I’ve never seen very many operas, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed was Mozart’s “Don Giovani” which had several comic moments in it, as well as more serious dramatic parts. And hey, it’s got THREE baritone parts, which I love, because tenor just doesn’t do it for me the way baritone does, and one of the songs is all three baritones together!
[which is not to say I’ve never heard a lot of opera music, because I’ve listened to a lot of recordings]
There’s only one, thank the lord.
I wouldn’t tackle the whole Ring Cycle at once. Start with one or two. The entire thing is four operas and over fourteen hours long. Das Rheingold and Die Walküre are plenty for a weekend, and a decent introduction to Wagner. Siegfried and Götterdämmerung are a bit more… esoteric, not to mention just plain long.
Myself, I could listen to nothing but the Ring from now till eternity and and consider it my own personal heaven, but for a novice, I wouldn’t recommend diving headfirst into the whole thing. Wagner, especially the Ring, is like a hot bath that you have to dip a toe into, then sloooooooowly immerse yourself fully. Take it easy with this stuff.
I was intrigued by the “best of” stuff like Ride of the Valkyries and Siegfried’s Rhine Journey, but hooked from the moment I heard the (what is it, D flat pedal?) at the beginning of Rheingold.
The Flying Dutchman is not as cool, but is shorter. 
Tristan und Usolde also rocks.
E-flat. The longest E-flat-major chord ever*. 136 bars to be precise (yes, I’m that much of a dork).
*Probably not, given the weird stuff that some avant-garde and minimalist composers come up with.
Thanks, as the Heir said in The Mikado, “I am no musican.”
“Oh, I knew it directly I heard you play!”
So, you ever cry at the end of Das Rheingold?
Have you seen Bugs Bunny do the Barber of somewhere thing?
The jailer?
“La Boheme” is a good, popular opera. As I like to say, it’s got Paris, young love, starving artists, tuberculosis–what more do you want? 
Go to YouTube to sample a wealth of opera arias and excerpts (and possibly some full operas in segments).
“Vissi d’arte” from a live production of “Tosca”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZXwz0gj5fY (there’s a big spoiler in the segment following that one, so don’t watch it)
Callas’ performance is still highly regarded, decades later.
Scarpia’s aria from the end of act 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3lPxwct2sk
Interesting staging, done on location where the opera is set.
Gian Carlo Menotti wrote operas in English. Some of them: “Amahl and the Night Visitors” (first opera written for television, 1 act: a crippled, poor boy meets the 3 Kings on their way to Bethlehem), “The Medium” (2 acts), “The Consul”.
We spent a good amount of time in 10th grade Engilsh studying the Ring, so when I discovered Anna in grad school I was ready. I actually got to see her twice - she also did a mean version of Nabucco (sp?) which I’m not sure is on a record.
I’m happy to say that when my daughter lived in Chicago she asked for, and got a subscription to the opera for here birthday.
No, somehow the image of Wotan inviting the gods into his fortress that he bought with his sister-in-law while the Rheinmaidens pine after the gold that they were too stupid to protect doesn’t quite get me going.
(People cry at Rheingold?)
Actually, while Boheme always gives me a little tinge, the only opera that’s ever seriously threatened to set me off was Of Mice and Men. That looks a little strange in print, but if you’ve ever seen the opera, you’d understand. Floyd captures the end masterfully.
Hey an Opera thread! I am only just starting to get into Opera, but I wanted to second this production. In fact ANYTHING that Sellars has directed is worth seeing. The man is one of the great geniuses of modern theatre. (Yeah, I get more doe eyed over directors than composers or conductors. I am more a theatre geek than a music geek, sue me.)
I tear up at the Rhinemaidens singing for their gold. There is something poignant about their voices without music for that bit, lost innocence and (sniff) stuff like that.
No love for Tannhäuser? The overture alone is worth the price of admission.
I’m not interested in watching it but I can appreciate the music. I don’t like the upper register of singing so I don’t like female opera singers. It’s a waste of talent for me. Finger nails on a chalk board.
But I understand your appreciation of music. the first time I heard Johnny Cash sing Hurt I was floored by the feeling behind it.
It has been said that Wagner wanted to name the Venusberg the “Mound of Venus”, but was cautioned not to by a friend with a knowledge of medicine.
I saw a production in Hamburg with the most pornographic ballet I’ve ever witnessed. Good fun.
I haven’t been to the opera in a while. My first was Turandot - many, many years ago. The thread made me check out Seattle Opera’s season, and it looks pretty good. I think I’ll get tickets (plus, they’re doing the whole Ring Cycle next summer and season ticket holders get better seats.)
My little brother got sucked into the ballet the same way the OP got sucked into opera. Prepare for your friends and loved ones to be amused. And know that if they won’t go to the opera house with you, you can get much better tickets at the last minute if you go solo than if you need 2 tickets close together.
You might enjoy “Boris Godunov”, by Mussorgsky, (or at least excerpts from it, it’s a long one). Mostly Basses and Baritones in the cast - you can go for fifteen minutes without hearing a note above middle ‘c’…
You sicko!
Your the sort of person who goes around trying to get young children to watch The Ring Cycle and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that you have some sort of excuse"I have a behaviour disorder I cant help it " for knowingly attending Haydn concerts.
Cant psychiatrists help you?
Surely there must be some sort of medication that can help you resist these nauseating impulses?
You sicken me …pervert!
Indeed, Wagnerites cannot reproduce, they must recruit. 