The harmonies in this opera are so divine. Mozart's work is impeccable. So basically, if I am getting this right this opera is partly what led to the French Revolution. Marie Antoinette ignorantly pushed her husband the king to stage this opera.  It is filled with disguised dissent that is clever and for the most part defied the censor of the day.

This is my favorite line of our lead Figaro from the 5th scene second act and the revolutionary centerpiece of the play: (and was ommitted by Mozart)  

​Figaro: "If only one could speak equally well of politics! But feigning ignorance of what you know, and pretending to know what you do not; pretending to understand what mystifies you, and not to hear what you do grasp, pretending to be able to do what you cannot, and that you are guarding a secret which does not really exist, locking yourself in a room merely to sharpen quills, and appearing deep when you are not; sounding impressive like an empty vessel when it is struck. Always pretending, for good or ill, engaging spies and rewarding traitors, breaking seals, intercepting letters, and always being ready to dignify the happiness of the means employed by pointing out the importance of the objective? That's the whole of politics, I'll stake my life on it!"

Well said yes?  And even better sung.  Please go listen to this opera.  It is so beautiful. In it you will find love conquering all.

I put the needle in the groove and began listening to the the vinyl recording of Die Fledermaus. Listening to German classical lyrics can be challenging. Johann Strauss makes it easy with amazing orchestration. This recording is from 1976 conducted by Carlos Kleiber.  He is masterful in his work with the Bavarian State Orchestra. Strauss was so ready and willing to finally put together an operetta that would be well received and also deeply imbued with meaning for his own inspiration that he shuttered himself in his home and composed it in six weeks in 1873. Because this opera has a theme that is centered on a ball and because Strauss was so accomplished in composing dance music it was a puzzle that ultimately came together exceedingly well. The stage is set for a ball of the elite upper class and shows the snooty underbelly of wealth in an entertaining light. "Happy is the one who accepts what has got to be." Enjoy!

The unmistakable voice of Pavarotti flair pomp and circumstance rolled into one big male voice. I went looking for the English translation of the book by Murgers called: 'Scenes de las vie de Boheme' which is the novella that informed the writing of the libretto for this opera. The book is written in autobiographical episdodes, as it were, that inspired the opera that I have been milling on for three days now. I have listened to it on vinyl two times and I am going to go for a third time. I really want to buy a papasan chair for my analog opera listening experiences...Maybe this weekend it will happen.  An artistic bohemian struggle is an ongoing theme and one that is fascinating to me and is revered in the this opera. Living for art. This version is conducted by Herbert Von Karajan in 1973 some seventy seven years after its debut. So I found one copy of the book as a beat up paperback and I just couldn't bring myself to make the purchase as I own far too many books. Yes, one can have too many. This opera makes me feel like life is perfect. Another true vinyl experience.

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The Vienna Opera produced Don Pasquale and I am studying it currently. The composer wrote this opera in less than three weeks late in his life just after having deep loss.  His wife, whom he adored passed from cholera and their two children died young. It was Donizetti's sixty-ninth opera. I am listening now as I write. One of the things I am enjoying is how there is far more music than talking although the libretto I have here in my hand suggests otherwise...in Italian and English translation. I never knew opera was so sexy. It is such deep and off the cuff romance. It is a comedy but I fear I will not know where to laugh.  The soprano's voice is time stompingly beautiful. This version of the opera was conducted by Istvan Kertesz and was recorded in 1965. I am having a vinyl experience here.