The ultimate threat

The ultimate threat

Uncategorized

norman lebrecht

September 07, 2014

keep calm or

 

You can buy these from Seattle Opera (via here). Available in all operatic sizes.

Comments

  • Nick says:

    I love some of the quips you see on music-related T-shirts. Japan has a particular obsession with them. But there the phrases/sentences often tend to be double translations so they come out not quite as intended. One of the funniest I ever saw was for The Phantom of the Opera in Sapporo. The front had the usual Phantom symbols – shards of glass, a mask and a rose. This was on the back –

    “She chased him around
    the Opera House and then
    caught him by the organ!”

    • andrew says:

      Hi Nick

      I have an original still in its wrapper

      what would you imagine its worth?

      yes, after all this time its for sale

      any tips gratefully received

      Andrew

      • Nick says:

        I heard Andrew Lloyd Webber ordered them destroyed when he became aware of them and a new batch of merchandise produced. You could offer it to him! Alternatively if it is a large size, I’d buy it!

  • Nick says:

    I love some of the quips you see on music-related T-shirts. Japan has a particular obsession with them. But there the phrases/sentences often tend to be double translations so they come out not quite as intended. One of the funniest I ever saw was for The Phantom of the Opera in Sapporo. The front had the usual Phantom symbols – shards of glass, a mask and a rose. This was on the back –

    “She chased him around

    the Opera House and then
    
caught him by the Organ!”

  • william osborne says:

    Actually, in the USA, opera doesn’t have a very big voice. 39th in the world for performances per capita…

  • William Safford says:

    I gave a baby bib with that witticism to a friend of mine. She loved it. I bought it at Glimmerglass Opera. It is cute.

  • Marshall says:

    Actually, I can’t stand this stuff. The idea of treating opera as if it were something it is not, by making it more humorous, more palatable, more popular is doomed to failure. Look at this shirt-it fundamentally pokes fun at the notion of an operatic voice, and American TV-when it refers to opera, which is rarely, in awful commercials-often picks on this aspect of opera to caricature. This has also reached non-singing voices where the idea of a resonant and cultured voice is considered amusing, or something to ridicule. If you’re ever been involved with politics or public speaking, even in a small room, very few people can speak without a mic,and the world is full of mumbling, low talkers. This is, of course, part of the whole modernist idea of diminishing everything that takes skill and technique..

    I know the Glimmerglass type of promotional cute goods-rarely there is something genuinely clever or witty-but mostly it’s more of this popularizing nonsense.Does it raise money? I hope so-but is a short-lived approach.

    People need to come to the art form on its terms, not have it made more appealing through modern Madison avenue mass advertising techniques.

    You think I’m without humor or I think it always has to be treated as if we’re dealing with sacramental objects? As I said, real wit and cleverness is always appreciated-though rare. But when someone who knows I like opera gives me a fancy pin that reads “Help Stamp Out Tenors”-ha! ha!-I am not amused. (yes maybe the pin earned a few cents for the company)

    I also find many of the fine children’s book on opera well done, and helpful in attracting kids to the form. I remember one called “Pet of the Met” which was about a mouse maestro who lived at the Met-quite clever, and I’ve given it to children who loved it. Did it help them love opera-maybe a little.

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