Yes Minister TV - Arena TV - Howard Goodall TV - Rick Riordan - Kenneth Clark TV - James Burke TV - Ed Gardner - Samuel Johnson - Dan Cook - Terry Pratchett - W H Auden - Moliere - Detropia 2012 - Lucy Worsley’s Nights at the Opera TV - Peaky Blinders TV -
Subsidy is for art, culture. It is not to be given to what the people want; it is for what the people don’t want but ought to have. Yes, Minister s3e7: The Middle-Class Rip-Off, Sir Humphrey to Bernard, BBC 1982
Subsidising art in this country is nothing more than a middle-class rip-off. ibid. Jim to Sir Humphrey, with Bernard
The Royal Opera House is the establishment at play. ibid.
In 1982 Miller caused a sensation with his production of Verdi’s Rigoletto at the English National Opera. Miller transposed the traditional 16th century setting to New York’s Little Italy in the 1950s. Arena: Jonathan Miller, BBC 2012
Miller produced Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutti for BBC TV in 1986. ibid.
The opera in question is Salome performed in 1905. Howard Goodall’s Story of Music: The Age of Rebellion
Even from far away, I could see people being chased by hellhounds, burned at the stake, forced to run naked through cactus patches or listen to opera music. Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief
Opera next to Gothic architecture is one of the oddest inventions of modern man. Kenneth Clark, Civilisation 9/13 The Pursuit of Happiness, BBC 1969
The most successful opera ever written and called Aida. James Burke, Connections s3e3: Drop the Apple, BBC 1997
Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings. Ed Gardner, Duffy’s Tavern
An exotic and irrational entertainment, which has been always combated, and always has prevailed. Samuel Johnson, Lives of the English Poets
The opera ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings. Dan Cook, Washington Post 3rd June 1978, variations & attributions
‘Well, basically there are two sorts of opera,’ said Nanny, who also had the true witch’s ability to be confidently expert on the basis of no experience whatsoever. ‘There’s your heavy opera, where basically people sing foreign and it goes like ‘Oh oh oh, I am dyin’, oh I am dyin’, oh oh oh, that’s what I’m doin’,’ and there’s your light opera, where they sing in foreign and it basically goes ‘Beer! Beer! Beer! Beer! I like to drink lots of beer!’ although sometimes they drink champagne instead. That’s basically all of opera, reely.’ Terry Pratchett, Maskerade
No good opera plot can be sensible, for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible. W H Auden
Of all the noises known to man, opera is the most expensive. Moliere
The Detroit Opera House relies on the big three automakers for 70 per cent of its corporate funding. Detropia, 2012
For centuries in Western culture opera has been the greatest show on Earth. It’s also become part of the soundtrack to our lives … They captured the deepest hopes and fears of people living there then. I want to find out how opera and history go hand in hand. Lucy Worsley’s Nights at the Opera I, BBC 2017
Venice where modern Opera began … Venice went mad for opera … Monteverdi: Orfeus. ibid.
Vienna where Mozart and Beethoven wrote revolutionary operas for an age of revolution … 1786: a brilliant and subversive opera … gave a voice to ordinary working people: The Marriage of Figaro … Mozart wrote twenty-two operas, Beethoven just the one. ibid.
Milan: home to an opera house, and an opera that helped to liberate a nation – Verdi’s Nabucco. ibid.
For centuries Opera was at the heart of European society. And in the late 19th century during a turbulent time of war and revolutions a new opera house was being built here in Paris. Lucy Worsley’s Nights at the Opera II
Paris: Where Bizet and Puccini captured the spirit of Bohemianism that swept through the city. ibid.
Carmen: ‘There’s real menace in her as well as incredible playfulness.’ ibid. officianado
La Boheme: ‘Very sophisticatedly written.’ ibid.
Wagner: ‘I am the German spirit.’ ibid.
Salome: This was shocking and raunchy. ibid.
Alfie, I think I may have written your final act. Why don’t you sit down and have a listen, eh? Peaky Blinders s6e2: Black Shirt ***** BBC 2022