Opera

[Kal Rubinson]

2 minutes ago, mansr said:

The visual aspect is a major part of the opera experience. In an audio only recording, I tend to find much of a performance rather dull, although amazing segments lurk here and there.

The visual aspect is a major part of the experience at the opera, sure.  OTOH, I quickly tire of watching the same action at home via BD even though I continue to enjoy the music with the display off or via audio only recordings.  

[Kal Rubinson]

27 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

 

I admit - sometimes 3 or 4 minutes of operatic vocal in a movie isn't that bad (ok, not more than 5 )

 

 

Do you really think that is opera?

[Kal Rubinson]

33 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

No. Operatic vocal - yes. Composition by Eric Serra performed (mostly - here is what ES said about it: http://en.traxmag.com/interview/35491-eric-serra-tells-the-secrets-of-the-diva-song-in-the-fifth-element  ) by Inva Mula. Am I correct?

I would call it an operatic travesty.

[Kal Rubinson]

27 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

Carmen

???

[Kal Rubinson]

12 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

Carmen

 

11 hours ago, wgscott said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen

OK but to what is that referenced?  Was there a question?

[Kal Rubinson]

5 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

I'd agree with this. Anyway IMO this is a great scene (in particular in the original movie version) showing strong emotional response of the concert hall audience to the music. It's also interesting that Luc Besson (beside being the director he co-wrote the script for the movie so I assume this was his decision)  had chosen opera genre inspired composition to accompany this scene and I actually like this fact - the juxtaposition of the world of the future and the music genre with such a long tradition is IMO a brilliant idea.

I agree with this.  It is a great scene and I particularly enjoy how it is intercut with off-stage action.

[Kal Rubinson]

2 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

I can listen to Carmen, hence the post.

Carmen is the only opera that I have ever walked out of prematurely.

[Kal Rubinson]

Just now, Ralf11 said:

bad performance?

Probably.  It was decades ago and I've since developed a taste (tolerance) for it.

[Kal Rubinson]

1 hour ago, wgscott said:

As opposed to walking out at the appointed time?

Yes but, although I expressed myself poorly, we left by choice to go have a drink and not, as has happened, to make a train.

[Kal Rubinson]

1 hour ago, Ralf11 said:

well, how was the drink?

Welcome and satisfying.

[Kal Rubinson]

19 minutes ago, Teresa said:

I really like the orchestral suite from Carmen. IMHO there is a lot of great music from operas without the singing.

You might try this. Apparently, there is a lot of great music from The Beatles without the singing.?

[Kal Rubinson]

2 hours ago, firedog said:

There's also a lot of great music from Ballets without the dancing.

Exactly but its not ballet without the dancing!

[Kal Rubinson]

5 hours ago, rodrigaj said:

I used to enjoy The Met opera at the local AMC. Where else could you see Shostakovich's The Nose outside of NYC?

 

But now, since we can't be seated one second without food and drink, the smells and disruptions have made the AMC opera experience unbearable.

And while I'm venting, texting, email checking, facebook checking, ... etc., have made the experience impossible.

 

That's why we have BlueRay discs.

[Kal Rubinson]

18 minutes ago, rodrigaj said:

 

The MET performance of Shostakovich's The Nose is on BlueRay?

 

The problem with BlueRay is that none of the unusual stuff gets released. Once the performances in movie theatres are done they are gone.

Not that I know of but there is a DVD, a YouTube performance and a multichannel SACD.  One hopes there will be a BluRay one day.  At least one can enjoy these without distractions.

[Kal Rubinson]

30 minutes ago, Bob Stern said:

 In fact, I've never heard even a BluRay video whose audio is as good as redbook.

I am surprised.

[Kal Rubinson]

10 hours ago, Bob Stern said:

Do the vast majority of Bluray opera videos have uncompressed audio tracks?

Yes.

10 hours ago, Bob Stern said:

Perhaps the Oppo is outputting the compressed stereo track instead of extracting uncompressed stereo from the highest quality multi-channel track, even though I select the latter in the on-screen setup menu for the title.  

I cannot vouch for whether the mamajority of Bluray opera videos have an uncompressed stereo audio track.