Advice On Going To Opera {Want To Make My Mother Happy}

Hi guys.

My mother has never been to opera and me and my brother would like to take her since long time ago she said she would like to see and hear one in her life. My brother just got coupons for theater in Ostrava, Czech Republic so it's a good opportunity. I would like to ask which of these Operas would make a great experience for my mother. {Something emotional and chilling that could bring a tear to her eye out of joy kind of thing.}

Giuseppe Verdi's Operas:

NABUCCO

La Traviata
Ernani

Robert Schumann

JENOVÉFA {Genoveva in English I think}

Bedrich Smetana's Operas:
Devil's Wall {I translate from Czech Language to english so it may not be absolutely accurate name}

Sold Bride

Leos Janacek's Operas:
Catherine Kabana
Journeys of Mr. Broucek
 

Gaetano Donizetti

MARIE STUARDA

I literally want something that would make the moment magical for her. That moment of pure artistic euphoria when you feel for few seconds like everything is beautiful in the world. {hehe bit of a hard request I know but which of these Opera's could be the closest to that?}

So I kindly ask all of you who know stuff or two about these Operas to share a little info. It doesn't have to be purely objective + not much about story since I can read about that at Wikipedia. If you experienced any of these please share your experience and thoughts of it.

P.S. - None of my real life friends are into classical music that much so I turn to you YCs as my last hope. Please don't let me down :C. xD

The Smetna operas (particularly "sold bride" [translates in to the "bartered bride" lol]) are more comic, so if your mom likes that it should be fine. Out of all the choices, I think the most accessible and one with good music/drama/story/emotion would be Verdi's La Traviata. I haven't heard the Schumann and the Janaceck ones, and I don't care for Donizetti.

Figaro.

Go with Donizetti, probably more approachable for the opera novice.

I had no idea Schumann wrote an opera!  I need to check that out!

I don't know the individual works, but Schumann is cool. Intense romanticism at it's best, sounds like that's what you're looking for.

I recommend Janáček—if you're going to the Czech Republic you may as well hear one of the greatest Czech composers, performed by people deeply attuned to his language and music. Kátya Kabanova is one of his greatest works, worth hearing if the singers are good.

Thanks A LOT guys.

I watched a bit of La Traviatta on youtube and thinkg that would be perfect for the chills. Gonna check the others later on through this or the next year. I appreciate your help :)

I read that Schumann only composed this one opera. I could not find a full video of it on youtube just some short 7 min clips. To be honest Schumann never touched my heart (Although Schumann's Traumerei/Dreaming is the strongest piano piece that made me full of goose bumps while melting out of pure sentimental ecstasy)and La Traviata sounded more interesting so I am going with that.

On the topic another question comes to my mind. What are your opinions on 20th/21st (or late 20th Century) Opera works? Who would you consider a good Opera composer and why? I was looking for pieces with voice singing like Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunair and failed at it. If there was an Opera in a similiar style that would be something interesting for me.

I was looking for pieces with voice singing like Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunair and failed at it. If there was an Opera in a similiar style that would be something interesting for me.

Hmm... I'm not sure if Schoenberg's own Moses und Aron would fit. After all, when he wrote Pierrot he hadn't fully developed dodecaphonism.

Thanks A LOT guys.

 

I watched a bit of La Traviatta on youtube and thinkg that would be perfect for the chills. Gonna check the others later on through this or the next year. I appreciate your help :)

 

I read that Schumann only composed this one opera. I could not find a full video of it on youtube just some short 7 min clips. To be honest Schumann never touched my heart (Although Schumann's Traumerei/Dreaming is the strongest piano piece that made me full of goose bumps while melting out of pure sentimental ecstasy)and La Traviata sounded more interesting so I am going with that.

 

On the topic another question comes to my mind. What are your opinions on 20th/21st (or late 20th Century) Opera works? Who would you consider a good Opera composer and why? I was looking for pieces with voice singing like Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunair and failed at it. If there was an Opera in a similiar style that would be something interesting for me.

Schumann never touched your heart?!?! whaaaat?!

As to a 20th (and 21st) century operas, you have Berg's Wozzeck and Lulu (probably closest to Schoenberg), Britten's Peter Grimes (he wrote a LOT more), you have your Shostakovich operas (The Nose, Lady Macbeth), Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress, Korngold's Die tote Stadt (lovely music), John Adams' operas are pretty good (Nixon in China, Doctor Atomic), and Phillip Glass wrote some too (Einstein on the Beach). There are a LOT more than listed, but these are the more "famous" ones.