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Art Song such as German Lieder, French melodie and the ever present English/American Art Song is often defined as an attempt to blend text and music such that a new form of art is synthesized from this combination; a synthesis that has value in and of itself and is no longer beholding to either of its forming roots. Thus a song by Schubert, Schumann, Wolf or Faure, Debussy, Dupark etc. cannot be analyzed according to just the text or just the music. (This is also sometimes true of Brahms but he did have a habit of writing the song first and "jamming the lyrics in afterward" as you put it).

Other forms of song do not attempt to fit this mold. Either the text is most important and the musical expression takes a back seat or the music is most important and the text basically doesn't much matter. Any time a true synthesis of text and music is created, however, one is listening to Art Song regardless of the time frame or the composer. We have difficulty knowing what to call these itinerant masterpieces of popular song when they appear. Some call them "classics" some "American Standards" etc. etc. But there is a common recognition of them as very special and different from the run-of-the-mill songs that pour out of the popular music field in any age.

Opera is not song. Opera is not dialogue. Opera is not libretto. Opera is not scenery. Opera is not lights. Opera is all of this and its sum is greater that the whole of its parts. The primary dramatic force in opera is not the story, nor the voices, not the scenery nor the lighting, but the music. This is the most easily understood element of opera because it does not need any pre-arranged explanation nor teaching. The music of opera gives it a dramatic impact that is known, not understood, felt not evaluated, intuited not analyzed.

Because music, as found in all of its forms in Opera (sung, played, danced), is the primary dramatic element it is most necessary for the performers to attempt to convey that musical primary element ahead of their own personalities. To do so in no way deprives them of "becoming" the role they are playing, it only deprives them of projecting their own, non-opera personalities into the mix. In legit theatre this is called good acting, in opera it is called the same.

But many who wish to hear every word or have the subtle dramatic force of the music explained through pantomime or choreographed acting have already eliminated themselves for what opera can offer. They are more at home with music without words or words without music.

This latter point is substantiated by many statistical polls developed by National Public Radio and Public Television. "Do not play sung songs (instrumental transcriptions of songs are OK), nor choral music, nor opera on these mediums except at out-of-the-way times or at one special time per week (Met Broadcasts)". I believe the reason for this response, which now dominates the programming decisions of NPR and PBS, is the fact that song, choral music and opera demand too much attention from the listener and the listener's use of public radio and television is not within this spectrum of attention.

mike, if I understand you correctly, it is your assumption that the German Opera model uses a strongly emphasized cover (Deckung) in the upper reaches of the voice in order to maintain a consistent vocal quality throughout the range of the voice. Actually, the Deckung approach was developed to assist the singer through the passaggio area of the voice and it is most often criticized as a poor approach precisely because it distorts the more natural color of the upper reaches of the voice and tends to destroy the consistent vocal quality that is desired throughout the vocal range.

The Italian system of "aggiustamento" or vowel adjustment (modification) is a more natural, more easily taught, and more easily listened to correction to assist the voice through the vocal passaggio, especially in forte singing. This system is based on accurate acoustical principles of what can and cannot be accomplished with vocal resonance in this area of the voice and above. It does not distort the vowel excessively and makes possible intelligible text in even the farthest reaches of the female voice.

All of this is from Miller and he is the first to say it is not his but what he was taught by Ricci years ago in Italy and that through Ricci it has come down to us from the Bel Canto period of opera singing. Miller has done us the great service of re-examining these early and most successful teachings methods in light of modern science and justified their value through a more objective analysis.

Opera singing is sometimes done well. For me, when it is done well, there is no music on earth that is more satisfying. Listen to Warren, Bjorling, Price, Tebaldi, Callas (early recordings), etc and allow the totality of their expression to move you. I know you do.