New to Opera, have some questions

Opera is one of those things that was "forced" upon me as a kid as my parents were "Deadheads" of the U.S. & European Opera Scene. My personal feelings towards opera is that there is no comparison to seeing it live...even more so than a "music only" event.

One of my primary reasonings is that there is more than just the music, there is a story to be followed...some very simple while others are quite complex. This leads to the foreign language issue that you mention...I myself need the supra-titles in the opera house to keep me up to speed with the story as I'm still somewhat of a newbie to the art.

I personally don't listen to opera on my system but if I were going to, I think that a better way to enjoy it would be with a dvd or laserdisc. Even though it isn't "live", you still get a chance to appreciate what different companies have to offer with the set/production design, the orchestra and you get subtitles to boot.

If it were just for music, I would have to say that the most beautiful opera I have heard is Bizet's 'The Pearl Fishers'

I would recommend hitting up the local library and seeing what they might have in their collections so you'll be able to see which version of an opera you might like the most...but definitely go see a live performance if you can...if it's a good one, you'll be in for a treat!

just my 2c...FWIW

enjoy!

Ellery

I think you could just let your interest develop. If not understanding the language becomes an issue you cannot come to terms with, you will likely lose interest & move on to something else. On the other hand, it is possible that the music may draw you in to the extent that you will be inspired to learn the language -more, the culture that inspired the opera in the first place. There is a potential for interest in opera on a number of different levels and it could be enormously rewarding to the right person.However, there is no reason why this should be the music for you. It is just another avenue, and its value is entirely relative and not absolute.

Ellery911 is right, it is better to see an opera than just listen to one. I got into opera via laserdisc, and I got hooked. Now have some on dvd, but find I never listen to my opera cd's anymore. If you want to try a gorgeous dvd, try the operetta "The Merry Widow", which was done at the San Francisco Opera house, and filmed by the BBC. Available at Towerrecords.com. This thing has fantastic costumes and sets, the music is also gorgeous, and I never get tired of watching this.!
Alan

Several members of my family were/are associated with the Metropolitan Opera in NY. as a result, I have been "exposed" to opera, but I would not consider myself a fan. That being said, I can suggest what I consider to be a very accessible opera as a way of easing into these types of works: Aaron Copeland's "The Tender Land". As far as I know, there is only one recording of the entire opera, and that is by the Minnesota Opera Chorus. It's a wonderful opera about a midwest farm family, music has that Copland-esqe American feeling. Bonus: It's in English!

For traditional European opera, some of the Mozart operas are easy on the ears (Magic Flute, Marriage of Figaro).

Female voices: Montserrat Cabal, Dorothy Kirsten, Callas

I totally hated opera until the Three Tenors Concert in 1990 was aired repeatedly on PBS in my area as part of a fundraising campaign. The quality of the performances and the camaraderie of the performers swayed me. It must have been a wonderful experience to witness it live.
Try that one, and I would strongly suggest Tosca, esp. the one with Placido Domingo and Hildergarde Behrens.
Enjoy.
Ray