I%26#39;m going to Prague on November 17th for 2 nights and would like to visit the theatre. I%26#39;m a beginner when it comes to Opera or Ballet. I know the magic Flute is playing whilst we are there and I hear it%26#39;s good for beginners but it%26#39;s in German - would we be able to follow it in German bearing in mind we don%26#39;t speak a word? Any advice welcome
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alas, what of the education system in the united kingdom with such questions?
answers. First, theatre is different to opera and ballet. theatre is what you would call a play. Ballet has no words, just some people pirouetting on their toes and jumping in the air, so it does not matter who wrote the score
Opera is generally in the language of the person who wrote it, unless you go somewhere like the English National Opera where often the words are translated into English and the score is sung in English. However, even when this happens, you hardly ever understand what is being sung, as the effect is not intended to be like Gilbert %26amp; Sullivan or a Lloyd-Webber musical. so it does not matter that you will not understand a word - 99% of people in the audience will be in the same position. One of the reasons you do not understand anything is that opera is sung with no microphones; only natural voices.
You can purchase a programme, where there is a storyline summary which you can follow, or there are many websites which can help you. most operas though are pretty much the same. one beautiful woman, two male suitors and eventually either one of the male suitors or the woman suffers trajedy. Inbetween some high pitched signing and good music if you are lucky.
Magic Flute at the Theatre of Estates is performed in traditional classical costume and is not a modern day adaptation. whether or not this appeals depends on the person
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Ha ha, yes I a feel like a philistine now. Thanks for your summary anyhow. I%26#39;ve seen plenty of the Lloys Webber style musicals so either ballet or Opera would certainly be something new. Thanks again.
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most male members of the planet are completely bored by opera (this contrasts with the female members of the planet who for some strange reason love looking at fellow females in puffball skirts and standing on their toes).
Mozarts operas are quite heavy. the magic flute was mozarts last, written when he was ill, and haad about 95 chips on his shoulder. many people who have not been to an opera before come out feeling very bored. f you have never been to an opera before, you are much better going to an italian opera (verdi, puccini) - more passion (which a dry austrian could never convey on the scoresheet), and the whole thing from start to finish is shorter
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sorry. I%26#39;m the philistine now. First paragraph was about ballet, not about opera
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