# Operas?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operas/411164>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 10, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operas/411164 "2007-07-10T05:14:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operas/411164/21 "2007-07-10T19:48:43Z")

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Just wanted to add that Nick Jr. has a show called The Wonder Pets, which is presented as an Opera. It’s really fun.

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**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operas/411164/22 "2007-07-10T20:12:51Z")

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I don’t know anything about art songs, but when I was first dipping my ears into the opera ocean, I picked up a couple of CDs of “best loved arias”, that sort of thing.

My two first operas to buy were **Carmen** and **The Magic Flute**. Both those have wonderful arias that are very accessible to new listeners. (i.e. - catchy as hell!)

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operas/411164/23 "2007-07-10T20:25:19Z")

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[QUOTE=choie]  
The main difference between an aria and a work like “Ave Maria” is simply that “AM” isn’t from an opera.  
[/QUOTE]

I beg to differ, and will shoot down your statement with two words: Verdi’s Otello. It has an AM far superior to Schubert’s.

My suggestion is to watch it on video first. The von Karajin version, please. Yes, it’s a little 70s looking, but IMHO the best directed version. That way you can get to know the plot. Then you can appreciate a CD version all the more.

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**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operas/411164/24 "2007-07-11T00:13:29Z")

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> [@tdn](#):
>
> I beg to differ, and will shoot down your statement with two words: Verdi’s Otello. It has an AM far superior to Schubert’s.

How does that shoot my statement down? I was talking about the specific “Ave Maria” (by Schubert) that **Morath** had heard, you silly person. 🙂

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**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/operas/411164/25 "2007-07-11T01:18:42Z")

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[QUOTE=Zebra]

Did you like Moulin Rouge? It’s based on the Opera La Boheme. So you might like that.  
[/QUOTE]

It’s really more like _La Traviata_ set with the characters from _La Boheme_.

I just wanted to pop in and mention that the Schubert _Ave Maria_ is not, in the original version, the traditional Latin prayer, rather it is an excerpt (Ellen’s third prayer, I believe) from Walter Scott’s _Lady of the Lake_ (translated into German). **Morath** , I suspect that if you heard it in German, this is the version you heard. In my not so humble opinion, this is how it should always be done. If you really need a Latin _Ave Maria_, there are plenty of others to choose from.

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