I might add though that this is not for me, this is a running discussion I have with another musician friend of mine. He insists something like Puccini would be best, probably La Boheme or Madame Butterfly.
I, on the other hand, thing that something like Strauss Elektra would be an ideal starter opera, which sounds insane at first. But I think the sensationalism, the graphic music, the fast pace where they don’t get stuck on one line for minutes, the brevity of the piece make it better than something like Puccini for a new-comer. Salome would probably also fit the bill for all the same reasons.
If pushed for a second place, I would go all the way back to Mozart Marriage of Figaro. It’s basically a Three’s Company episode with ravishingly beautiful and life affirming music- it makes you laugh out loud, breaks your heart, and reaffirms your humanity. So that’s a huge plus. It’s super long though, which might be too much for a first-timer.
I’m a musician and I have a lot of friends who would like to “get into opera” and ask me what they should try first. I don’t want to steer them in the wrong direction, and would like to hear input from others who know the basic repertoire.
Sorry if this has been done before, I looked around and didn’t see anything like this.
I’ve pointed people towards Peter Grimes in the past, and would do so again in similar situations. There’s no language barrier, for one, that complication can wait for the future.* It’s simply wonderful music, whether in the huge chorus sounds, intense solos or the exquisitely-evocative orchestral interludes. Most importantly, it’s a cracking story, complex and well-told, and without getting tangled up with a whole load of mythology!
*Yes, of course, there’s the option to listen to works in English translation, and this has much to offer. Far better for a newcomer, however, to be able to fully immerse themselves into something exactly as it was intended and to be able to appreciate it that way.
Agreed on the English translation point. I never saw the point of that, really.
Peter Grimes is one of my absolute favorite works and is always a shattering, mentally exhausting experience. One synopsis of it I recall said something to the effect of “society brings a man to his knees and crushes him”. I just think the psychological aspect of the drama might be a tough nut to crack. That’s an interesting suggestion, and I bet my friend would approve of it more than my bid for Strauss.
If your friend has an appreciation for humor, one can always ease into the opera genre with one of the light-hearted oeuvres, for example, Die Fledermaus, or Barber of Seville. I saw a production of Fledermaus with Dom DeLuise as the jailer in Act III; he damn near brought the house down.
Perhaps the ‘Heavenly Twins’: Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci. All the usual love/betrayal/revenge/death motifs as well as some recognisable music. Best of all, neither goes for more than about 90 minutes.
My first opera was The Merry Widow, with a post-retirement Joan Sutherland playing the title role. Meh. Nice, but no big deal.
A few months later I saw Prince Igor, which absolutely blew me away. From the moment the overture started I was completely hooked. My girlfriend, who had apologized to me in advance in case she fell asleep (because classical music and opera were not “her thing”) was so captivated that she dashed out the next day and bought a 3-CD recording of the opera that must have cost a good $60-75. It’s not performed too terribly often though, which may very well eliminate it from consideration as a “starter opera.”
Carmen hooked me as a kid, for some of the reasons panache45 gives. Also, if you sing at all, you can probably sing at least part of one of its well-known arias – and mezzos get the best parts, very unusually. Also: it’s in French, and relatively simple French at that, and I think many more English speakers can get by in French than in Italian. And, um, also: most of the main characters are accessible, in that they’re multidimensional and worried about common concerns; the soul-sustaining music starts from a place where most people have been at one time or another.
We went to La Bohème last year, shown through the Met’s HD live performances and really enjoyed it. Neither Mrs Piper nor I had ever been to an opera before.
We’re going this weekend to Madam Butterfly - Mrs. Piper’s birthday present, having enjoyed La Bohème so much last year.
Is Gilbert and Sullivan allowed? Something like The Pirates of Penzance might fit the bill - not too long, funny, easily understood plot and the best thing is that it’s sung in English.
If your friends are redneck hillbillies, then I’d recommend The Cunning Little Vixen. Why? Boobies!!
We are also going to the Met’s HD live performance of Madame Butterfly this weekend at the local movie theater. It’s a great introduction to opera for very cheap, IMHO. This will be our third time going.
