Opera

Never seen one and never really wanted to

Always put it in the same bracket as going on a Cruise, i.e lots of stuck up people wearing chinos and a long sleeved shirt with the top button undone
Funny, I was at the proms last night and they suffer from the same thing. My other half refuses to go, she says she knows she won't like it and it's full of the people you describe.

Thing is it really isn't. Yes, this types of people are there, but on the floor, when you're actually promming there's a huge mix, lots of young un's in
 
Not quite the same, but I'd also advocate watching at least one ballet in your life too.

We try to go at least once a year, and it's such a magical experience, not to mention the sheer athleticism needed from the whole company leaves you in awe.

Starting with something familiar and accessible like The Nutcracker or Swan Lake means you'll know most of the tunes, and also they're relatively easy to follow stories too.

Why things like the ballet or opera should be seen as "not for us" simply because of where we (well most of us anyway) were born has always baffled me to be honest.
 
Not quite the same, but I'd also advocate watching at least one ballet in your life too.

We try to go at least once a year, and it's such a magical experience, not to mention the sheer athleticism needed from the whole company leaves you in awe.

Starting with something familiar and accessible like The Nutcracker or Swan Lake means you'll know most of the tunes, and also they're relatively easy to follow stories too.

Why things like the ballet or opera should be seen as "not for us" simply because of where we (well most of us anyway) were born has always baffled me to be honest.
Never been to the ballet! One of my rugby friends is a dancer and she swears by a good ballet. Good tip on the "accessible" thing too. That's how I managed to go to the opera, by going to ones that are well known and accessible.

I'll have to check one out. Where do you go? I worked round the corner from Salders wells back in the day and I imagine they do a good ballet
 
Not quite the same, but I'd also advocate watching at least one ballet in your life too.

We try to go at least once a year, and it's such a magical experience, not to mention the sheer athleticism needed from the whole company leaves you in awe.

Starting with something familiar and accessible like The Nutcracker or Swan Lake means you'll know most of the tunes, and also they're relatively easy to follow stories too.

Why things like the ballet or opera should be seen as "not for us" simply because of where we (well most of us anyway) were born has always baffled me to be honest.
I tried a ’modern ballet’ as my introduction..
It was the wrong thing to do

Your advice is spot on
 
Went to see La Boheme in Milan thinking it would be a great thing to do. It was good but 20 odd years later I've not seen another one.
 
Opera / Ballet is a cheaper hobby than 2nd tier football.
Bonnie Greer ,off the telly, said she found it intimidating.
I wouldn't say it was that rough but my neighbour, who used to go regularly, told of booing and walkouts if it was a new work or below par.
 
I went to the Opera in Venice...and fell asleep. It was on for about 3 hours. Just not my bag. My wife loved it though. I think you've got to 'get it'.
 
I went to the Opera in Venice...and fell asleep. It was on for about 3 hours. Just not my bag. My wife loved it though. I think you've got to 'get it'.
Yeah. And at least you tried. I know a few people who won't do this because "There not our type of people" But, give it a go. As you say it isn't for you but now you know
 
I've always liked opera and love contemporary dance, but have never been able to get away with ballet, even the best companies.
 
My Daughter is a Opera singer in Germany. One thing she mentions is how no, NO ONE in getmany asks he how she became one. Where as everyone in the uk asked how a girl from middlesbrough became an opera singer. It our class system, pure and simple.
They love her boro accent " you sing like a princess" she was told once. The english southern public schoolgirls just can't pronounce umlauts never mind sing them.
 
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My Daughter is a Opera singer in Germany. One thing she mentions is how no, NO ONE in getmany asks he how she became one. Where as everyone in the uk asked how a girl from middlesbrough became an opera singer. It our class system, pure and simple.
They love here boro accent " you sing like a princess" she was told once. The english southern public schoolgirls just can't pronounce umlauts never mind sing them.
Wonderful. Where does she work? I'm also active in German theatre, though more on the drama than the opera side. Nevertheless as many theatres have opera and drama companies (and ballet companies and youth/kids' theatre companies - see what happens if you support the arts properly?) we may have crossed paths. Would be fun talking about the latest Boro news with her in the Kantine.
 
A friend took me to see Carmen. I was absolutely blown away. One of the best live performances I have ever seen. I thoroughly recommend seeing it. I was surprised how many of the tunes I recognised.
 
I went to see/hear opera for the first time in my life 3 years ago aged 70. It was Aida at the Verona Arena, the largest capacity (16,000?) functioning Roman arena. It doesn't start til it's dark and goes on for about 3 and a half hours finishing about 0030. I thought I can always leave if it sucks - I was on my own and didn't know what to expect or if I'd be able to follow what was going on though I'd read up on the basic storyline. I just got the cheapest ticket which means you sit on the same stone slabs as the plebs did as they watched all sorts of bloody deaths 2000 years ago, but you can now buy a cheap bit of foam to sit on.

I'd put it in one of the top 10 experiences in my life, maybe top 5. I stayed til the end. The fact that it's night in the open air in an enormous Roman arena creates an amazing atmosphere I can't put into words. There was a simultaneous electronic translation of the libretto in English and I thought it's probably going to be a bit of an iffy one but it wasn't and when it got to the bit where Aida's lover sang the line 'Let me build you a throne next to the sun' my jaw dropped.

I decided to visit Verona every year to see a different opera but Covid put a stop to that but I'm going back to Verona next month to see La Traviata and possibly Carmen too (the annual opera festival lasts nearly 3 months June-Sept and next year is the 100th festival so should be amazing). The scale of the Arena in Verona means hundreds of people can be involved on stage, it's so dramatic and the excitement in the air in the city centre beforehand.

Try an opera, go to Verona.

We went there to see Bizet’s Carmen, and agree with you. It was an amazing place. I recommend the soft bit of foam, and stay hydrated with the frequent ice cold cans of Berra Moretti they bring round!
 
Never been to an opera but funnily enough I've been listening to the album Freddie Mercury recorded with Montserrat Caballé recently.

Absolutely love this song.
 
Good result today
Went to get tickets to Turandot (famed for Nessun Dorma) and there were some good reductions because it is on tomorrow.
Just about to part with 130 euros and my wife jokingly piped up - isn’t there another discount because Carmen was cancelled before the end?

Two tickets in great seats for 5 euros!!
If you don’t ask you don’t get
 
Very prestigious - good on her. I'm working in a different theatre in Stuttgart twice next season, so might look her up. As long you don't think that's creepy.
No at all. BTW do you Ave a bayern Munich and a boro sticker on your car?
 
No at all. BTW do you Ave a bayern Munich and a boro sticker on your car?
Bayern plucking Münich?!? Yer joking aren't ya? Boro sticker for a long time on the last car, but nothing now.
If I was the sticker type, more likely to have a SV Sandhausen one - my local 2nd division team - perennial relegation flirts but somehow manage to stay up season after season.
 
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