Comments | amamama: Opera and LHC rap

amamama

Opera and LHC rap

Sep 24, 2008 10:35

We went to the Opera last night, and saw Verdi's Don Carlo. Magnificent. Absolutely fantastic. Great scenography, full choir, full orchestra (like six double basses), and world class singers. René Pape sung King Felipe, the Spanish king (and father of Don Carlo), and while he's an international opera star and well-known bass, he just didn't ( Read more... )

opera, lhc, rl

Comments 16

crumplehornedki September 24 2008, 10:10:05 UTC

that really was brilliant, I've just e-mailed it to my mad friends here

amamama September 24 2008, 10:14:18 UTC

It is, isn't it? *hugs* (I'm in a hugging mood today)

tdu000 September 24 2008, 13:12:08 UTC

It's nice to have it explained in nice clear language and with a good rhythm to beat it into my head! That was brilliant. Thank you for posting it for us.

amamama September 24 2008, 16:46:29 UTC

Isn't it great? I think I should send it to Goddessita's teacher.

megan29 September 24 2008, 15:55:36 UTC

I love this video! Though the woman has bad diction, and it's a struggle to follow her at times (good thing they also write it). It sounds very accurate, from what I've been reading about these experiments on the LHC web page. I assume the video was officially vetted by scientists from LHC, for accuracy. :-) (and I have a feeling some of those dancers were grad students...)

amamama September 24 2008, 16:48:27 UTC

I love it - and what better way to show that being a scientist doesn't mean being a dry, boring middle-aged man? Seems pretty accurate to me too. Plus, I'll take Brian May's word for it... ;-)

ada_kensington September 24 2008, 18:19:44 UTC

You know... I've never been to the opera before. I've watched one on a DVD (lol, that's quite sad, I know). I'm jealous. :)

And that video was brilliant. They need more stuff like that so science may be explained to people like me. :P

amamama September 24 2008, 20:26:16 UTC

Whenever you get the chance, go! I love it. Of course, my favourite of all is The Magic Flute (Wolfie - Mozart - is born the same day as I, so of course all he did is the best), I really don't understand why la Bohéme is considered to be the greatest opera. At least when we saw la Bohéme last year, it was touted as the best. We left after the first part - which mostly had to do with me not being very well, and being knocked out by the perfume of the lady in the seat behind us.

Agree! More science music please. With videos with text. *nods*

alkari September 24 2008, 21:50:48 UTC

I haven't seen Don Carlos , though I know much of the music. But it's a Verdi opera, which means there are rousing choruses and duets! I agree that an opera such as Carmen is probably a more suitable introduction to the field, with perhaps La Boheme a close second. I love it, but would never rate it the "best" opera, but musically it is perhaps more approachable as many of the tunes are well known. Mind you, I have never been very fond of what people tout as "the" romantic opera, Madam Butterfly which I consider to be an almost total waste of time, at least as far as the entire first Act - for me, it's one humming chorus and an aria in search of an opera!! Give me the blood, guts and sheer intense passion of Turandot any day - even if Puccini himself never got to finish it. That scene where Prince Calaf sounds the gong and accepts Turandot's challenge is utterly spine-tingling ( ... )

amamama September 26 2008, 20:58:42 UTC

I'm making a note of that CD recommendation - I love duets, but they don't have to be male. The one In Cosí fan Tutte between the two women (but I don't remember where in the opera it is - when their boyfriends go "off to war" perhaps?), that's just other-worldly is so beautiful I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Madame Butterfly is nice, but not what I would choose to see. I haven't seen Turandot, but I'm looking forward to getting the chance. When the kids get a bit older I want holidays in Austria, traipsing from one Mozart performance to the next.