Comments on: Der Ring des Nibelungen http://butler-harris.org/archives/153 How can you have the last word if you haven't heard the first? Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:00:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: MRB http://butler-harris.org/archives/153#comment-1636 Wed, 24 Jan 2007 04:42:40 +0000 http://butler-harris.org/archives/153#comment-1636 Stephen - I'm glad to hear your are discovering the world of opera. Stick with the Ring. Six months from now you will wonder how you ever lived without it. In the meantime, try some of Wagner's earlier operas (Dutchman, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin) or his later work, Meistersinger. They are all more accessible than the Ring (and much more so than Tristan and Parsifal). Of the early ones, Lohengrin is generally considered the best, but I prefer Tannhäuser. Make sure you also start working through the Mozart operas as well. Figaro is as close to a perfect opera as it gets, but all a great. Stephen -

I’m glad to hear your are discovering the world of opera. Stick with the Ring. Six months from now you will wonder how you ever lived without it. In the meantime, try some of Wagner’s earlier operas (Dutchman, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin) or his later work, Meistersinger. They are all more accessible than the Ring (and much more so than Tristan and Parsifal). Of the early ones, Lohengrin is generally considered the best, but I prefer Tannhäuser.

Make sure you also start working through the Mozart operas as well. Figaro is as close to a perfect opera as it gets, but all a great.

]]> by: Stephen Butler http://butler-harris.org/archives/153#comment-1584 Sun, 21 Jan 2007 21:21:12 +0000 http://butler-harris.org/archives/153#comment-1584 Just what I need! I just became an Opera fan recently as a result of reading your blog. I started with dvd's of La bohème (James Levine at MET) and Wagner's Ring (also James Levine at MET). I really enjoyed La bohème the first time through; but for some reason it takes several viewings for me to really get into and enjoy Wagner's Opera's. I am sure your series will be beneficial to me. Just what I need! I just became an Opera fan recently as a result of reading your blog. I started with dvd’s of La bohème (James Levine at MET) and Wagner’s Ring (also James Levine at MET). I really enjoyed La bohème the first time through; but for some reason it takes several viewings for me to really get into and enjoy Wagner’s Opera’s. I am sure your series will be beneficial to me.

]]>