Thread: What acts to skip at the opera

Pressed for time at the opera? Sick of sitting for five hours in a crowded seat? The book Skeletons from the Opera Closet suggests skipping the following acts:

1. Acts I and II of Fidelio by LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN, Acts I and II: No dramatist Ludwig was.
2. Acts I, II and III of "La Verismo" (Cavalleria rusticana, I Pagliacci and Il tabarro) by PIETRO MASCAGNI, RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO and GIACOMO PUCCINI: Three short operas tell the same story of a lovely woman, her suspicious husband and her secret admirer.
3. Act II of Siegfried by RICHARD WAGNER: Too many beasts indeed!
4. Every act of everything by JULES MASSENET: in short, the title character dies. Hérodiade should be titled Salomé, though.
5. Act III of La forza del destino by GIUSEPPE VERDI: Everybody who's sick of what's been going on, raise your hands.
6. Act I of the original 5-act version of Don Carlos by GIUSEPPE VERDI: the act is summarized in Act II.
7. Act III of Parsifal by RICHARD WAGNER: How slow does it go without Klingsor, bro?
8. Act III of Der Rosenkavalier by RICHARD STRAUSS: How slow does it go with Baron Ochs up front, bro?

Which acts do you suggest skipping?

Act III of Parsifal by RICHARD WAGNER: How slow does it go without Klingsor, bro?

what the ****

Well, it is not a complete act but I always considered the end bits of Don Giovanni superfluous. After Giovanni is dragged down the hell, the other characters burst in and sing a bit of "well, now that HE is gone we can get on with our lives". I can fill those parts in from my imagination so would rather see the opera end with that hellish blast of fire, brimstone and music.

Skip Bellini's operas. I don't see the point of having them around.

Originally Posted by ComposerOfAvantGarde

Skip Bellini's operas. I don't see the point of having them around.

Well, I had no chance to study Bellini's operas so carefully. Maybe I'll change my mind later but at the time ... no Bellini and also no Donizetti for me.

Penderecki Die Teufel von Loudon and Paradise Lost

Messiaen Saint François d'Assise

Can't bear these operas even for one act !

All Bel Canto operas seem extremely cliché

Originally Posted by ComposerOfAvantGarde

All Bel Canto operas seem extremely cliché

I concur. You may pick up just a few dramatic scenes like Madness in Lucia di Lammermoor and ignore the rest.

Originally Posted by ComposerOfAvantGarde

Skip Bellini's operas. I don't see the point of having them around.

...Except Norma.

Originally Posted by AlanPalgut

...Except Norma.

Right on! Exactly what I wanted to pointed out!

Originally Posted by AlanPalgut

...Except Norma.

Okay I think I need to see Norma before I give a proper opinion.

Originally Posted by AlanPalgut

[*]Act I of the original 5-act version of Don Carlos by GIUSEPPE VERDI: the act is summarized in Act II.

Ah, yes. Might as well skip every act of every opera since all of them are summarized in Wikipedia.

Originally Posted by ComposerOfAvantGarde

Okay I think I need to see Norma before I give a proper opinion.

You are lucky because there are a few good DVD available:

I like this one a lot, even though the production looks a little bit childish.

http://www.amazon.com/Bellini-Norma/...ef=pd_cp_mov_1

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This one has the supreme soprano singing at the high notes at age well over 50. Very impressive:

http://www.amazon.com/Bellini-Norma-.../dp/B000JJSRMU

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And, of course, there is the classic Australian production form the famous couple. But I personally do not get warm on that version, and the video looks fussy and outdated.

Skip Bellini's operas. I don't see the point of having them around.

Oh, I quite enjoyed La Sonnambula and am looking forward to hearing I Puritani and Norma. Call me callow, but I think there is a place for simple loveliness.