whipped guy

Not to mention some of the supertitle translations. There is the infamous one in Act I of Tosca where Cavaradissi says when describing his painting , "I gave her two black eyes"! I had thought that this was the stuff of silly operatic legends, but I did see it for myself at the now defunct CT Opera years ago. Talk about a literal "laugh out loud" moment! Regarding translations into other languages, there is not only the problem of creating a singing translation that exactly mirrors the words as specifically set by the composer, but differences in languages also play rhythmic havoc with the vocal lines. As an example in general French usually has fewer syllables compared to Italian. Therefore in going from French to Italian there are usually all sorts of alterations due to extra notes that falsify what the composer actually intended. I can only imagine what happens when translated to Russian and other similar languages!

Bonus pic... https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B_3k01XUcAAGdS7.jpg:large

Boner pic of the day... https://78.media.tumblr.com/943ee974116620f7d8ec1d93311feb66/tumblr_p4iblkTWAD1w9tkdmo1_1280.jpg

I have listened to the whole gamut of classical mudic since I was about seven years old. I was the obnoxious child who had much of Mozart's Kôchel catalog memorized. I investigated individual instruments as well. I was always put off by opera, but when I came to the realization that the human voice was the greatest of all instruments and that the Bel Canto composers were the most adept at writing for the human voice it was a definite BINGO. Everything else faded into the background. I guess that I was ahead of my time, but I grew up in a university town. I was surprised to discover how many closet Bel Canto lovers were hiding in the shadows at a time when that genre was total unknown and as such misunderstood. Yes, we knew all about Beethoven's Rasumowsky String Quartets and his Grosse Fuge, but would rather investigate the unperformed operas of his contemporary Rossini, which were only the stuff of dreams way back then. That's how it all started and I have been a specialist ever since. Incidentally an early music keyboard player I know is constantly being berated by colleagues for his love of the Bel Canto. Hence my quip about the Mahler Ninth above and my self mocking sarcasm about being shallow.

Exactly! Of course there was the period when Sir Walter Scott and all things Scottish were the rage. Sill, when one really thinks about it very few operas are based on original stories concocted by librettists. Often librettists pilfered the work of other librettists or plots from ballets many of which were based on previous sources be they historical, mythological, or whatever. Even originals such as Der Rosenkavalier were loosely based on other sources. Of course the real clincher is I Pagliacci. Composer Leoncavalo, who also wrote the libretto, said that it was an original story based on an incident he recalled from his youth. He was sued by some playwright who claimed that it was plagiarized from his work. Long story, but the playwright was himself accused of stealing his work from an earlier source. The lawsuit was dropped! Bottom line: There are not too many original operatic plots out there! However, was there not a recent question on some quiz show where the contestants were asked what opera was based on an original Egyptian subject. I wonder which one that might be?!?!?! Hmmmm..... Hint: It is not the Moses und Aron mentioned above or even Moise et Phararon or Mosè in Egitto.

I have always considered opera to be a more populist art form. That was until Wagner came on the scene., not to mention the twelve tone school and beyond! Even Beethoven realized that, if a bit belatedly, when he discarded the three Leonora Overtures in favor of a more overtly simplistic and traditionally operatic approach in what ultimately became the final solution for the overtute to Fidelio. Also, regarding the opera proper and in spite of the emotional depths that it so eloquently portrays, it is still composed in a more populist vein compared to something such as the Missa Solemnis. Still for some reason the greatest operas are able to inspire and touch ones soul as much as the greatest choral and symphonic music. Think of the penultimate scene of Mozart's Don Giovanni where we are taken to the depths of hell itself. The final hmm to liberty the concludes Rossini's Guillaume Tell. The sadness that causes not a dry eye in the house at the conclusion of La Boheme or La Traviata. The over the top emotions in just about every other measure of Cavalleria Rusticana. And I'll even give Wagner a nod by mentioning the sublime final scene of Die Gotterdamerung! (Of course its too bad that we have to wait five hours to get to it. Sorry, but I could not help myself!) I could go on with so many more wonderful examples!! Damn just the thought gets my juices flowing... add in a special singer or singers and it's off the charts!

LOL! Well just my rakish and in this case self deprecating sense of humor! Something to go along with my devilishly shallow mention of having lacked "alter boy experience" as noted in my previous post!

Hump Day bonus pic... https://www.adam4adam.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/GayWatchPart4JO08.jpg