July 16th, 2008
NOTE FROM ANDY:
In the last few years, opera has enjoyed a bit of
a renaissance, particularly in, of all places,
the US. Opera houses have been renovated,
American composers have seen their work
performed to generally good reviews, and works by
everyone from Puccini to Tan Dun are enjoying
excellent ticket and album sales. Woohoo!
What can we expect from this resurgent
American opera scene?
a renaissance, particularly in, of all places,
the US. Opera houses have been renovated,
American composers have seen their work
performed to generally good reviews, and works by
everyone from Puccini to Tan Dun are enjoying
excellent ticket and album sales. Woohoo!
What can we expect from this resurgent
American opera scene?
The Top 7
Observations About American Opera
Observations About American Opera
7> They’ve still got a lot of fights between Vikings and all, but every once in a while the fighting will stop long enough for someone to say “What’s in your wallet?”
6> To bolster sagging ratings, MTV presents “Tristan und Isolde” starring Rihanna and Ne-Yo. CMT counter-programs “Madama Butterfly” with Toby Keith and Carrie Underwood.
5> New hit show combines best of American opera: “Porgy Rents Candide.”
4> “Carmen” enjoying animated success as slightly retooled “Cartman.”
3> Out: Enrico Caruso. In: David Caruso.
2> Product placement abounds: the Barber of Seville uses only Paul Mitchell in his salon.
and the Number 1 Observations About American Opera…
1> American audiences dismayed at surprisingly low number of works that actually contain the line “Kill da wabbit”.
.
Credits:
Selected from 25 submissions from 7 contributors.
This week’s list authors are:
Bill Livingston, Decatur, AL — 1, 6 (14th #1!)
Gary Reynolds, West Lafayette, IN — 2
Randy Lee, Burke, VA — 3, 4, 5 (Hat trick!), Banner tag
Jim G. Phynn, Horsham, PA — 7
Amy Lane, Waterboro, ME — Topic
Andy Grosser, Somerville, MA — Maestro
RUNNERS UP list — Do Not Operate
Out: Horned helmets, mighty stallions and singing clowns.
In: Flannel hoodies, SUVs and singing hedge fund managers.
(Bill Livingston, Decatur, AL)
P. Diddy’s tribute to Shakespeare in opera: “The Capu-ass and the Monty Qs”.
(Dave Ferry, Purvis, MS)
Spike Lee adapts “Phantom of the Opera” so it now takes place in Harlem, and the Phantom is Dick Cheney, who wears a Bush mask.
(Gary Reynolds, West Lafayette, IN)
Thanks to accompanying Internet paradigm shift, IE and Firefox browsers now looking pretty lame by comparison.
(Bill Livingston, Decatur, AL)
Runners Up list name
(Gideon Griebenow, Johannesburg, S. Africa)
(Bill Livingston, Decatur, AL)
P. Diddy’s tribute to Shakespeare in opera: “The Capu-ass and the Monty Qs”.
(Dave Ferry, Purvis, MS)
Spike Lee adapts “Phantom of the Opera” so it now takes place in Harlem, and the Phantom is Dick Cheney, who wears a Bush mask.
(Gary Reynolds, West Lafayette, IN)
Thanks to accompanying Internet paradigm shift, IE and Firefox browsers now looking pretty lame by comparison.
(Bill Livingston, Decatur, AL)
Runners Up list name
(Gideon Griebenow, Johannesburg, S. Africa)
