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From:  RALUCOB@a...
Date:  Thu Sep 28, 2000  4:04 pm
Subject:  'opera singer' was junior, church


most of the people i have encountered outside the world of classical
singing, when refering to someone as an 'opera singer', usually accompany
their voicing with an unflattering pantomime. even classical
instrumentalists are often found to have a grim view of 'opera singers'
(sometimes making the distinction between 'musician' and 'singer'), finding
the general 'timbre' ridiculous and uninviting. if these 'educated'
musicians find it unpleasent, imagine how put off the general public must be.

in fact, the listening audience for opera and classical singing is still
rather small. in the past thirty years, more of the general public has been
risking spare time on it. and, i would have to credit popular mediums for
this increased interest. certainly, there has been much interest by
'non-believers' in pavarotti (as an operatic tiger woods. david letterman
told him "when it comes to opera, you're it. you're all i know") but,
exposure on television on johnny carson, letterman, and other popular shows
as well as pseudo 'pseudo-opera' like 'phantom', 'les miz', etc. and people
like bocelli, church, sarah (not so) brightman, has made the idea of
listening to opera, more palatable to the general public who, generally
speaking, are more interested in something else.

so perhaps the time for 'purism' has not yet arrived as 'opera' still
is at risk of extinction (and yes, i know a mule just isn't a horse).
imagine an extra-terrestial insisting we pronounce his name correctly five
minutes after landing.

mike


  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
4752 Re: 'opera singer' was junior, church Margaret Harrison   Fri  9/29/2000   3 KB
4754 Re: 'opera singer' was junior, church RALUCOB@a...   Fri  9/29/2000   2 KB
4762 Re: 'opera singer' was junior, church Caio Rossi   Fri  9/29/2000   3 KB
4776 Re: 'opera singer' was junior, church - plus rant Tak Oda   Fri  9/29/2000   3 KB
4763 Re: 'opera singer' was junior, church Caio Rossi   Fri  9/29/2000   4 KB
4777 Re: 'opera singer' was junior, church Tak Oda   Fri  9/29/2000   2 KB
4770 Re: 'opera singer' was junior, church RALUCOB@a...   Fri  9/29/2000   2 KB
4778 Big Voices - technical definition Tak Oda   Fri  9/29/2000   2 KB
4771 Re: 'opera singer' was junior, church Ciro   Fri  9/29/2000   3 KB

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