why is opera preposterous?...im willing to give everything at least one impartial hearing..but?

Question

after repeated viewings and listenings...i still find nothing but elitist absurdity in opera...
i used to claim incomprehension about the value of country & western...and though i still detest it, i can now acknowledge its merit in the scheme of things .... but i cant with opera.

all i can think is that it was an absurd varient that got taken up by the wealthy ethically challenged classes, and outlived its proper 10 year fad lifespan, to somehow survive, much like some prehistoric fish...right up to the present day!

its an obsolete throwback to the days when there was no amplification available, and hence singers had to sing in an absurd unnatural way in oerder to compete with an orchestra..

i could ramble on, but i feel im already wasting too much breath on this old dinosaur called opera.

dont misunderstand...i have nothing against the music...though i do find 95% of classical music sterile and infected with bourgois psychological conformity and about as exciting as watching paint dry--there is some good stuff in existence.

also does it sound more or less ridiculous depending on the language its sung in?

Answer 1

When it first came out, it was the Space Program of its time. Financiers would pay any amount to get the best of the best to put on these productions--not just singers, writers and composers, but set artists and architects, costume designers, theater architects, etc. They were like the early Hollywood studios, competing with each other to put on a better show.

As for the style in which it developed, yes it was definitely a reflection of the time. You're right. No amplification, so singers had to find new ways to fill space with sound using only their bodies. Everything from movements to costumes, to sets and makeup had to be bigger, more exaggerated, more colorful so that the obnoxious critic in the nosebleed seat could get the show as well as the patron sitting within spitting distance of the prima donna.

It also was frequently a reflection of popular societal humor at the time, which is why the good ones, the ones that aren't TOO colloquial, continue to survive because of their universal appeal, whereas the ones that were too specific faded away with their generation.

Ultimately, though, it was all about finding a new and sensational way to tell an old story. All the greats are retellings of classic (we're frequently talking Greek and Roman classic) epics and fables, but usually through allegory that was designed to be a little more accessible to those who hadn't necessarily read the originals (literacy not being a huge thing back in the 1600s..), or an interesting new interpretation of them for those who had. And the stories are frequently better told, and frought with more intrigue, danger, adventure, double-crossing and sex than many of today's movies (just without the big guns and explosives), because these are the things that continue to captivate the human psyche, no matter what the time period.

As a result, it's been a way to preserve classical ideas for future generations. May not be the way that makes most sense to you, but that's what it does. I'm not a huge fan of it, just because I haven't spent much time watching or listening, but I can definitely see the societal application.

Let it be, man.

Answer 2

Wow, you used a lot of big words there. I don't know where you've seen an opera, but it doesn't have to be all big, grand, and elitist.

Opera can be enjoyed by everyone, not just the "wealthy, ethically challenged classes". It's uneducated prejudice that causes people to think that it's all bad. It's lasted since the 1600s and is still popular today, so I'd say it's been more than a 10 year fad.

Opera is a gorgeous art form, where the drama is conveyed through the singing and the music. I'm sorry that you've had a bad experience with it, but there are many people who love it. It's not going anywhere any time soon. You are free to dislike it, just don't force your opinions on others. Allow them to decide for themselves.

Answer 3

A very good question, While we where the is life the is is death, and being the humans that we are we strive to a greater purpose "what makes the world around us" the people you mentioned at the top of your question Albert Einstein is said to have discovered Electricity ( He just re-discovered it ) turns out that electricity was back in time of the Egyptians. you'll find out that he also worked in a patient office where he may or may-not have abused his position. well anyway that is also why we leave records on our notes so it may continue by someone else. Some people what the simple life, some want a different and some choose a life on why people do the things that they do. All in all everything has an ending, in whatever time that you have you may want to make yourself better then you are now. Example: way back in the 12th century in China we have an old man who is up every morning and walks down to a lake where he sits and meditate. One day he noticed a Crane protecting its nest against a wolf, with her wings extended out and one leg balanced on the ground the Crane kick the Wolf on the nose every-time it made an attack finally the Wolf gave up to find a meal some place else. some Chinese say that this is where KUNG-FU came from or the way a Mantis fights. long story short People make themselves better through many different ways, Having Kids you child knows more then you think they do about some of the things that you know. Example: If your an Artist on Drawing and Painting, on or all of your Children will have this Idea inside of them, if the chose to be an artist too or just to dabble in it they will have a better understanding of it then you or it will be much easier for them to visualize there creations. ( Masterpieces ) if you thought of that question above you should have no problem following this answer. Good Luck! and Keep An Open Mind So it can Expand too :-)

Answer 4

You have really given the game away with your sweeping condemnation of all classical music, and I can only feel sorry for your stupendous loss. Personally, as regards opera, I'm on the side of the great composer (I think it might have been Brahms, but open to correction) who said opera would be wonderful if it weren't for all that damned singing. Have you never heard the overtures to the great operas? No singing or daft plot, just superb music - but then, you have tin ears, don't you?

Answer 5

Well, that is YOUR opinion, and obviously there are a lot of people who disagree with you. Maybe you should just stick to country then:P
Watching the opera is something awe-inspiring. It is a type of music where things go beyond the realm of "a good voice" or "nice lyrics"- you are supposed to feel it with your heart, not analyse it with your brain. I am always in awe when I hear opera singers sing, it is just an amazing feeling of talent for me. But obviously it is not for everyone. So enjoy your Rebas and Shanias! God knows I can't stand them.

Answer 6

To fully appreciate opera, it should be seen in the way it was originally intended. I recently went to Buenos Aires and attended a performance of "La Boheme" at "Teatro Colon"--one of the oldest, grandest opera house still in existence. It was a step back in time. It mattered not that the performance was in Italian with Spanish super-titles; the beauty of the music prevailed. It was magnificent.

Answer 7

You're begging the question.

Anyway, opera is the epic of the stage; therefore, the characters, staging, and costumes are larger than life and the storylines are huge and even melodramatic. That doesn't make it preposterous, just bigger and broader. You don't have to like it, but don't insult those who do by claiming they are all elitist snobs interested in "dinosaurs."

Answer 8

The enjoyment of opera is not confined to the rich. Okay, so we can't all afford Glyndebourne or Covent Garden but there are some really good videos/CDs. It is not easy to explain to anybody who hates it but, for music lovers, the combination of inspired music and wonderful singing results in great art.

Of course the plots are, in many cases, ridiculous. Otello is a prime example but, having said that anyone who could watch Placido Domingo singing the part of Otello without being moved to tears........

Leave us opera lovers to our enjoyment even if it not for you

Answer 9

Opera is neither preposterous nor ridiculous, nor any of the other adjectives you used.

All you really said -- in an extremely long-winded and pompous way -- is that YOU don't like it.

Neither do I, frankly...but I don't share your apparent need to belittle the art form (was Mozart slumming when he wrote "The Magic Flute?"), or to call into question the taste of those for whom it is essential viewing/listening. Live and let live, bro.

Answer 10

Is this a surprise to you? Opera has always been (a) absurd; and (b) an entertainment of the wealthy class.