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TRIVIA TODAY - Monday, January 31, 2011
Greetings Infomaniacs,
Yesterday I had to host an opera lecture at work. A member
of a lyric opera group comes in occasionally to give a lecture
on a particular opera. Yesterday's session was on Lohengrin.
I admit that I don't know very much about operas, so I thought
I would look up some information on them and share it with
you today!
Enjoy!
Melissa
Email Melissa: mailto:melissa@gophercentral.com
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TODAY'S MYSTERY QUOTE
QUOTE: ?An opera begins long before the curtain goes up and
ends long after it has come down. It starts in my imagination,
it becomes my life, and it stays part of my life long after
I've left the opera house.?
HINT: (1923-1977), American-born Greek soprano and one of
the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century.
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RANDOM TIDBITS
The term ?opera? comes from the Latin opus, or ?work.? The
term ?soap opera? was first recorded in 1939 as a derogatory
term for daytime radio shows that were sponsored by soap
manufacturers.
***
During the seventeenth century, women were not allowed to
sing onstage, not even in a chorus. Castrated males, or
castrati, would sing the soprano/mezzo/alto parts. The
first of the great castrati was Baldassare Ferri (1610-
1680).
***
When Charles Gounod?s (1818-1893) opera Faust wasn?t
selling tickets, the producer gave away tickets for the
first three performances to people out of town and declared
the performances were sold out. Wondering what all the
fuss was about, the public began buying tickets, and Faust
became a hit.
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
VIDEO CLIP
Aida - Celeste Aida
In 1870 Ismail Pasha, the viceroy of Egypt, commissioned
Giuseppe Verdi to write an opera to commemorate his new
opera-house in Cairo. The opera he wrote, Aida, gave the
world one of its most famous arias, Celeste Aida.
http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=874
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After an opera, it is appropriate to yell bravo for a man
and brava for a woman. If you want to cheer for two or
more singers, use the plural form, which is bravi. If the
group consists only of women, yell brave (BRAH-vay).
***
Opera?s origins are typically traced to the dramas of
ancient Greece, though the Egyptians had been performing
the Heb-Sed (or Feast of the Tail) for 2,000 years
previously. The Heb-Sed evolved into Passion Plays in which
the Egyptians acted out stories from Egypt?s glorious past
set to music and singing.
***
The first public opera house (San Cassiano) opened in
Venice in 1637 where ?the father of opera,? Claudio
Monteverdi (1567-1643), shifted the emphasis from a more
dialogue-based opera to a more musical opera. Monteverdi
helped place Venice as the opera capital of the world.
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*** Weekly Mind-Scrambler ***
What is it, that starts with an E, ends with an E, and
usually contains only one letter?
Submit your answer by visiting: http://gopherarchives.gophercentral.com/TheDailyTease.aspx
Answer will be posted in Friday's Trivia Today. Good Luck!
If your name appears in Friday's newsletter,
email me your complete name and address and I will ship
your prize.
Be sure to put "Winner" in the subject line.
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QUOTE: ?An opera begins long before the curtain goes up and
ends long after it has come down. It starts in my imagination,
it becomes my life, and it stays part of my life long after
I've left the opera house.?
ANSWER: Maria Callas.
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