Any operetta fans on the board.

[marvinbrown]

Curious, enough people seem to like opera, and yet a lighter form of singing is neglected.
Why would that be? The music is as good as any other, so why is there a blank space in the minds of music lovers, if it comes to operetta?
On my order list for this month are also, works from Franz Lehar, Suppe, Kalman, Strauss, all in all 9 operettas.
Somehow this kind of singing works for me. Would like to share it with a equally interested board!

  Sorry Harry but I can not help you here...I am a diehard fan of the operas of Wagner and Verdi. Its difficult for me to sit through an operetta....it just doesn't satisfy my appetite for dramatic power and vocal intensity. I get such an emotional rush from the operas of Wagner and Verdi that no operetta can give me. On the positive side if you like operetta, then the next stop is an opera!!!!

  marvin

[Siedler]

I'm not a fan of operettas but I'd watch this Fledermaus out of curiosity: 

[Harry]

  Sorry Harry but I can not help you here...I am a diehard fan of the operas of Wagner and Verdi. Its difficult for me to sit through an operetta....it just doesn't satisfy my appetite for dramatic power and vocal intensity. I get such an emotional rush from the operas of Wagner and Verdi that no operetta can give me. On the positive side if you like operetta, then the next stop is an opera!!!!

  marvin

That was also my idea Marvin.
Allthough I will never convert to Wagner or Verdi.

[Harry]

I'm not a fan of operettas but I'd watch this Fledermaus out of curiosity: 

Looks like a modern approach.

[The new erato]

  Sorry Harry but I can not help you here...I am a diehard fan of the operas of Wagner and Verdi. Its difficult for me to sit through an operetta....it just doesn't satisfy my appetite for dramatic power and vocal intensity. I get such an emotional rush from the operas of Wagner and Verdi that no operetta can give me. On the positive side if you like operetta, then the next stop is an opera!!!!

  marvin

Not everything in music is about power and intensity. In that case we would all be listening to Mahler 6 & 9 all the time, with no time for all those wonderful Mozart divertimenti!

[71 dB]

That was also my idea Marvin.
Allthough I will never convert to Wagner or Verdi.

Wagner's Tristan und Isolde and Parsifal are worth converting.

Verdi is overrated.

Puccini rules!

[Harry]

Wagner's Tristan und Isolde and Parsifal are worth converting.

Verdi is overrated.

Puccini rules!

Oops, heavy swallowing!
Read my lines -I will not convert

[uffeviking]

Looks like a modern approach.

Not only modern, but also very controversial! That's the production from the Salzburger Festspiele 2001 where Mortier, the festival director, stuck his tongue out at the staid, ultra conservative Salzburgers by presenting the Hans Neuenfels production.

The best part is the conducting by Marc Minkowski, he had a ball!  

[Florestan]

Should I be ashamed liking operettas I wonder?

Absolutely not! Why should you? It's fine music, full of joie de vivre and catchy tunes. Light? To be sure: just as a cup of good champaign. Frivolous? No doubt: just as a plateau full of Viennese cakes. La dolce vita at its best.
So, my dear Harry, don't be ashamed for loving the simple joys of life!

[71 dB]

Oops, heavy swallowing!
Read my lines -I will not convert

Are you saying Mussorgsky is the only romantic opera composer you convert to? 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Not everything in music is about power and intensity. In that case we would all be listening to Mahler 6 & 9 all the time, with no time for all those wonderful Mozart divertimenti!

Give that man a cigar!!  





<--------------l

[Sergeant Rock]

Give that man a cigar!!  
<--------------l

Cuban!  Hmmm...I think I'll play a Divertimento right now.

Sarge

[Harry]

Are you saying Mussorgsky is the only romantic opera composer you convert to? 

No, my friend, all what I am saying is this, never ever Wagner, and Verdi close second.
Of course I will buy more operas of all genres, but excluding above mentioned composers.

[Harry]

Absolutely not! Why should you? It's fine music, full of joie de vivre and catchy tunes. Light? To be sure: just as a cup of good champaign. Frivolous? No doubt: just as a plateau full of Viennese cakes. La dolce vita at its best.
So, my dear Harry, don't be ashamed for loving the simple joys of life!

I needed those comforting words Andrei thank you!

[71 dB]

No, my friend, all what I am saying is this, never ever Wagner, and Verdi close second.
Of course I will buy more operas of all genres, but excluding above mentioned composers.

Okay, Sir! 

I exclude Verdi because I don't like his music. Wagner is okay for me.

[Steve]

No, my friend, all what I am saying is this, never ever Wagner, and Verdi close second.
Of course I will buy more operas of all genres, but excluding above mentioned composers.

You say that now, Harry. With more operatic exposure, who knows! O the things you'll hear! 

[Mark G. Simon]

Harry, are you saying you don't mind sopranos if they're singing Lehar, but you do if they sing Verdi?

[Mark G. Simon]

In the US, operetta is synonymous with Gilbert & Sullivan. I have played in pit orchestras for something like 8 of their 14 shows, plus I've conducted amateur productions of The Mikado and Trial by Jury. It's fun stuff. After doing Pirates, I couldn't get the tunes out of my head for the next couple of months.

[springrite]

Read my lines -I will not convert

A comprehensive survey of cult members, Wagnerites and other religious converts, mostly highly educated, rational members of society, shows that 90% of these people's famous last words when first making a trial approach to THE PATH, was --- "I will NOT convert."

[bricon]

Operettas are very easy to stage ......... badly.
Unfortunately many companies (both amateur and professional) believe that operettas are foolproof. WRONG!!!!!!!!!

If anything more care needs to be taken when casting and directing operettas (than operas) because they cannot be "saved" by superlative singing alone. They cannot be successfully performed by stand-and-delver singers (regardless of how good their voices may be); they usually require singing actors with exemplary comedic timing (a rarity among opera singers) and direction that never allows a show to "sag". All of the artistic elements must be of the highest order for an operetta to succeed on-stage.

The finest operetta performers tend to specialize in the area, the stage skills required are usually of a higher standard than most opera singers are capable of producing. Operettas tend to be more ensemble pieces than many operas, a standout superstar performer will not be able to save an inadequate operetta production if the rest of the cast are not also first rate and combine well together.

A company needs to devote at least the same attention to detail when staging an operetta as it would to a Verdi or Wagner work.