Why is opera so ridiculous?
Tom Service considers opera - capable of great profundity, why is it also so often ridiculous? Tom consults comic writer Armando Iannucci and soprano Lore Lixenberg.
Tom Service considers opera - capable of the greatest profundity and beauty, why is it so often also ridiculous? From Mozart to Birtwistle, Tom explores the highs and lows of this dramatic genre, and talks to two expert witnesses - the acclaimed comic writer Armando Iannucci, who is an opera lover who sees the absurd side of it; and international soprano Lore Lixenberg, star of the high-camp Jerry Springer: The Opera, who recently opened a singing caf茅 in Berlin called Pret A Chanter where customers must sing rather than speak.
Pret A Chanter is a post-internet real-time opera that seeks to blur the boundaries between art and life. Anyone who steps over the threshold must abide by the rules of the opera. The main rule is: No Speaking. Only Vocalisations other than speaking are allowed.
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Giuseppe Verdi
La forza del destino (Overture)
Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.- Verdi: 7 Overtures: NPO, Chailly.
- Decca.
- 4101412.
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Giacomo Puccini
Nessun Dorma (Turandot)
Performer: Luciano Pavarotti.- Select.
- SELCD564.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Marriage of Figaro - Act 2 finale
Performer: English Baroque Soloists. Performer: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.- ARCHIV.
- 4398712.
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Richard Wagner
Die Walkure, Act 3; The Ride of the Valkyries
Performer: David Zinman. Performer: Tonhalle-Orchester Z眉rich.- Wagner in Switzerland.
- RCA Red Seal.
- CD88725479412.
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Richard Wagner
Tristan & Isolde - love duet
Performer: Staatskapelle Dresden. Performer: Carlos Kleiber.- DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
- 002894775355.
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Looney Tunes / Richard Wagner
What聮s Opera, Doc?
Performer: Looney Tunes.- What聮s Opera, Doc?.
- Warner Bros.
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Ruggero Leoncavallo
I Pagliacci - Act 2, final scene
Performer: Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala Milan. Performer: Georges Pr锚tre.- Philips.
- 4114842.
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Giacomo Puccini
Con onor muore (Madam Butterfly, end of Act Two)
Performer: Maria Callas. Performer: Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala Milan. Performer: Herbert von Karajan.- EMI.
- 5562982.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Magic Flute - Overture
Performer: Christian Boesch. Performer: Martti Talvela. Performer: Zdislawa Donat. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: James Levine.- The Magic Flute.
- RCA.
- 88697527702.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Magic Flute - O Isis und Osiris (Sarastro)
Performer: Christian Boesch. Performer: Martti Talvela. Performer: Zdislawa Donat. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: James Levine.- The Magic Flute.
- RCA.
- 88697527702.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Magic Flute - Holle Rache (Queen of the Night)
Performer: Christian Boesch. Performer: Martti Talvela. Performer: Zdislawa Donat. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: James Levine.- The Magic Flute.
- RCA.
- 88697527702.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Magic Flute - Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja (Papageno)
Performer: Christian Boesch. Performer: Martti Talvela. Performer: Zdislawa Donat. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: James Levine.- The Magic Flute.
- RCA.
- 88697527702.
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Claudio Monteverdi
L聮Orfeo - Tue se聮 morta
Performer: Ian Bostridge. Ensemble: Le Concert d鈥橝str茅e. Performer: Emmanuelle Ha茂m.- Virgin Classics.
- 5456422.
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Claudio Monteverdi
Coronation of Poppea - Pur ti miro
Performer: Magdalena Ko啪en谩. Performer: Anna Prohaska. Performer: La Cetra Barockorchester Basel. Performer: Andrea Marcon.- ARCHIV.
- 4794595.
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Claudio Monteverdi
L聮Orfeo - A lei volt聮ho il camin...
Performer: Ian Bostridge. Performer: Le Concert d鈥橝str茅e. Performer: Emmanuelle Ha茂m.- Virgin Classics.
- 5456422.
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Claudio Monteverdi
Coronation of Poppea - Pur ti miro
Performer: Magdalena Ko啪en谩. Performer: Anna Prohaska. Performer: La Cetra Barockorchester Basel. Performer: Andrea Marcon.- ARCHIV.
- 4794595.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Marriage of Figaro - Act 1 Sc.1 Cinque聟dieci聟
Performer: Bryn Terfel. Performer: English Baroque Soloists. Performer: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.- ARCHIV.
- 4398712.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Marriage of Figaro - Act 4 Cavatina 聭L聮ho perduta聟聮
Performer: Constanze Backes. Performer: English Baroque Soloists. Performer: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.- ARCHIV.
- 4398712.
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Gerald Barry
The Importance of Being Earnest - Miss Fairfax
Performer: Barbara Hannigan. Performer: Katalin K谩rolyi. Performer: BCMG. Performer: Thomas Ad猫s.- The Importance of Being Earnest.
- NMC.
- NMCD197.
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Giacomo Puccini
Nessun Dorma (Turandot)
Performer: Luciano Pavarotti.- Select.
- SELCD564.
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Charles Gounod
Faust - O dieu! Que de bijoux..
Performer: Joan Sutherland. Performer: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Performer: Francesco Molinari鈥怭radelli.- Decca.
- 414450-2.
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Giuseppe Verdi
La Donna e Mobile (Rigoletto)
Performer: Juan Diego Fl贸rez. Performer: Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi. Performer: Riccardo Chailly.- DECCA.
- 4758418.
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Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k
Song to the Moon (Rusalka)
Performer: Anna Netrebko. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: Gianandrea Noseda.- DG.
- 4742402.
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Giacomo Puccini
quando men vo (La Boheme)
Performer: Anna Netrebko. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: Gianandrea Noseda.- DG.
- 4742402.
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Pietro Mascagni
Cavelleria Rusticana - Voi lo sapete, o mamma
Performer: Eugenia Burzio. -
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Richard Thomas
This is my Jerry Springer Moment
Performer: Lor茅 Lixenberg.- Jerry Springer, the opera.
- Sony Music UK.
- 514792 2.
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Gaetano Donizetti
Ancor non giunse! (Lucia di Lammermoor)
Performer: Anna Netrebko. Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Performer: Gianandrea Noseda.- DG.
- 4742402.
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Gerald Barry
The Importance of Being Earnest - You are my little cousin Cecily
Performer: Joshua Bloom. Performer: BCMG. Performer: Thomas Ad猫s.- The Importance of Being Earnest.
- NMC.
- NMCD197.
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Richard Wagner
Die Walkure, Act 3; The Ride of the Valkyries
Performer: David Zinman. Performer: Tonhalle-Orchester Z眉rich.- Wagner in Switzerland.
- RCA Red Seal.
- CD88725479412.
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Ruggero Leoncavallo
Vesti la Giubba (I Pagliacci)
Performer: Luciano Pavarotti.- Select.
- SELCD564.
Broadcasts
- Sun 1 Oct 2017 17:00主播大秀 Radio 3
- Sun 2 Jun 2019 17:00主播大秀 Radio 3
- Fri 7 Jun 2019 16:30主播大秀 Radio 3
- Fri 16 Apr 2021 16:30主播大秀 Radio 3
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