Opera. I thinks it’s one of life’s sublime pastimes: the arias, the choruses, the orchestra, the melodies, the costumes, the sets, the anticipation, the excitement, the drama, the comedy, the romance, the pathos, the intrigue, the grandeur, the twist and turns of the contrived and mostly silly plots. All so gorgeous; all so captivating. Sweetheart Vivienne says she sits in the audience and feels like the whole extravaganza’s being staged for her alone. I know what she means. I thank my Mum and her cousin Ivan for kindling my interest in opera, in the 1980s. It’s never been extinguished. I'm frustrated I haven’t attended an opera for years, because there’s none in Tasmania. But I still get excited when I hear opera on the radio. My favourite opera? I don’t have one; each has something to recommend it. And my favourite composer? Ditto. So why’s today’s Farmdoc’s Blog post about opera? Between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. during ABC Classic FM radio’s breakfast programme, there’s a segment called ‘Tears on Toast’. Each week a different opera’s dissected into five parts, and each week-day a segment of the opera’s played and the story’s updated. This week’s opera is Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini (pictured), because it premiered on 17 February 1904, i.e. 105 years ago this week. It’s a wonderful opera. It has all the ingredients. As Ivan would say, it’s a ball-tearer.
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