tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post3662420849415898324..comments2024-03-23T20:37:37.891-07:00Comments on First Known When Lost: Life As A Work Of Art, Part Five: "Grand Opera"Stephen Pentzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-51168968045639147052013-01-31T05:48:46.902-08:002013-01-31T05:48:46.902-08:00John B: thank you very much for the Rossini quote!...John B: thank you very much for the Rossini quote! I hadn't heard it before. So, perhaps I am on to something when it comes to Wagner, but I have no excuse when it comes to Rossini, Mozart, et al.<br /><br />I appreciate your taking the time to visit. Please return soon.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-68230060456741433052013-01-31T00:53:29.675-08:002013-01-31T00:53:29.675-08:00To quote Rossini;
"Wagner has lovely moments...To quote Rossini;<br /><br />"Wagner has lovely moments but awful quarters of an hour."John Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-15191123382486999572013-01-25T00:36:18.018-08:002013-01-25T00:36:18.018-08:00N. F. Mohammad: thank you very much for visiting a...N. F. Mohammad: thank you very much for visiting again, and for your comments.<br /><br />I am similar to you: I love most types of music, but somehow opera doesn't move me. And as for tragic love stories, I confess that something by Hardy (Tess or Jude the Obscure, for instance) or the Brontes can hold my attention, while opera cannot. On the other hand, I can understand if those who love the opera find Hardy or the Brontes overwrought or boring.<br /><br />Thanks again. I appreciate hearing from you.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-24751706016526297442013-01-25T00:25:59.064-08:002013-01-25T00:25:59.064-08:00Fred: thank you very much for making the point abo...Fred: thank you very much for making the point about liturgical music -- I love the work of, for instance, Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. Very moving and sublime.<br /><br />I am in the same camp as you when it comes to ballet. Another mark against me.<br /><br />As always, thank you for visiting.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-76008037506162616902013-01-25T00:18:02.940-08:002013-01-25T00:18:02.940-08:00alice c: lucky you! I envy you the experience. A...alice c: lucky you! I envy you the experience. And the salute is lovely! The world needs more of such things. (So says this reactionary traditionalist.)<br /><br />Thank you for stopping by again.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-50830349474362095522013-01-24T22:50:29.248-08:002013-01-24T22:50:29.248-08:00Alex: yes, perhaps I am overreacting to the Wagner...Alex: yes, perhaps I am overreacting to the Wagnerian bombast (a fine word). Something that is toned down a notch or two might win me over. I appreciate your suggestions of Mozart and Rossini.<br /><br />As ever, thanks for dropping by, and for your thoughts.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-54969137332805512982013-01-24T21:07:38.501-08:002013-01-24T21:07:38.501-08:00Here is one that shares with you the same sentimen...Here is one that shares with you the same sentiment, so to speak. We don't have opera in Baghdad, and I think most of the Arabs do not really have a taste for it. however, when i come across the art in my reading, a movie am watching or documentary, i wonder what people love about it! it always sounds the property of people with refined taste, but if i would attend one show, i may feel asleep, or rush out of the theater. I like singing, and listen often to songs of different languages, music for me is a universal art, and i like melodramatic stories, though, where lovers pine for each other and end up dead for their love Nadia Mohammedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03462355780396120620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-49186809259032229692013-01-24T15:51:15.858-08:002013-01-24T15:51:15.858-08:00Stephen,
I don't consider myself an opera lov...Stephen,<br /><br />I don't consider myself an opera lover either, although there are some choruses and arias that I enjoy listening to.<br /><br />Given a choice between liturgical chant and opera, I would have to go with the liturgical works.<br /><br />I have tried--I went so far as to get a season's ticket to the opera one year, but found myself nodding off most of the time. <br /><br />I also tried a season's ticket to the ballet and found that even less interesting than opera. I did enjoy the music though. <br /><br />I guess there's no hope for me.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10233846613173866140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-36502038815951226742013-01-24T02:38:46.078-08:002013-01-24T02:38:46.078-08:00A few year ago I was walking along the Thames and ...A few year ago I was walking along the Thames and saw a Swan Upping boat coming towards me with the royal pennant flying. I am sure that it has a special name - it was a low clinker built boat, beautifully maintained as you might imagine. The officials were dressed in their royal regalia and to my astonishment the Chief Swan Upper (wearing blazer and peaked cap) saluted me. A very surreal experience.alice chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16969805206040091585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-66207856267926832502013-01-24T01:12:40.359-08:002013-01-24T01:12:40.359-08:00James Reeves captures the essential absurdity of &...James Reeves captures the essential absurdity of 'grand opera' in some of his lines, and I share your sentiments with regard to Wagner. I cannot stand the bombastic music and the preposterous shrieking of the singers in his operas. <br /><br />However, there are some operas e.g. <i>The Marriage of Figaro</i> by Mozart and <i>The Barber of Seville</i> by Rossini, that I enjoy very much and never tire of.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-18692399990837815372013-01-23T16:18:31.941-08:002013-01-23T16:18:31.941-08:00Mr. Henning: thank you for stopping by again, and ...Mr. Henning: thank you for stopping by again, and for your thoughts. I greatly appreciate your kind words about the blog, and I'm happy that you found your way here.<br /><br />Yes, I don't excoriate myself for my feelings about opera -- it's just one of those things I have never quite "gotten," I suppose. And thank you for the encouragement with regard to the Greek: I would love to be able to some day be able to recognize parts of, say, Herodotus and Homer in the original.<br /><br />Thank you again. I hope you'll continue to visit.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-3801191714808323242013-01-23T16:10:55.451-08:002013-01-23T16:10:55.451-08:00Julie: as always, thanks for visiting.
Yes, I'...Julie: as always, thanks for visiting.<br /><br />Yes, I've always had a soft spot for "Swan Upping" as well. I still remember encountering Spencer's work for the first time at the Tate -- ah, that was long ago! Unfortunately, I have never seen "Scarecrow" in person, but I would love to. I agree: it is a wonder, isn't it?<br /><br />Don't worry, I wouldn't think to "cringe" at the thought or sight of someone enjoying opera! As I said in the post, the fault lies with me.<br /><br />It's nice to hear from you again.Stephen Pentzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14882220887712092005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-82239634368244415922013-01-23T08:58:31.233-08:002013-01-23T08:58:31.233-08:00Just because you don't like opera that doesn&#...Just because you don't like opera that doesn't mean you're a bad person. <br /><br />And do have a go at ancient Greek, I did a year (it got really hard after that) and it taught me a lot about the English language at the same time. <br /><br />Your blog is lovely, great combo of poetry and images. Will visit often. Thank you.Marc Henninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16026746073985216977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5010170380967519230.post-41319271655413753332013-01-23T08:10:32.319-08:002013-01-23T08:10:32.319-08:00There it is, one of the most wonderful paintings i...There it is, one of the most wonderful paintings in the world.<br />I refer to 'Swan Upping at Cookham'<br />which is enormous in person, as if you were in on the counting the swans for the Queen yourself.<br />I know you will cringe Stephen, but my heart swelled with something very close to an aria from La Boheme when I saw it and its neighbor, "Scarecrow" which I have never seen and has enriched my whole day~<br />JulieJulie Whitmore Potteryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12283540996942265818noreply@blogger.com