#21. We have an afficianodo of Opera here. Great. My late mother would have loved to have corresponded with you. She and my father would go to NY once a year as a wedding anniversary treat to see the great opera and stage shows.
And when she was young she either saw Caruso and the other greats of the 30’s and 40’s, or collected their records including Red Dog Victor albums.
I was raised on D’Orly Cart light operas with Martin Green - Mikado, HMS Pinafore, Pirates of Penzance etc. Even got Green’s autograph on a playbill. But I loved Bizet’s “Waltz of the Toreadors” and “La Habenera”.
My wife likes classical music and played it in Germany.
One of the last great stage shows I saw (gift tickets, couldn’t afford them back then), was “1776”. I’d like to see that brought back to the big stage. It was patriotic and entertaining at the same time.
America has been blessed with the greatest and most diverse musical entertainment of all time, from operas and stage shows/movies such as “The Producers”, Rock & Roll, Jazz, Bluegrass, Country and Western, to folk and cowboy tunes.
The Politically Correct liberals and Leftists want to destroy our national heritage. It is up to us to prevent this “Cultural Genocide”.
Freepers can do that just by commenting on this issue because it educates and enlightens its readers, as well as writing about it in other media formats when the attack is on.
This is our time to smash the Left. Let’s do it with gusto and knowledge.
I was raised on opera AND G&S ! My parents did G&S semi-professionally and from the womb,onwards, I attended rehearsals and shows. My parents' troop did the FIRST complete G&S operetta ( The Mikado ), on American T.V., on NBC, in the summer of '49.
When the D'Oyly Carte Savoyards came to America, after WW II ended, I was taken to see ALL of their performances and we had a box. Martin Green asked one of the American caste ( who was a fill in and someone from our troop ) who that child was, in the box, mouthing every word. My "Uncle" Buddy told him it was ME and I got to go back stage and meet the late GREAT, best KoKo EVER, Martin Green! :-)
I have ALWAYS been a somewhat obsessed G&S fanatic, know all of the operettas by heart...including every single hand movement and bit. :-)
Anytime you care to talk about this, let me know/drop me some FRmail! :-)
In '85, during one of our trips to England, we went to visit Gilbert's home, Grim's Dyke and I stood by the wee river where he drowned and cried. Schwenck is my favorite and always has been; I adore the man.
Ummmmmmmmmmmm....Caruso was somewhat before your parents' time. My great Aunt was his special private secretary ( she was in charge of picking out and sending Christmas and birthday cards and other such bumff for him ) in the teens. Caruso DIED in 1921.
Tibaldi lived a floor or two up from my parents' apartment, in the '60s and if she was practicing, one could hear her as though she was right next to you, in the powder room. It was VERY disconcerting; to say the least. :-(
Absolutely LOVE 1776 and the movie is also very good. Yes, it should be revived; with an ALL WHITE cast, of course! :-)
As to the resat of your post, I concur and have done my part, raising the kiddo and now the grand, to know and appreciate our culture. :-)