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[cahn]

All right, I've wanted to do this for a while:

The problem with operas is that they're too long. By which I mean, if anyone in them was sensible they'd all be at most half the length.

So: comment with an opera name (*) and I'll respond with a short snippet of a canon-divergence AU where the opera is Much Shorter. Warning, of course, that at least some of the characters will be wildly out of character. That is to say, probably much more sensible. :)

(*) If it's an opera I know, you'll get the ficlet much sooner. If it's one I haven't watched yet, I'll put it on my list to watch and you'll get the ficlet once I've watched it. This is a good opportunity for you to get me to watch your favorite opera, since after I finish Norma with Caballé I'm gonna go back to RL opera friend and ask for more DVDs! (Though given my previous track record, this might also take a while.)

(cross-posted to tumblr)

Comments

[cahn]

ahahaha, we think alike again -- I also found that last scene and watched it -- I didn't know about the staircase (I knew about the glass of water, but that's about it, and I didn't have a libretto) so that didn't bother me, but not showing Hampson's face when she forgives him is just NOT ON, I was so annoyed. I mean, he's got the most expressive face of anyone!

Though that being said, Fleming's got a fantastically expressive face too, so at least we got to see that?

omg, that DUET you linked THOUGH, I hadn't seen that and this makes me want to watch it, aghhhhhh they are fantastic

[zdenka]

Hee, I'm amused.

She does! And such a gorgeous shimmery voice.

Oh, and I think you'd like Arabella if for no other reason than that a couple of the male characters start being jealous idiots, and then they listen to the person explaining why they misinterpreted the situation, and realize they were wrong before anyone dies or fights a duel or has other horrible things happen to them.

[cahn]

:D Okay, yeah, that seems totally Relevant To My Interests.

...I'm sure you have heard this (see also: thinking alike), but I just listened to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWsa9gihIbA and I'm a fan, even though I have no idea what they're singing and they're just standing there, the music is so beautiful and their voices are so beautiful <3

[zdenka]

I know the duet (I've listened to the whole opera at various points), but I hadn't seen that particular production -- thank you! Their voices are really lovely.

Many years ago, I had never heard of Arabella but I happened to catch it on a Met radio broadcast. And there was a gorgeous duet for two sopranos in the first act (the one you linked just above), and I totally fell in love with the music. And the next time I was in an opera workshop, I went to the director and said, "I want to sing that one!" She cast me as Zdenka in that scene, I got fond of the part and the character, and not long afterwards I needed a new username. And here we are. :)

[cahn]

I figured you knew the opera, given your username :) but I also thought you might have come across that link the same way I did -- it came up when I searched for arabella and hampson :P (I think it's the same production, although obviously he's not in that scene.)

That's a lovely story about your username <3