AboutPamela Thomas Expertise Questions on Opera performance, repertoire, vocal technique, acting for opera. I have some 20 years experience in opera in both leading roles and chorus. I have sung with New York City Opera since 1981. I have studied voice in NYC for over 20 years and have also taught technique and coached singers in acting.
Expert: Pamela Thomas Date: 7/16/2008 Subject: Melancholy Opera
Question QUESTION: Im after a elusive kind of opera that is melancholy but without having to do with romance or modern warfare, ex. polish internment camp. Any suggestions you might have would be greatly appeciated.
ANSWER: Hi Josh,
Well - you have Wozzek (Berg) - but it's a very difficult opera. It's hard to think of an opera that doesn't deal with romance or warfare...
There are some Russian operas: maybe Glinka's two operas, A Life for the Tsar, (1836)Then maybe Rusalka (it is kind of a love story but it's wonderful). There's always Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin, Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.
You might also look at Giordano's "Siberia".. it is kind of a love story - but the last act takes place in Siberia....
There is also Bluebeard's Castle (by Bartok)...
Also - what about Britten's "Billy Budd" - that takes place on a ship - and it's excellent.
Beethoven's Fidelio - great opera!
Well - those are what comes to mind immediately. Maybe you will like one of them.
Good luck!
Pamela
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I should clarify, I just dont want things directly invovling modern* warfare. Heres an example, before this a piece was suggested to me which turned out to be about the holocaust and internment camps as I hinted before. This is the sort of thing Im trying to avoid when I say modern. Does this help?
Answer Hi Josh,
I'm just not sure what you are asking. What are you going to do with the opera? Conduct, direct, sing? If I had a better idea of how you wanted to use the opera I might come up with something different. But I still think some of those I've listed above would work... esp. Billy Budd.
