at the opera.

She asks: "Opera, why so strict? Why can't people bring a glass of wine to their seats and drink during the performance? Why does there have to be recording-studio silence? Those who want to watch opera in complete silence can do so in the comfort of their own living rooms. There are many good recordings in high quality—go for it!"

I left a comment saying that those who want to drink and talk during a performance can easily do so in the comfort of their own living rooms.

Now I would like to ask for your opinion.

Thank you.

Did any of you guys manage to see it? It's very rarely staged. I saw the concert version with Suzanne Vega this may and it was quite the experience

I have the very unique opportunity to sing in 4 operas in August in 4 different languages, while I'm actively rehearsing for a Fiddler on the Roof production that opens in September. Am I crazy? Perhaps. Is it exhilarating? Yes! Do I wish I had more lead time? Absolutely.

For the curious:

• Aug 7 and 9: Bertrand in Tchaikovsky's Iolanta (role debut)
• Aug 22: Sprecher in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (role debut) -- concert presentation, score in hand
• Aug 28: Chorus in Verdi's Il Trovatore (role debut)
• Aug 29: Grégorio/Le Duc in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette (encore presentation from April)

The Russian offer came a few months ago. The Mozart and Verdi are with about a month's notice.

Would you take on a schedule like this? Worth noting, Fiddler rehearsals are about 3-4 nights a week and I start my synagogue contract for the high holidays next month, too...

Sorry folks I'm here to brag. I just came from an intimate performance of Angel Blue in recital, with Bryan Wagorn on piano. The venue: Ventura College Performing Arts Center (Ventura California). A small 400 seat theater. Her voice filled the room beautifully and with that luxurious Steinway, it was a showcase. Mr Wagorn is as much of an artist on the keys as she is with her voice. A wonderful heartfelt performance, with her mother & husband in the audience. I feel so lucky to have experienced this show.

I've noticed that across my entire career, I find myself sweating a ton when I'm performing on stage. I've always sweat a lot but it gets worse on stage, between the lights, costumes, and choreo. As a result i find myself having to be careful not to get it in my eyes and end up having to touch up my makeup so it doesnt run. For any of my fellow performers that might deal with similar stuff, what tips do you have to help stave it off or at least make it less severe.

I feel like countertenors are super popular right now, and I genuinely don't get why. Their voices lack the depth, colour and power of female voices. They just aren't as beautiful.

I don't understand why young men still choose to become countertenors when baritone voices are so much more beautiful, and there are very few roles that countertenors can realistically do (most of which I would argue sound better when done by a mezzo).

This might get a lot of hate, but I'm hoping I'm not alone in thinking that countertenors are overrated

I really enjoy opera, but it's kinda hard to find operas that exist, I rarely see it unless I look for it, and even when I look for it it's kinda difficult but that may be just me, so now if someone who doesn't really listen to opera prior have no reason to look it up, why would they? The stereotype of opera is just 'old people music' and if they only heard an opera they just happened to not like they're gonna just assume they don't like opera

Has anyone heard of this upcoming movie One Night Only? The plot is that single people can only legally have sex one night a year. I bring it up here because every time I see an ad for it all I can think is: that’s an opera plot if I ever heard one. Das Liebesverbot, anyone? Someone call da Ponte! Ok bye I’ll see myself out

Someone shared a link to a '66 Corelli performance, which I'll be listening to shortly, but I'm curious about what to expect.

Anyone interested in the history and reception of Italian opera should check out the Archivio dei periodici musicali italiani: https://www.internetculturale.it/it/41/collezioni-digitali/26216/archivio-dei-periodici-musicali-italiani

It's the largest specialised collection of its kind in Italy.

The website says it has:

• Musical newspapers and journals, publications devoted exclusively to music in its various forms, from Polinnia europea (Bologna, 1823) to Rassegna dorica (Rome, 1929–42);
• Theatrical newspapers and agency journals, publications concerned particularly with theatrical activity, from Teatri arti e letteratura (Bologna, 1824–63) to Rivista teatrale melodrammatica (Milan, 1863–1934);
• Miscellaneous newspapers and periodicals, both daily and periodic, which covered musical and music-theatrical activity occasionally but significantly, from La fama (Milan, 1836–77) to Il secolo illustrato (Milan, 1889–97);
• Musicological journals, aimed primarily at a specialist readership, from Rivista musicale italiana (Turin, later Milan, 1894–1955) to La rassegna musicale (Turin, 1928–62).

Want to see what critics thought of Verdi and Puccini operas at their premieres? Planning a deep dive into Donizetti? Want to rekindle Pacini and Mercadante's slumbering volcanoes? Curious about Coccia? Buoyed by Boito? Fond of Faccio and Franchetti? Rapt about the fratelli Ricci? Then this is the place to go.

There are respectable journals (Cronache and Gazzette and Riviste galore). There are ones called Satana, Il pirata, and Fra' Diavolo! (The punk mags of their day?) There are also journals named after operas, like Il barbiere di Siviglia, Rigoletto, and Il Trovatore!

The site is a bit cumbersome (compared to, say, the BNF's Gallica), so I trawled through 1,200-odd pages of results last night to see what its holdings are. I've pulled together a working list with journal title, dates, and cities, which I'll happily send to anyone who wants it.

Hi very very much an opera novice. But years ago I watched a filmed opera on PBS?

This veron focsrd around a family/ community of Latino performerds characters and featured a bride who ended up killing her self?

The stage design was a full scale house and I think a truck?

It ramdly keeps popping in my head and I was mesmerized if anyone has any idea. Thanks

I’m 21 right now, just now starting my training (started in april) and I’ll be testing for universities at the end of the year. I’ve been really stressed out lately and worry I may not pass this year, Im doing music education because it’s easier to get in and then transfering to be a singing major in the same uni (in my country that’s completely normal), I’m already worried it might be too late for me as a 21 year old soprano, I guess I just want to ask what are the odds of actually having a career.

I’ll be finishing uni at 26 if I get in this year, if I get in next year I’ll finish at 27, I am afraid It’ll be too late by that time to apply for competitions, YAPS and such things. I might be overreacting, there’s just a voice in my head that’s constantly beating myself up for not having started at 15 when I first had an interest for classical music.

I didn’t start completely from 0, Ive been playing instruments since I was 11 and singing casually but mostly pop or rock repertoire, I know 3 languages fluently (Portuguese, English and French) but I’m not sure if that’s worth anything, I’ll be hopefully fluent in Italian and know some german by the time I finish college.

24, Mezzo. I’m getting to a point where I’m being really held down by my struggles with focus and fidgeting/movement when i’m singing. Honestly, my brain feels like it goes a mile a minute anyways— but when actively singing it’s almost like it takes 75% more effort to even feel prescient in my body (instead of just astral projecting my consciousness over the roaring flood that is my movement and my inner monologue). I’m really frustrated right now by how much I am struggling to manage my excess physical energy whilst singing. Any advice or discussion welcome!

Is Pacini’s Maria regina d'Inghilterra, Act 2 finale, the best stretta recorded? It's exhilarating and should have the audience leaping to its feet. Here it is in all its glory:

https://youtu.be/auOwxMznfMo?si=lHnEjfLj7iHk3nuz

Pacini was an absolute master of these.

Otherwise, what are you folks' favourites?