carmen.

[duccio]

My "new" CD recording of Bizet's Carmen was waiting in the mailbox when I got home last night. It's the one with Maria Callas from 1962. The orchestra is conducted by Georges Prêtre and is the best, most vivid performance IMHO, knowing the orchestral score almost by memory. I had this recording in the 80's (and several others) on tape, and used to listen to it on my Walkman, driving around the Bay Area. Now, the prerecorded tapes are worthless and don't play anymore, as prerecorded tapes never lasted more than a few years at best: record company rip-offs; just like everything else in wonderful, corporate Hamerica. The TDK-D tapes I used to record Live From the Met broadcasts for many years all still work sparklingly well, having supplied three decades of enjoyment.

I'm listening right now. Act 1 is just concluding. Opera is so terrific. You friends who have not experienced it and plunged in whole-heartedly are really missing out on a great emotional and self-revelatory treat. I stopped listening to opera for many years but in the last two years or so my interest has revived. I'm wondering how and why I ever left it, well actually I know. I won't go there. I'm amazed how far I moved away from who I was, and am now coming back to myself, or at least remembering, to some degree.

"Yeah, right, Don Jose", you say.
OK, ok.

Comments

[shinsetsu]

It's nice to have something splendid to be passionate about. :)

[duccio]

I didn't pay much attention to opera until I was about 35. Then I happened to meet a fellow artist who's day job was being a member of the chorus of the San Francisco Opera. He introduced me to several of his coworkers and taught me a great deal about the art form. I gradually learned what it held for me and began to study opera very deeply. I began recording operas off the radio and now have a large collection of old recordings and modern Metropolitan Opera recordings.

I seem to have an almost photographic memory for opera and usually can name what I am hearing within just a few notes, which amazes my friends, and me too. I probably cannot name three modern popular songs even if they said the title in the lyrics, but opera... it's crazy. Today I listened to my new Carmen twice. I used to have this recording, and pretty much know it almost note for note, although I don't know most of the French words. I do know the orchestra parts and sung melodies and chorus parts very well.

Are you a fan? If not, maybe someday you will be. If the opportunity comes along, go for it. All you will waste is a few hours, but if you dig it, the subject is immense and will be a treasured companion for you for a long time.