[MinuteGal]

Back in the day, my late husband was raised in a hard-working farm family in an era and location where music appreciation was relatively unknown and/or un-cared-for except for the pop hits of the day.

I decided to introduce him to live opera. I also decided NOT to introduce him to operatic music and drama via Wagner.

I bought tickets for a new and stunning production of "Madama Butterfly" at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago. It was the right move....he sat in his seat through all the acts as if mesmerized.

The Butterfly is a right choice for newbies to opera.....dramatic, melodic and colorful setting-wise.

I know if I brought him to a Wagnerian opera he'd never want to go again. I don't think he could have sat still that long...or could have sat through all the unmelodic recitatives.

The upshot of that lovely evening? He never asked to go to another opera again, anyhow....after all my planning and plotting.

Grrrr......

[RedMonqey]

I admit Wagner can be a bit thick(it is German, after all/s)but the only reason I got into it at the beginning because of it was a influence upon JRR Tolkien and his opus “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

Wagner was a gateway into the world of opera, I, like your husband, was raised in a rural area where Hank Williams was on the radio not Madame Butterfly.

Still, I ain't gonnin’ to see “Cats” no matter how good it is suppose to be/ lol

[razorback-bert]

I drug my ex to the HGO, she slept the first three years, then she got it.

[real saxophonist]

I like you.

[TEXOKIE]

LOL! great story!

My mom LOVED opera! Every Saturday there she’d be in front of the radio listening to the Metropolitan Opera broadcast. There was no getting away from it since my parent had the whole house wired for sound!

People used to ask my dad if he like to go to the opera. He’d always say, “Yes, I already went!”