Thursday, May 28, 2009

More "opera in movie" notes

Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor shows up in Madame Bovary (1949). We get part of the love duet "Ah! verrano a te sull'aure" and the first bit of Act I Scene 3. It's a wee bit odd that they use the break between those two scenes to let the characters be up and about rather than a genuine break between acts, particularly as the characters end up skipping out on Act III entirely. Well, sheesh they aren't even to Act II yet (two more scenes to go!), and if they have breaks at every scene, I'm surprised they didn't just duck out after Act I! LOL!

Memorable quote:

"I said that I did like the opera... everything except the music." -- Charles Bovary

2 comments:

Ginger Ingenue said...

Oh, well here's a mention of MADAME BOVARY...so yes, I guess you've watched it. ;)

And I'll admit, I don't understand all of this post, but I'm just gonna nod and smile, and say, Look, there's Van! Ain't he cute? ;)

I do have a lot of respect for Opera, and classical music, and for people like you who prefer their music to be actual works of art.

I just go in for brilliant lyrics. If it reads like a poem, then I'm one happy girl. :)

DKoren said...

Hee, yeah, I don't expect this post to make much sense to anyone but me, but I wanted to start compiling a list of where opera is used in film. Maybe I'll write a book on it someday!

Although you know, opera wasn't a work of art back in the day. It was just entertainment for the masses.

I'm rather envious of people like you who love lyrics. I've talked about this on my other blog, but not here, but I don't hear words in songs. Never have. I hear the melody, harmony, rhythm... but the words being sung might as well be "la la la." I have a huge disconnect in my brain when it comes to lyrics. If someone asks me to listen to the words to the song, it literally takes a monumental effort to try to pay attention. I think I must switch to all right-brain when I listen to music. Music's a visual thing, all colors and shapes and patterns and emotions in my mind. Words and understanding those words requires the left-brain, and I think my left-brain automatically takes a vacation when I listen to music.

My sister's the same way, neither of us hear lyrics. Drives her husband crazy, cuz he's a lyrics person. LOL!

Weird, huh?