Opera recommendations anybody ?

Planning on going to an opera, and its going to be my first one...anyone out here have any recommendations ?

The name Madama Butterfly keeps popping up all over...anyone have any other recommendations or is this one of the best and a good place to start ?

Thanks !

[alison]

My first opera was Cosi fan tutte. Something like 4 hours of pure agony. I was 12 years old.

I suggest that you go to an opera where the music (even small segments) is familiar to you. Like Carmen, or Madame Butterfly, like you said.

HAVE FUN!

Carmen is a good idea. Or maybe Gianni Schicchi. The aria O Mio Babbino Caro would probably sound familiar. Sounds fun -- enjoy!

SueC and I went to Carmen last fall and left at the intermission. The performers were quite talented and it was very good, we just realized (and embraced) the fact that we are NOT opera people.

I don't think we would have even lasted that long had we not recognized the music.

[mommax3]

Whatever you choose, go online ahead of time and find the storyline so you will know what is going on when you are watching the opera. Listening to some of the music before you go so that you are familiar with it when you go is a good idea, too.

I was a music major and am a classically trained singer......even so, opera is not my favorite way to spend an evening. I tend to enjoy the more restrained operas (Mozart comes to mind) over the full-blown variety that were composed later in the Romantic Era.

Sally

[Meenah]

I'm also not a big opera fan but I do like the music and story of LaTraviata.

Thanks for all your input...trying to decide between Madama Butterfly and Carmen (after seeing the recommendations here)...

Will let you all know how it goes...

[spotty_dog]

I went to Aida many years ago, and enjoyed it.

[DCJenn]

My room-mate from college and I saw The Masked Ball (or whatever the heck it was in Italian).

Richard Gere didn't find us but the woman who wore lavendar perfume sure did. Sadly, she reapplied more during intermission. Eventually, everyone around her moved, leaving her poor long suffering husband alone with her and the cloud of perfume.

and the wine was really expensive. and bad.

Jenn

Went to "Carmen" over last weekend ! Thanks for all your recommendations guys.

We had the discount tickets ($25) and were seated in the uppermost box - hence, couldn't get a good view of the actors emotions...so the next time I'll either get the more expensive tickets or take a pair of binoculars

Found the supertitles concept kinda cool - I always thought you had to know the language (English/Frence/Italian) to go to an opera ! Stupid me...

Also, the sets were amazing (comparing it to some of the Broadway shows)

All in all, a decent first time experience at a good deal !

Carmen
Madame Butterfly
La Traviata