The Chat Thread #3

[tribe125]

Opera glasses are a funny thing. There’s no way I’d want to see a trilling soprano in close up - but a ballerina, yes. They should be ballet glasses.

[Henry Krinkle]

Oh, ballet’s great. One of the most beautiful and expressive things that humans do.

And yet, also guilty of most of the things you rightly mention about opera. " Soap opera storylines, cartoonish melodrama, portentous physical movements. It can be a fine spectacle with some nice music but more often than not it’s an implausible confection. " I have, or had, moderate physical skills. Someone who is even a thousand times more skilled than I doesn't really impress me. It's the same with painting. I can admire or respect their skill but it doesn't present me with something I don't already comprehend. I understand those things, but not music and so I can appreciate it for the experience. This is why my music collection covers pretty all musical genres but my art collection is narrowly focused on things I can't do.

[tribe125]

One big difference for me is that I can enjoy ballet as an abstract thing. It’s sometimes useful to know the basis for symbolic elements, but even that’s not necessary. Opera, by contrast, is too basic and literal. Painfully so for me.

[OhDark30]

I think for me opera is primarily about the music, and the virtuosity in something I can’t do (thanks guys for helping me see that as key to my enjoyment). And dance too (thanks Raza). A mate of mine did marketing at Sadlers Wells and I really got into it

The overblown visuals (ott costumes and sets, large ladies cast as simpering virgins) and bonkers plots are all icing on the cake, not to mention the joy of watching the audience :-)


Brava, darlings!

[Seriously]

Now that would be entertaining. At the Met, they have a screen at each seat. I believe it even lets you pick the language you wish to see the subtitles in.

Over here in the UK recently you can watch Ballet at the cinema, a live streaming! ... say the Bolshoi Ballet

https://www.bolshoiballetcinema.co.uk/

[Seriously]

Opera glasses are a funny thing. There’s no way I’d want to see a trilling soprano in close up - but a ballerina, yes. They should be ballet glasses.

[boatme99]

Opera glasses are a funny thing. There’s no way I’d want to see a trilling soprano in close up - but a ballerina, yes. They should be ballet glasses.

By all means, lets break out the Eye Bleach!

[Raza]

Okay, so last night, there was a ladybug in my room. One of the orange ones. It wasn’t bothering me, so I wanted to pick it up and put it out on the balcony. I got it on a piece of card and as I was trying to maneuver through the blinds to the door, the ladybug flew away. Freaking me the **** out in the process because I had apparently forgotten that ladybugs can fly.

[geoffbot]

Okay, so last night, there was a ladybug in my room. One of the orange ones. It wasn’t bothering me, so I wanted to pick it up and put it out on the balcony. I got it on a piece of card and as I was trying to maneuver through the blinds to the door, the ladybug flew away. Freaking me the **** out in the process because I had apparently forgotten that ladybugs can fly.

They're strange things aren't they

[FuzzyB]

Over here in the UK recently you can watch Ballet at the cinema, a live streaming! ... say the Bolshoi Ballet

https://www.bolshoiballetcinema.co.uk/

Many of our movie theaters offer similar options as well. We have an independent theater in our town that usually has a live (or pre-recorded depending on the time difference)option every week or so. We saw a play performed in London not too long ago. We have yet to catch a ballet performance though. It’s a great opportunity to see some incredible performances.