Getting into Opera... need advice

I'd suggest purchasing the book The Rough Guide to Opera. They go through all the composers, all the way topresent day, and make recommendations on performances. Their recommendations lean toward singing quality, and not necessarily sound quality.

In terms of opera, there is a very wide range of music within this genre. Each country, whether it is German, Russian, Hungarian, French, or Italian approaches the music, singing, and subject matter drastically different. It's hard just to make a recommendation because of this.

Another consideration would be to rent opera videos from your library. I think seeing the full production makes it easier to understand the premise, rather than just listening to the singing. Also, be aware that many of the greastest operas need to be heard several times before truly appreciated.

Rigoletto. My very first opera. It hooked me. Should be just want you're looking for. If Pace Pace doesn't do it for you, there's no hope....pace, warren

I strongly second Rtn1's idea of getting a book. Besides the informational side, it will also be enjoyable reading.

Other than that, I would also recommend Mozart's Don Giovanni (Giulini is an easily available choice here). Not only is the musical composition great, the libretto is exciting, humourous, and haunting.

I recommend Sir Denis Forman's book a "Night at the Opera"-- it is very entertaining and has plot summaries, the authors ratings, and a discussion of the best moments from most of the major operas-- I don't think he recommends specific recordings but you can get that elsewhere once you decide what operas most interest you.

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...