Getting into Opera... need advice

FYI...Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote songs for Sarah Brighman, because at the time she was Mrs. Andrew Lloyd Webber (no longer). That is also how she got the lead in Phantom...

While very pleasant, I don't consider her an opera singer, or Andrea Bocelli. Their voices are kind of light. Note that they both always sing into a microphone. Can you say Karaoke ??

There are recordings that have opera "highlights". They have all the favorite parts on a single CD; which saves you from spending a lot of money on a big 2 to 4 CD set. This might be a good place to start without breaking the bank. Your local library may also have some CD's you could check out...

You could also sample various soloists who put out CD's singing their favorite arias from a bunch of different operas. If you like what you hear, you can then try out the whole opera...

Another great one: Sweeney Todd by Steven Sodheim. Beautiful, brilliant, fabulous libretto/lyrics. Very user friendly for a first timer. Italian opera is the way to start out. User friendly operas are La Boheme, Aida, Madama Butterfly, La Traviata and Carmen (French). Go to the library and take them out. You'll get an idea, real quick, if this is for you. Won't cost you a cent....

Purcell: Dido and Aeneas (English, 17th Century)
Bizet: Carmen (French, 19th Century)
Both very melodic and easy to like.

You might try Massenet's "Werther" to go melodic and melancholy and French. I, personally, started out with Verdi's "Il trovatore" and loved it.

You should try Debussy's "Pelleas et Melisande". Melancholy, introspective and absolutely gorgeous in every way. Several to choose from -- Boulez, Karajan, Abbado, Desormiere, Ansermet.