Recommend me your five *MUST HAVE* Blu-rays.

[Almaviva]

The Fairy Queen and Lohengrin quoted above are really outstanding, I'm kind of ashamed that I proposed Die Fledermaus on top of these, I take it back.

But here is a piece of filmed opera that is hard to match: one has the impression that one has opened a window over reality and is observing the real events (if they were real, that is), so convincing this blu-ray is - even though it has ups and downs (according to a review of it I wrote for another site), it's still obligatory buy for any opera lover:

[Soave_Fanciulla]

But here is a piece of filmed opera that is hard to match: one has the impression that one has opened a window over reality and is observing the real events (if they were real, that is), so convincing this blu-ray is - even though it has ups and downs (according to a review of it I wrote for another site), it's still obligatory buy for any opera lover:

The desire to see this again is what got me back into opera after a long hiatus. It is the Best. Opera. Film. Ever.

[Almaviva]

Reading this thread, I'm thinking how privileged we are.
We're alive during the best possible time to be an opera lover.
We can have all these masterpieces at home with spectacular image and sound, to watch again over and over.

[Amfortas]

Reading this thread, I'm thinking how privileged we are.
We're alive during the best possible time to be an opera lover.
We can have all these masterpieces at home with spectacular image and sound, to watch again over and over.

I'm inclined to feel the same way--but then I can't help but recall all those who lament the lack of really great singing nowadays. There may be some rose-tinted nostalgia at work there, of course, but it does raise the possibility that today's gains have had their accompanying losses as well.

[Almaviva]

Sure, but this is something to be taken more globally.

First of all, we're too close to the current singers to pass judgment. When we think of past singers, we're looking at one century of recordings, and several generations. So we tend to pick the best of each generation and add them all up to say that "the past" was better. It is a bit unfair to the current generation, because they're just in the here and now, they don't benefit from an array of several generations in a row. We do have some outstanding singers around. Pavarotti has just passed away, and many of us (me included) had the privilege of seeing him live. As much as we make fun of Draculette for her antics, she has outstanding technique. Anna Netrebko has a timbre of voice of rare beauty. Renée Fleming has a long and distinguished career. People like Bryn Terfel, Simon Keenlyside, Jonas Kaufmann, John Relyea, etc, are pretty darn good singers. Are they as good as a Montserrat Caballe, a Callas, a Giuseppe di Stefano, etc? Probably not, but then, many people in these singers' generation weren't as good as they were, either. But you know, a Pavarotti and a Sutherland, to mention two recently departed, *were* as good. So, once we get some separation, we'll see that we did witness some rather outstanding singers who were alive while we are.

And then, think of other aspects.

Acting is ten times better today than before. While some of the past singers could act (case in point Maria Callas), most couldn't. Nowadays, the rule is decent acting rather than the exception.

Looks are also a lot more convincing with less suspension of disbelief.

Sound technology is far superior nowadays. Yes, the singers of the past were great, but all those clicks and hisses in the old LPs weren't that helpful. I have a few opera DVDs with DTS 7.1 sound, and oh boy, my 7.1 capable set up delivers some amazing fireworks. The total immersion sound experience is incredible. My rather high-end sound system in my car with 8 speakers gives me hours of immense pleasure during commutes and trips. This is something that older generations of opera lovers didn't have. Not to forget Met Opera on satellite radio, I can listen to endless hours and hours of opera 24/7 while driving anywhere. And think of iPods, I can cary 16GB of music in my pocket. And YouTube! Endless samples of great singles, complete operas, all for free!

Diversity of genres - we can listen to and see baroque, romantic, verismo, modern, contemporary, etc. People in the past were sometimes stuck with the dominant sub-genre of their time.

We've seen a rebirth of some neglected areas - now we have full access to Handel again, we have countertenors that produce sounds that are closer to what the castrati did. Belcanto is alive and well. And then, we have some rather amazing avant-garde and contemporary opera.

Stagings - also vastly improved. Some are very imaginative, and even though some Eurotrash can get disgusting, there are lots of impressive and compelling stagings that add to the experience.

Broadcasts to movie theaters from the Met, La Scala, Liceo, Covent Garden: another privilege that current opera lovers can enjoy all over the world.

And it's not like we can't listen to the singers of the past: we can, often with improved sound that is remastered, filtered to eliminate audience noise, digitized.

Think of audiophile high end equipment, pre-amps, sophisticated noise-cancelling headphones - they deliver unmatched aural experiences that our elders never got to feel.

All things considered, it is *a lot* better to be an opera lover today than 60 years ago.

[AnaMendoza]

The Fairy Queen and Lohengrin quoted above are really outstanding, I'm kind of ashamed that I proposed Die Fledermaus on top of these, I take it back.

But here is a piece of filmed opera that is hard to match: one has the impression that one has opened a window over reality and is observing the real events (if they were real, that is), so convincing this blu-ray is - even though it has ups and downs (according to a review of it I wrote for another site), it's still obligatory buy for any opera lover:

An obligatory buy for any opera lover--I agree. So I bought it...and gave it to my niece for Christmas! Time to check out the smilies. Yes, I think I qualify for some sort of award. (She's fairly new to opera--came to it by going to the Met HD showings, considers Carmen her favorite, and is a passionate Placido Domingo fan, knowing him mostly through recent performances--so I couldn't have picked anything better, I think.)

[Couchie]

I have decided!

My first batch:

1. Les Troyens
2. Giulio Cesare
3. Così fan tutte
4. Anna Bolena
5. Parsifal

I think this is a good mix to start... we have Baroque, Classical, and then Italian Bel canto, French Grand, and German Romanticism.

Apologies to Almaviva but i'm currently La Traviated-out, but I do want a Netrebko. The Anna Bolena intrigues me more than Bohème.


Follow-up question now, which is the best way to buy these? Amazon? Specialty classical stores? Interested in hearing where you guys get yours.

Also, thanks all and keep them coming! This is just the first batch of many!

[Almaviva]

I use Amazon.com but not just their main service - I pay close attention to marketplace vendors who often have better prices, like MovieMars (I love them - cheaper, reliable, fast shipping; I have never had a problem with them). Then, there are sales from other vendors, such as Deep Discount, or Presto. You should also look at international vendors such as amazon.co.uk, or the French version - sometimes they have stuff that the US operation doesn't, and sometimes for lower prices.

The bottom line is, I shop around, I compare prices, and I get the cheapest one.

While these differences in price are often small, when you are a prolific opera buyer you should try to get as many discounts as you can, because when you add them all up at the end of the year, you've saved a small fortune, so that you can buy even more DVDs, CDs, and blu-rays. So, if I can get something for $2 less somewhere else than Amazon.com even if I have to wait for the delivery for a few more days, I'll go for it. I always have some unwatched/unlistened to stuff, so I'm rarely in a hurry to get the delivery, I can wait a little longer and save some bucks here, some there.

It makes a huge difference at the end of the year.

Oh, and get an Amazon Prime membership, it's more than worth it, you pay a flat fee and then no more shipping fees, I figure that I save a few hundred dollars every year for being a Prime member.

[Couchie]

I use Amazon.com but not just their main service - I pay close attention to marketplace vendors who often have better prices, like MovieMars (I love them - cheaper, reliable, fast shipping; I have never had a problem with them). Then, there are sales from other vendors, such as Deep Discount, or Presto. You should also look at international vendors such as amazon.co.uk, or the French version - sometimes they have stuff that the US operation doesn't, and sometimes for lower prices.

The bottom line is, I shop around, I compare prices, and I get the cheapest one.

While these differences in price are often small, when you are a prolific opera buyer you should try to get as many discounts as you can, because when you add them all up at the end of the year, you've saved a small fortune, so that you can buy even more DVDs, CDs, and blu-rays. So, if I can get something for $2 less somewhere else than Amazon.com even if I have to wait for the delivery for a few more days, I'll go for it. I always have some unwatched/unlistened to stuff, so I'm rarely in a hurry to get the delivery, I can wait a little longer and save some bucks here, some there.

It makes a huge difference at the end of the year.

Oh, and get an Amazon Prime membership, it's more than worth it, you pay a flat fee and then no more shipping fees, I figure that I save a few hundred dollars every year for being a Prime member.

Good ideas, and I definitely just got inspired to do this! From Amazon's main service:

Amazon.com: $238.71
Amazon.ca: $306.45 (and threatening backorder)

Ah, Canada. Oh well. It will be fun to buy from different vendors and have them pour in one by one rather than all at once in a brown amazon box anyways.

[Couchie]

Actually in a strange world-tilting occurrence the amazon.ca Donizetti is a very reasonable CDN$17.99 so I have ordered that before the amazon people become aware of what must be some kind of mistake (the US price is $29.99)

[Soave_Fanciulla]

There are often surprising price differences between the various Amazons - for example Amazon UK can be cheaper on some items (I have to factor in postage too from wherever I order).

As well as Presto Classical (UK) don't forget ArkivMusic (US) which has a good catalogue.

I'm going to enjoy watching Couchie join us in financial ruin. Pass the popcorn, someone.

[Couchie]

All ordered! I did pay a small premium to use only Canadian vendors for faster shipping and to avoid a potential customs/duty headache. Just have to wait now!

I'm going to enjoy watching Couchie join us in financial ruin. Pass the popcorn, someone.

I believe I have figured out a loophole in my healthcare agreement whereas I could claim these as a naturopathic therapeutical expense. All I need is a doctor willing to "prescribe" opera DVDs. If only there were such an opera-loving doctor to be found...

[Couchie]

Ooopsies, somehow the Glyndebourne Tristan ended up in my cart and was "accidentally" ordered... damn one-click checkout.

[HarpsichordConcerto]

I have decided!

My first batch:

1. Les Troyens
2. Giulio Cesare
3. Così fan tutte
4. Anna Bolena
5. Parsifal

I think this is a good mix to start... we have Baroque, Classical, and then Italian Bel canto, French Grand, and German Romanticism.

Apologies to Almaviva but i'm currently La Traviated-out, but I do want a Netrebko. The Anna Bolena intrigues me more than Bohème.


Follow-up question now, which is the best way to buy these? Amazon? Specialty classical stores? Interested in hearing where you guys get yours.

Also, thanks all and keep them coming! This is just the first batch of many!

Couchie, congratz! That's an excellent start. I love all of those operas. Parsifal is my favourite out of Wagner's oeuvre (I have three versions of it).

[sospiro]

All ordered! I did pay a small premium to use only Canadian vendors for faster shipping and to avoid a potential customs/duty headache. Just have to wait now!

I believe I have figured out a loophole in my healthcare agreement whereas I could claim these as a naturopathic therapeutical expense. All I need is a doctor willing to "prescribe" opera DVDs. If only there were such an opera-loving doctor to be found...

Excellent suggestion, just think of the savings in the health-care budgets of governments throughout the world.

Ooopsies, somehow the Glyndebourne Tristan ended up in my cart and was "accidentally" ordered... damn one-click checkout.

One-click is a very dangerous facility, I disabled mine.