Popera

If you are an opera enthusiast, the name “Andrea Bocelli” probably makes you convulse with anger and disgust. “He’s not a real opera singer,” you’ll declare, wiping the frustration-induced sweat from your brow. If I dare mention the names “Il Divo”, “Charlotte Church”, or “Sarah Brightman”; you might collapse onto the floor, rolling in agony, begging me to say the name “Birgit Nilsson”. It is a true, and inevitable fact. Opera, like all the arts that were once reserved for the most sublime of talent, is being modernized and broadened. Instead of the Three Tenors (who, despite your personal tastes, were all men of talent, class, and substance), we know have Il Divo, the group of strapping young lads who have pleasant voices, but are definitely not world class material, though their CD sales would probably disagree.It is easy for any opera lover to be discouraged when only fifty years ago, we were in the Age of Maria Callas, Birgit Nilsson, and Renata Scotto — The Age of the Diva. Comfort is taken in the fact that though these impostors are invading our airwaves and music stores, they are not invading our opera houses. Then came the lovely young starlet, Anna Netrebko. Yes, she is indeed a stunning beauty. Her looks are world-class, to be sure, but her voice is not. Despite the very secure fact that she is not, in fact, the next Renata Tebaldi, she is assuming the role of the diva in opera houses all over the world, including the Met.Why, with all of this “dumbing down” of opera, of making it more palatable for the average consumer, am I optimistic about opera’s future?The answer is very simple. The average consumer, taken by Miss Netrebko’s stunning looks, might purchase a ticket to hear her perform. At this performance, he may decide he likes the opera. Then, he may purchase a recording of said opera, with a singer like Mirella Freni or Renee Fleming singing the role formerly held by Miss Netrebko. The consumer is then enthralled by the stunning vocals of the true diva, and buys another recording of her. The cycle continues, until the consumer is a true opera lover, with a well-rounded collection of Domingo, Callas, Tebaldi, and Caballe. If a Netrebko or Bocelli sneaks into the collection, no harm done.Yes, I do believe, hope against hope, that someone taken in by the sheer commercialism of these “popera” and second-class opera stars, might one day evolve into a true lover of the art. Category:Home › Other • Pomegranates: A newly discovered superfood • Where did the joke why did the chicken cross the road come from and why is it funny? • Can mothers diagnosed with bipolar disorder make good parents? • Spiritual evolution of human consciousness • Tips for getting a college basketball scholarship • Living with Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) • Caring for the caregiver • Technologys impact on society