Anyone here who enjoys listening to opera music?
I was just recalling the film “Pretty Woman” when Richard Gere takes Julia Roberts to see ‘La Traviata’. He tells her that she will either love or hate it. Sure enough, when the heroine sings ‘Amami Alfredo’ she realises that another mental window has opened for her.
20 years ago I detested opera music, until, late one night I was driving home and fiddling around with the radio to find something that I wanted to listen to. I had a top of the range stereo fitted, and suddenly the whole car was filled with the most emotive music that I had ever heard. It actually had a physical effect on my whole body, almost as though a rush of warm champagne was coursing through my veins. I was astonished and listened hard at the close of the music to see what was being played, but it was not announced.
Then I started searching for the piece, but I didn’t know what it was called, nor did I know the composer. So, I started to buy albums of opera music, mainly compilations of favourite bits, hoping that I would come across the music that I had heard whilst driving. All the time, of course, I was hearing other works and soon began to develop a fondness for Verdi and Puccini. I learned to differentiate between a good soprano and an indifferent one, how a good soprano can reach a dizzily high note and still keep a melodious quality. Anyone who has heard Lesley Garret sing ‘The Nuns Chorus’ will know what I mean.
Not so long ago, Her Ladyship and I went to see our first live opera. It was ‘Madame Butterfly’. I found myself sat next to 2 bikers who literally were creaking in their heavy leather gear. When ‘One Fine Day’ (not the Chiffons!!!) came up, the guy sat nearest me wept unashamedly, it was such a moving experience.
So, here I sit typing away, lots of my favourite stuff via Winamp, as Lesley G once again smoothes my fevered brow with her excellent voice. Don’t ask me why I’m telling you all this, I just was interested to know if anyone else has my love of operatic music?
Englishman.
Truth exists;only falsehood has to be invented. -Georges Braque