Which "opera", not necessarily your favorite, in your opinion is the most, near perfect one?

Before I can answer this fairly, at least from my viewpoint, I would have to divide the perfect opera into two separate entities, drama and comedy, because like film, they simply shouldn't compete or even be compared to each other.

That said, my vote for the best dramatic opera (flawless) would be Puccini's La Bohème. It's not my favorite opera by any means but I can't imagine a wasted note in the music, a wasted phrase in the lyrics. It is perfectly compact, to the point and, with a minimum amount of explanation, tells one of the great tragic stories of all time.

Close seconds would be Carmen and Rigoletto (a favorite of mine). The score for Rigoletto is as perfect an operatic score as I can imagine. As to Carmen, which version are we agreeing on as perfect or near perfect? The original version as written by Bizet with spoken dialogue? Or the more popular version revised and widely embraced after his death?

My pick for a virtually flawless comic opera would be the seldom performed Béatrice et Bénédict by Berlioz. Of course, because it is based on the virtually flawless play (Much Ado About Nothing) by Shakespeare, it is a natural fit.

A very close second would be Rossini's Barber Of Seville.

I'm not a huge opera buff, but there are at least two operas that I consider to be pretty close to perfect. Since you only ask for one, I'm having a hard time deciding between these two. But since someone's already mentioned Don Giovanni above, I'll cast my vote for Tristan und Isolde. And no, I'm not saying that just because I know Alberich's a Wagnerian...I think this is some pretty amazing music. The prelude alone is some of the most moving music I know, and some of the most harmonically interesting (tonal) music I know. King Marke's monologue in Act II is deeply moving, and, of course, I don't need to convince anyone here how sublime Isolde's Verklärung is, at the end of the opera.

But aside from all this, my favorite thing about this opera is probably a bit unexpected. What I love most is that this opera doesn't contain a whole lot of "catchy tunes." Leitmotives, yes, of course. But nobody leaves a performance of this opera humming the music from the end of Act I. Wagner is able to make glorious, melodic music in a pretty unique way.

O, good question and good pick, too, Alberich! Carmen is about as flawless as it gets!

I'll be the boring guy in picking Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro). It is filled with witty and beautifully catchy melodies that carry just about all of human emotion (with the exception of hatred and murder, I suppose... it being a romantic/political-comedy show). You have the vulnerable sadness of the Countess ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iYZUta85IU&fmt=18 ), the youthful innocence of Cherubino ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kSO6_h49M8&fmt=18 ), the noble vulgarity of the Count ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCvY79SQln4&fmt=18 ), the wit of Figaro ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsmvqPOB3QA ), and the seductiveness of Susanna ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WQoLzG90oM )... among other things.

The opera has a large cast and yet somehow every character are well drawn and not just one-dimensional sketch. As many great soloists you pack into the cast, the most beautiful parts of the show are the ensembles (especially the finales of Acts II and IV http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWxclaU-Db0&fmt=18 )... so they have to work together rather than trying to be showboats.

The story is thought-provoking (especially at the time it was composed and can still be applied now)... social inequality and how morality and social status don't always match. And Mozart moves the story along so well... all the recitative run into the aria almost as smoothly as you'd expect from the musical drama of the Romantic period that came after his time. And the music is already so expressive that I doubt that it can be done better... (any more and it'd drag the story, any less and it would be less compelling with this silly plot). As long as this work is, when it is done well, it only feels half its length.

My favorite opera is actually one of Handels early Italian operas, "Il Trionfo del Tiempo e del Disinganno," it has an aria Laschia La Spina cogli la rosa (Pick the rose and leave the thorns) which is the same music as the aria Laschia Ch'io Pianga, from his later opera Rinaldo. (Its not my favourite aria in the opera, but it is well known.)

I also like Gluck's early operas, and Salieri (he's somewhat like gluck dont you think?) and Vivaldi, and Scarlatti, and Monteverdi, and Mozart, and Rossini, and Donizetti.... I like opera too much.

Anyway, to me, a perfect opera, is "La Cenerentola" (Rossini). The music is of course spectacular, but to me it is the libretto that makes it so good.

So I guess I should give a musically perfect opera. I agree with carmen, but another is: Il Trovatore.

For me it just has all the aspects that make a good opera. Ok there is no "mad scene" (maybe azucena could count as a mad character?), and there are less hummable tunes than carmen, but to go see Il Trovatore!!!! heaven... I dont think words can even describe it!

(As for preludes, I like two: Carmen act 2 prelude, and the prelude for Tristan and Isolde.... I think Tristan and Isolde could be the example of the perfect Wagner opera. I do not like it but it is so good.)

Hi Alberich,

I'm finding this question strangely tricky to answer, and it's taking longer to post than I thought it would!

I have no problems coming up with my nomination - it's Monteverdi's "L'incoronazione di Poppea" - that part of the question is easy. But what makes it a "perfect" or "near-perfect" opera? How can I justify my choice, especially as it's one of the earliest operas ever (first performed in 1642) and a work that exists in a relatively fragmentary state?

For me, "Poppea" (like "Amadeus" and "Farinelli") is a compelling mix of historical fact tempered with plenty of artistic license, with lots of psychological intrigue injected into the mix. I'm a great fan of stories of twisted, one-eyed characters - especially those driven by obsessive love and revenge - which is partly what appeals to me here.

This opera is based on the story of Poppaea Sabina - second wife of Roman emperor Nero - who conspired to become Empress, and ruthlessly achieved her ambition - breaking her other lover's heart (Ottone) in the process - only to be murdered by Nero. And the tragedy is, Ottone succeeded Nero as Emperor anyway - shame Poppaea didn't resort to such deceitful treachery, she would've attained her goal if she'd been patient!

Anyway - Monteverdi's opera is a sanitised version of this tragic tale - the girl gets her unavailable man, they all live happily ever after...the triumph of Love over Virtue and Fortune...but knowing the original story is enough to pique my interest.

But ultimately, it's Monteverdi's music that captivates me. It sounds so etheral, so spiritual, and I keep forgetting it's quite an immoral opera where virtue most definitely does not prevail.

And I find perfection in Monteverdi's sparse, almost bare-bones orchestration, which oscillates between the small orchestra and the rich basso continuo section (2 harspichords, organ, 2 theorbos, 2 lutes, lirone.*)

And Monteverdi's innovative use of leitmotif elements is a foreshadowing of things to come...

Here's a sample:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipGH_luApCM

I'd better stop my subjective ramblings now. I know Monteverdi's operas aren't for everyone, but - well, Alberich, you did ask!

Cheers,

Hafwen x

*lirone = an early bass stringed instrument, held between the legs and bowed

"Don Giovanni" by Mozart. It is not my #1 favourite, but it comes close. It captures every emotion, and the scene where the Commendatore comes to drag the Don to hell is spellbinding. It has it all - comedy, tragedy, horror.

I'm not the only one who thinks so: no less a critic than George Bernard Shaw felt the same way.

Some years ago the most god-awful production by Peter Sellars was on PBS. It was terrible, but the opera still shone through all the distractions. You cannot spoil it, although God knows Sellars tried.

Short opera like Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci begin almost immediately with the foreshadowing of events to follow. I especially like the double entendres of the play within a play in Pagliacci.

But Carmen still remains my favorite. Wonderful music expressing love, seduction, lust, adventure, betrayal and death.

I can give you almost perfect acts

2nd act of Die Walkure

3rd act of Lohengrin

sorry about the more than one bit

Perfect opera ? none exist I hope, although Purcell's Dido comes close

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_50zj7J50U

form, concision , unity of rhythmic & harmonic structures, only let down by a dodgy libretto

Carmen is wonderful, but, Boheme is perfect.There is something missing in Mozart operas despite of their beauty. I believe it is a lack of "Italian ness" Verdi and Puccini have it and it canot be explained.

phantom