# Opera 101 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 30, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136 "2005-05-30T21:50:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/1 "2005-05-30T21:50:01Z")
So, recently my chorus has been doing a lot of outside gigs that involve all sorts of operas. As a self-proclaimed TV-child of the 80s with not so interesting taste in music, where would I start, if I wanted to gain as much information about the opera genre as possible? Which operas are a must-know for beginners? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Feydeau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Feydeau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feydeau)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/2 "2005-05-30T21:55:47Z")
I think you’ll find much of Bizet’s _Carmen_ recognizable. Also _The Barber of Seville._ Many operatic musical themes have worked their way into movie sountracks and popular culture. This doesn’t really answer your question, though, does it. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/3 "2005-05-30T23:01:54Z")
You’d probably recognize a few themes from Wagner’s ring cycle–see if you can find a recording of the highlights. Given that the cycle totals 14 hours of opera, you may not want to just jump in with both feet. The [AMG opera page](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE4781ED948A97520CE992D4DDABD7DF529D64CEE831F29461BDFBA3C54851472F353F28C93FDFF6AB779B0FD2EA45F43D4C0EF55F6DF6F2D5DF0&sql=73:7545) has a short list of highlights that you may find interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/4 "2005-05-31T00:10:54Z")
> [@NotWithoutRage](#): > > Which operas are a must-know for beginners? That would be _What’s Opera, Doc?_ and _The Rabbit of Seville_, both directed by Chuck Jones. Seriously, though, you might want to check out the book [Who’s Afraid of Opera?](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0671884026/qid=1117498585/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-8378928-3071232?v=glance&s=books) by Michael Walsh. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/5 "2005-05-31T00:26:59Z")
And don’t forget Rossini’s _Lone Ranger Overture_, which some philistines refer to as the overture from _William Tell_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/6 "2005-05-31T00:28:24Z")
Thanks, so far, you guys =D I’m lucky, living in NYC. Hoping to see a few operas over the summer. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/7 "2005-05-31T00:35:28Z")
Some “starter” operas are “Rigoletto” and “La Boheme” - both have decent plots and great tunes. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/8 "2005-05-31T00:57:37Z")
Mozart’s _The Magic Flute_ and _Don Giovanni_ are also great starters. Ingmar Bergman’s film of the former is a delight, and Joseph Losey’s version of the latter is also excellent. Staying with operas on film, Zeffirelli’s _La Traviata_ is beautifully photographed. Although I can’t claim to be an opera connoisseur, I believe that the casts of all of these films are top-notch, highly reputed pros. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/9 "2005-05-31T20:32:19Z")
Another vote for “La Boheme”. As I’ve said before, it has starving artists, love, Paris, tuberculosis–what more could you want? 😃 “Tosca” is good, too. The end of the first act is one of the great parts of the opera. There’s also a bit of business at the end of the second act involving lighting candles. This may have been originated by Sarah Bernhardt in the play the opera was based on. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/10 "2005-05-31T21:52:01Z")
When we were in Florence for a study abroad program I dragged four opera neophytes to a performance of La Boheme and left the theatre with four opera fans. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opera-101/306136/11 "2005-06-01T01:05:02Z")
For absolute beginners, I’d recommend: Bizet: _Carmen_ Gershwin: _Porgy and Bess_ Puccini: _La Bohème_ Rossini: _The Barber of Seville_ Verdi: _Aïda_ Verdi: _Rigoletto_