Opera as Top 40

Pertaining to the title of this little episode, I could rattle off the top 40 YouTube opera videos to catch if anyone wants. Perhaps I will do that soon!

Just today I'd have to put Anna Netrebko way on up there. She is gorgeous and sings as nicely (in certain repertoire). I heard her caress some Bellini piece on the radio the other day and just about drove off the road due to my exalted state-- whooey, babe!

The other point to this title: I have been asked why anyone should care about opera nowadays if it is more or less the Top 40 from 200 years ago. Even people who think they hate all the wobbly singing suspect that this highly cultured art form holds some mystique or cachet. Well, it does! You're right. And I have been really slaying myself to get the wording just right. And not be too long-winded, which, as an operaphile, I easily tend to do. Musn't hold forth ad nauseum, right?!

Opera was its Top 40's. Catchy tunes, emotional stories, good entertainment. Take a peek at a few things on You Tube-- not Paul Potts or Andrew Lloyd Webber-- those are Opera Lite and LOTS of fun, but glance at the real thing here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vazQuEh47mo&feature=related

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvNU_1Z9ZU8

Neither of these is the One Perfect Offering of that particular number. Such a thing probably doesn't exist on film! But it's a little something for you!