Your Favored Opera Composer

[PaulR]

Verdi followed by Mozart.  Don't care for Puccini or Wagner.  Not really familiar with Handel's operas

[springrite]

Wolfie for me, though Verdi and Wagner received strong considerations, especially Wagner. But I would love to see Strauss up there as well.

[Florestan]

Mozart without any hesitation. 

Oh, and what's Wagner got to do with opera? He should be in the Your Favored Gesamtkunstwerk Composer poll. 

[Tsaraslondon]

Absolutely no doubt in my mind - Verdi. I've been having a protracted Verdi listening session recently, from his earliest operas through to his final ones. Even in the early years (his galley years, as he called them), there are moments of great originality, and from Stiffelio onwards he hardly puts a foot wrong. The humanity of the man shines through in every opera.

[springrite]

I should add that Verdi has gone up a great deal in my appeciation since I became the father of a little girl-- Kimi. Now I can truly appreciate all the father-daughter music and the deep emotion expressed in them. Wagner had that moment in The Ring but I ain't Wotan kind of father and thankfully my daughter ain't the brass-bra-ed kind (or I don't think and hope she does not develop into one later...)

[springrite]

I agree absolutely.  I find it somewhat odd that people equate Verdi and Puccini; not that Puccini is a bad composer, but their work is nothing alike.

Verdi IS Grand Opera. Puccini is Broadway.

[Tsaraslondon]

Verdi IS Grand Opera. Puccini is Broadway.

There is some truth in this, though when Verdi tried to write in the true Grand Opera style a la Meyerbeer for the Paris Opera, he generally ran into problems. Les Vepres Siciliennessuffers from this problem . So, to a degree, does Don Carlos, though it also contains some of Verdi's greatest music.

Puccini was a great man of the theatre and I enjoy his operas enormously. That said Verdi operates on an altogether different level musically

[San Antone]

There is some truth in this, though when Verdi tried to write in the true Grand Opera style a la Meyerbeer for the Paris Opera, he generally ran into problems. Les Vepres Siciliennessuffers from this problem . So, to a degree, does Don Carlos, though it also contains some of Verdi's greatest music.

Puccini was a great man of the theatre and I enjoy his operas enormously. That said Verdi operates on an altogether different level musically

I have thought of Aida as one of his in the "grand opera" style.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Handel rocks. Mozart too. But from the list, Wagner.

Though nothing against those missing from the list, principally Prokofiev.

[71 dB]

Did you vote yet?

Yes. One of Handel's votes is from me.

[Mirror Image]

Handel rocks. Mozart too. But from the list, Wagner.

Though nothing against those missing from the list, principally Prokofiev.

Why would Prokofiev even be on the list to begin with, DD? You've been singing the praises of Prokofiev's operas since I've known here on GMG, but from reading many people's comments about Prokofiev, his operas are hardly ever brought up or mentioned. In fact, you're the only person I've encountered who even listens to them. Just a curious thought that I thought I would annoy you with.

[DavidRoss]

Mozart, followed by Mozart, Mozart, and Mozart. Then Verdi & Puccini.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Why would Prokofiev even be on the list to begin with, DD? You've been singing the praises of Prokofiev's operas since I've known here on GMG, but from reading many people's comments about Prokofiev, his operas are hardly ever brought up or mentioned. In fact, you're the only person I've encountered who even listens to them. Just a curious thought that I thought I would annoy you with.

I thought the same thing! Who but me listens to them?

But I gotta mention them whenever I can in hopes some day someone gives them a try. I know Greg (not Metropolis Greg) like's them.

It's just one of those things, I guess. Not to be abrasive but to me the picture of Prokofiev the composer is wholly incomplete if the operas aren't considered. I'd say if you were to get to know them MI you'd see what I mean (or anyone).

Of the composers in this poll Handel falls into the same category. Handel's non-operatic output is expansive but an overall evaluation of him must include his operas.

It wouldn't matter so much to me if Prokofiev's operas weren't so blasted GOOD!! They dwarf his symphonies in quality, and are on par with the best of his piano concertos, piano sonatas, and ballets.

It's no accident that two of Prokofiev's symphonies derive from music lifted from two other works - a ballet and an opera. It's telling that it's NOT the other way around when it comes to his operas an ballets. Something to chew on.

Anyway, good question MI!

[mc ukrneal]

Mozart, followed by Mozart, Mozart, and Mozart. Then Verdi & Puccini.

No way! I thought you liked Mozart more than that!

[Mirror Image]

I thought the same thing! Who but me listens to them?

But I gotta mention them whenever I can in hopes some day someone gives them a try. I know Greg (not Metropolis Greg) like's them.

It's just one of those things, I guess. Not to be abrasive but to me the picture of Prokofiev the composer is wholly incomplete if the operas aren't considered. I'd say if you were to get to know them MI you'd see what I mean (or anyone).

Of the composers in this poll Handel falls into the same category. Handel's non-operatic output is expansive but an overall evaluation of him must include his operas.

It wouldn't matter so much to me if Prokofiev's operas weren't so blasted GOOD!! They dwarf his symphonies in quality, and are on par with the best of his piano concertos, piano sonatas, and ballets.

It's no accident that two of Prokofiev's symphonies derive from music lifted from two other works - a ballet and an opera. It's telling that it's NOT the other way around when it comes to his operas an ballets. Something to chew on.

Anyway, good question MI!

I'll have to check them out at some point, but opera is hardly a favorite genre of mine and too much singing, for me, can become quite tedious on my ears. I've never rated Prokofiev's symphonies as some of his best music, because I honestly feel that they aren't. His ballets and concerti remain my favorite works by him.

[mc ukrneal]

I thought the same thing! Who but me listens to them?

But I gotta mention them whenever I can in hopes some day someone gives them a try. I know Greg (not Metropolis Greg) like's them.

It's just one of those things, I guess. Not to be abrasive but to me the picture of Prokofiev the composer is wholly incomplete if the operas aren't considered. I'd say if you were to get to know them MI you'd see what I mean (or anyone).

Of the composers in this poll Handel falls into the same category. Handel's non-operatic output is expansive but an overall evaluation of him must include his operas.

It wouldn't matter so much to me if Prokofiev's operas weren't so blasted GOOD!! They dwarf his symphonies in quality, and are on par with the best of his piano concertos, piano sonatas, and ballets.

It's no accident that two of Prokofiev's symphonies derive from music lifted from two other works - a ballet and an opera. It's telling that it's NOT the other way around when it comes to his operas an ballets. Something to chew on.

Anyway, good question MI!

I listen to them periodically. I've enjoyed them for years. Sometimes, I am not always in the right mood for them, but there is a certain quality to them that I find in the ballets (but less so in some of his more formal music - meaning symphonies, concertos, etc). Is that a strange connection to make? They sound very little like the ballets with some of the beautiful melodies he has in the ballets, and yet I find the comparison apt. I only have two of them, but my library has a third and I take that out every now and then.

[bhodges]

I thought the same thing! [about Prokofiev's operas] Who but me listens to them?

But I gotta mention them whenever I can in hopes some day someone gives them a try. I know Greg (not Metropolis Greg) like's them.

It's just one of those things, I guess. Not to be abrasive but to me the picture of Prokofiev the composer is wholly incomplete if the operas aren't considered. I'd say if you were to get to know them MI you'd see what I mean (or anyone).

A huge fan of Prokofiev's operas here, and I agree with you: any assessment of the composer is incomplete without them. Anyone wanting to delve in has Gergiev's excellent recordings; this reissue box below has six operas on 14 discs. PS, IMHO Gergiev could be in classical music's hall of fame on the basis of these recordings alone - only because there aren't many other versions - or none - and he and the Kirov give them fantastic performances.

My favorite - haven't heard some of them - is Semyon Kotko, with lots of marvelous music, spectacularly played and recorded. But The Gambler is great, too (and slightly shorter, if that's an issue). Then there's War and Peace, which some might consider his greatest.

[asin]B0033KR5YS[/asin]

[Lisztianwagner]

Oh, and what's Wagner got to do with opera? He should be in the Your Favored Gesamtkunstwerk Composer poll. 

As a matter of fact, it would be more correct....

[Cato]

Wagner has my vote, although now in my dotage          I find certain operas by his heirsRichard Strauss (e.g. Elektra), Paul Hindemith (Cardillac), and Arnold Schoenberg (Erwartung, Moses und Aron) more compelling than ever before.

Prokofiev: The Fiery Angel is my choice for greatest Prokofiev opera.

[mszczuj]

They dwarf his symphonies in quality,

For me Symphony No.2 is one of his best works and best symphony after Beethoven but I find Symphony No.3 much less interesting than The Fiery Angel.