We will be visiting Budapest, Prague, and Vienna in late May, and I would like to see an opera in one of those cities. Can you help with my choices? (There was a fabulous thread here on this subject a year ago, but I'd appreciate an update and will welcome reading your suggestions,.)

I am a tenderfoot when it comes to opera, but I am enchanted with the idea of seeing productions with good music, in beautiful, historic venues, with great costuming, theatricality, and staging.

Below are my choices. All of them are presented in the main opera house, with the exception of Abduction from Seraglio, which is presented at the Burgtheater in Vienna:

Budapest:
May 23, Tosca

Prague:
May 26, Rigoletto
May 27, Tosca
May 28, Candide

Vienna:
May 30, Barber of Seville
May 31, Abduction from Seraglio, at the Burgtheater

I am leaning toward the Abduction from Seraglio, at the Burgtheater. I understand this opera is not considered one of Mozart's best. However, I am intrigued, because the performance is part of Vienna's celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday, and itwill be performed at the in the same venue (though reconstructed after WWII) where Mozart originally premiered the opera 250 years ago. It will also be our last night in Vienna and just two days before our trip ends.

Can you share your experiences with me and offer your suggestions for a choice of opera and venue that will be memorable for us?

I'm waiting, opera buffs! Don't make me have to show up at your house with a bullhorn.

Wow, good choices. I'm not going to pretend to be a major expert here, but the first I'd eliminate would be Candide. It just isn't as thrilling as the others. Tosca? Rigoletto? Both big and impressive. We just saw a production of Barber of Seville at Royal Opera House in London on New Year's and it was absolutely delightful, but very non traditional. It is a shorter and more fun opera than many and a good introduction regardless of how it is done -- and the story is easy to follow.

I understand your interest in the "authentic" qualities of this other Mozart thing, but frankly if you're not that familiar with opera, I'd go for one of the other three.

OK, I'll step out on a limb -- first choice -- Tosca.

I personally love Tosca and Rigoletto and highly recommend both of them as the music is dramatic and beautiful. Usually the sets for both these operas are opulent.

But I am biased towards Candide as I will be attending the Prague State Opera production of Candide on May 28. This is because my dearest friend will be singing the lead female part of Cunegonde. Hopefully she will be doing the performance on May 28, alternately, she may be singing May 25 or even both nights. Candide is of course performed in English and will be a brand new production of the State Opera.

I'm not as crazy about the Abduction from Seraglio, but you make a good point about the Mozart 250th anniversary.

That is exciting, kangamom. And perhaps I should slightly backtrack on my "not as exciting". I saw a concert version of Candide last year at the New York Philharmonic with Kristen Chenowith and Patty Lupone among others. It was wonderful. You can sometimes catch it on PBS these days.

But I guess it just seems that if you're in Europe and want to see an opera in a grand opera house, Candide by Leonard Bernstein in English just doesn't have the "grandeur" and exitement that a foreign language grand production would have. In fact, it still seems almost as much like American musical comedy as opera to me.

Neopolitan,

I completely agree with you about Candide, it wouldn't be my first choice, but nothing is more exciting than seeing a dear friend performing in an opera, especially at the State Opera in Prague! So excited about the trip!

Check and make sure that the costumes are the traditional costumes. There has been a movement (probably started in Germany) of putting the singers in modern dress with modern 20th century staging. We've just gone through several seasons of this "modernization" here in San Francisco and frankly it's not appealing.

On the other hand, I saw several operas at the NY Met at the end of last year and the traditional costumes were spectacular (as was the singing!).

Tosca, Rigoletto, and Barber of Seville are all OK as a first choice.

Secondly, try and find out who's singing what. The quality of the singing really impacts upon your enjoyment. After all, this is a MUSICAL event.

Thirdly, look at the opera house itself. In this case, I'd probably venture to guess that the better experience will be in Vienna.

Just my two cents.

Easytraveler, why do you think Vienna would be better in terms of the house? I ask, because a poster on the previous thread I referred to expressed the opinion that he/she found it "ugly," while other posters referred to the beauty of the venues in Prague and Budapest. I understand that both the Vienna State Opera and the Burgtheater were essentially rebuilt after being substantially destroyed in WWII.

Nevertheless, there is "something" about opera in Vienna, especially in celebration of Mozart's birth that holds great appeal for me.

We could wait to decide until we arrive at our destinations. However, for some reason, I am concerned the performance at the Burgtheater may sell out early because it is a single performance at a historic venue in a historic year. Hmmm.

Thanks for your input, all.