egafd.com

In the absence of our resident cultural correspondent, Max who appears to be taking a break from the role, Graham Vick's production of Verdi's Othello is on Beeb 2 tomorrow afternoon, starting at about 4.25.

One of the top 3 shows of 2009 according to the Royal Philharmonic Society's Classical Music Awards.

Cheers
D

Not upper class enough to feign an appreciation of Opera......don't know anyone who goes anywhere near a opera.

Went to the opera in Prague ------ I thought I'd at least give it a go.
Not to my taste I'm afraid and I did a runner at half time.
Ballet now is a different matter.

Arginald - I think David Johnson was suggesting classical music fans
might like to listen to opera on the beeb. Going to an opera which -
regretably - is a highly priced entertainment, is an entirely other matter.
That one`s bum gets stiff sitting through hours of soparano warbling I
understand....
I would suggest, however, that opera also includes great tunes and
great emotions. It is not for nothing that in the horror film versions of
The Phantom of the Opera the climax comes in the grand finale scene of
Gounod`s "Faust " or that Cher, in the movie "Monnstruck" falls in love
with Puccini`s "La Boheme".
And the list of opera tunes some of us end up humming, often after
hearing them used on TV adverts, must be endless.
Personally I prefer watching ballet but a good tune is a good tune.

I like Billy Connollys description of Opera.
Some fat drunk bearded bastard shouting to some fat tart "I'm going to fuck you" and she screams back "Oh no you're not"
I do like some though. Cavalleira Rusticana is extremely nice to listen to when absorbing some Kultur.

I love classical music especially Wagner, Stravinsky, Copland and Bach but opera leaves me strangely cold...If I could understand the vocals it might be better but I only speak three languages, English, Gibberish and Utter Bollox!

Some is exceptionally good.
I wouldn't go to Covent Garden as I view mainstream Opera like Billy Connolly but I inherited my brothers collection of cds and as he had nothing really but taste I got meself some Kultur. Two that I like are Famous Opera Choirs Vol 1 and 2 from the Rose Collection played by the London Symphony Orchestra and others.

Fantastic stuff !