Thread: Большой Театр

Have you been to the Bolshoi? Why? To watch what? Is it expensive? Was it fun?
Who goes there, mostly the rich? Are they very haughty and arrogant?
Under communism, were the working classes allowed to attend regularly?

Do any of you like opera? Мазепа is now playing. How important an historical figure is he to Russian?

Do you know that there are more opera companies in American than the rest of the world combined.
I however have lived 55 years here and other than my wife have never met another opera goer (except of course at an opera performance or function)? What does this mean (aside from my poor choice of friends)?!

Originally Posted by Siriusly

Have you been to the Bolshoi?

Yes, several times

Why?

How do you suppose should we answer that? Because!

To watch what?

I saw Хованщина, Спартак and during La Scala tour

Is it expensive?

Average price is about $150 but tickets are hard to find and the price may jump much higher.

Was it fun?

Yes

Who goes there, mostly the rich?

Mostly tourists. The rich people in Moscow prefer to entertain themselves elsewhere.

Are they very haughty and arrogant?

It varies

Under communism, were the working classes allowed to attend regularly?

The tickets were cheap but it was a problem to buy them because of them would almost never appear in open sale. There was no difference who buys them working class or not.

Do any of you like opera? Мазепа is now playing. How important an historical figure is he to Russian?

Not very significant.

Do you know that there are more opera companies in American than the rest of the world combined.

The quantity does not imply the quality.

I however have lived 55 years here and other than my wife have never met another opera goer (except of course at an opera performance or function)? What does this mean (aside from my poor choice of friends)?!

It's a rarity in modern days. I prefer ballet.

that was very informative; But the answer for "why" should have been: in the progression of human appreciation of music the natural course is- from mother's heartbeat, to mother's lullabies, to sounds of nature; to mother's rhyming songs; to children's songs and rap; to country music, to rock n roll and popular; jazz; folk and traditional; to ambient; to classical; to opera; then an eternity of silence!

Originally Posted by Siriusly

that was very informative; But the answer for "why" should have been: in the progression of human appreciation of music the natural course is- from mother's heartbeat, to mother's lullabies, to sounds of nature; to mother's rhyming songs; to children's songs and rap; to country music, to rock n roll and popular; jazz; folk and traditional; to ambient; to classical; to opera; then an eternity of silence!

Methinks a poet doth lurk deep beneath an outer appearance thy soul.

Originally Posted by Siriusly

I however have lived 55 years here and other than my wife have never met another opera goer (except of course at an opera performance or function)? What does this mean (aside from my poor choice of friends)?!

It means that opera is boring to most. Hopefully, your choice of friends is not based on your musical preferences, the latter known to be irrational and spontaneous, otherwise it would really be messed up.

Originally Posted by Ramil

Do any of you like opera? Мазепа is now playing. How important an historical figure is he to Russian?

Not very significant.

Mazepa

But this figure took part in important historical events during Great Northern War with important historical figures as russian czar' Peter I, swedish king Charles XII.

damn i'd love to be there

I saw Turandot there about 5 years ago. Excellent performance. We got special tickets because a friend of mine was a close friend of the bass singer.

I'm not a big fan of opera... I prefer ballet.

i'd also want to listen Russian Red Army Choir...

Originally Posted by Wowik

Originally Posted by Ramil

Do any of you like opera? Мазепа is now playing. How important an historical figure is he to Russian?

Not very significant.

Mazepa

But this figure took part in important historical events during Great Northern War with important historical figures as russian czar' Peter I, swedish king Charles XII.

Well, the question was about his role in the whole Russian history. I'd agree that his role in the Great Nothern War was prominent.

Originally Posted by Ramil

_Quantity does not imply_ quality.

Originally Posted by basurero

Originally Posted by Ramil

_Quantity does not imply_ quality.

I'll go mad with these articles