Madam Butterfly, Live Tonight !

[mikey4444]

Tonights live broadcast from the Met is Madam Butterfly, with Kristine Opolais and Roberto Alagna...sure to be good !

The opera to take people to see, who have never seen an opera before....don't forget your hanky though !

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075p045

[Sqad]

Opera does nothing for me mikey.....but the "old lady" likes it.

Took her many years ago to see an opera in London and guess what, I developed a bad headache whilst having drinks before the start. I went back to the hotel and to my amazement, Manchester United were playing Honved on the TV, so i rang room service for champagne and smoked salmon sandwiches.

I know......I am a Philistine.

[mikey4444]

Sqad...yes, you probably are but I think you may be worth saving.

Lady Sqad needs to be more firm with you...tell her I said so !

Madama Butterfly, was the second opera I ever saw, 30 odd years ago, by the Welsh National Opera. The first was La Boheme, and I cried buckets in both.

There is a bit in Butterfly, when we first see the small boy, and it never fails with that spine-tingle factor, never.

Only Puccini can do that to me.....a genius without doubt

[Baldric]

I've never had the slightest interest in Opera, bits I've seen on TV over the years have put me right off, can't understand what people see in it tbh.

[Prudie]

That's the only Opera I've ever seen performed, taken by my school. I do like to listen to it in the car though.

[stuey]

Sqad, you smoked salmon sandwiches?

[Sqad]

LOL^^^

[Jackdaw33]

Verdi does it for me. My two favourite pieces are the Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore and the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Nabucco.

[vetuste_ennemi]

"so i rang room service for champagne and smoked salmon sandwiches.

I know......I am a Philistine.".

You sure are, Sqad - it should be Pouilly Fuissê.


Early date with my current wife was Butterfly at the ENO. Alagna's still around then, Mikey. What about Gheorghiu?

[stuey]

Mikey, how about sending H.M.S. Pinafore to the Falkland Islands?

[douglas9401]

Thanks
but
no thanks. Enjoy.

[Jackdaw33]

If you send HMS Pinafore it will probably be attacked by the Pirates of Penzance. Due to the parlous state of our Navy we may have to rely on the Gondoliers. I suppose we could ask the Mikado to lend us a few ships; we'll just have to show Patience.

[Sqad]

v. e.

\\\You sure are, Sqad - it should be Pouilly Fuissê. \\

I know, but it was her night off.

[mikey4444]

VE..........they married in 1996, an operatic marriage made in heaven if you ask me !

They divorced and got back together but ultimately went their separate ways.

They reminded me in many ways of Burton/Taylor, as they used to try to get roles for each other, in any opera that they were in. I have seen both over the years, although not together unfortunately. Gheorghiu has one of the creamiest soprano voices around today...well worth the effort to find.

Stuey.....HMS PInafore would seem to be the only ruddy option at the moment, if the Falkland Islanders need some security......you get BA for you post !

[Peter Pedant]

// Took her many years ago to see an opera in London//

oh at the better medical skoolz, we used to take the underground to Covent Garden and then stand with £5 notes in our grubby little mitts
as Covent Garden didbt then do sale and return

saw Tito Gobbi ( yeah 3T he was... )
and Nureyev dance [ later a balletomane said - oh Covent Garden 1976 ! and I said yeah - by the way do you keep a list of who's pranced where in your head and she said - yeah actually ] -

I dont take my balletomania that seriously - o I did see Miyako Toshida when she was at Birmingham

so many thx Mikey
keep up the good work - I look forward to these posts

[mikey4444]

Jack...very funny and inventive....much appreciated !

[stuey]

Aye, aye, Captain: All ahead amain and damn the torpedoes!

[mikey4444]

PP........I am terribly jealous that you saw Gobbi. My Grandmother saw him and Callas in that famous Zeffirelli Tosca...opera heaven !

[stuey]

Although, we might divert to Seville where me and the crew can get us an 'aircut, Sir.

[Jackdaw33]

I think the term v-e was looking for was Saumon Fumé. Pouilly Fuisse is a wine.

[stuey]

Captain Mikey, sir, you best be givin' JD BA for his post at 1831hrs...Beggin' yer pardon, like.