Analyzing Opera and Opera Fandom Essay

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Opera and Opera Fandom

Discuss the issues surrounding the physical appearance of female singers on the operatic stage. What are the broader issues at play in this debate?

The contemporary American society, in general, makes the assumption that opera is one of the few outstanding fields of entertainment where talent is of greater significance and implication compared to the physical appearance. However, this is not the case as made evident by the 2004 firing of Deborah Voigt. Opera singers, in the present day, are progressively being held to more stringent image standards. In particular, in the year 2004, Covent Garden laid off Voigt from their making of Ariadne auf Naxos, in which Voigt was meant to recap her censoriously highly praised construal of the title role. As stated by Voigt, Peter Katona, the casting director of Covent Garden, had the feeling that she was too big to fit into the little black dress that the new production necessitated of the character. Taking this into consideration, the elimination of Voigt from the production highlights the issues surrounding the physical appearance of female singers on the operatic stage (Stephenson 1).

In addition, when the young Irish mezzo-soprano, Tara Erraught, took up the role of Octavian in the performance of "Der Rosenkavalier" for an Opera production, an unpleasant polemic burst forth in the British press. A clique of male critics in London gave a free rein to some bizarrely cruel reviews, concentrating more on her appearance than on her singing. Tara Erraught was defined as a "chubby bundle of puppy-fat," perceived as being "stocky" and "dumpy of stature," as owning an "intractable physique" (Ross). These elements point up to the broader issues at play in this debate. This encompasses the seething issue of gender inequality and sexism in the classical realm.

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The semantics encircling women in opera has continuously leaned towards fervent extremes, whether of fascination or of abhorrence and repugnance. The "Rosenkavalier" occurrence displays how barely nothing has changed. However, this ought not to be the case. As asserted by Alice Coote in her open letter, "It is not about lights, it is not about costumes, it's not about sets, it's not even about sex or stature ... It is ALL about the human voice. It is something that is done without amplification and without barriers ... It is one human singing to another." It is easy for critics to comment on the females' bodies, be those comments negative or positive. However, they fail to realize that, as pointed out by Alice Coote, they can easily alter the trajectory of their lives and careers by wounding them with their words (Lebrecht).

Question 2: What do you think of opera fandom? Summarize the various impacts that loving an opera singer may have on a fan's life

I consider opera fandom to be a significant and substantial relationship with the opera performers. This can be perceived from the aspect that opera performances generate particular feelings of connection and high spirits, which are distinctive to the performance. In addition, according to Benzecry (40), the fans proclaim to experience a sort of high emotion, which encompasses feelings of elation, connection with the performer and somewhat of a sense of harmony with other opera participants. Nonetheless, opera is not anything if not emotional, so conceivably, it is not astonishing that opera fans are emotional as well. However, I consider that comprehending and appreciating opera has a need for an intelligent investment. However, it is imperative to note that there are various impacts….....

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