No one is a bigger fan of Mozart than I am. But I have always felt that the Magic Flute is incoherent *as an opera* (or Singspiel, technically speaking, I guess). If it did not have some of the most glorious music ever written, it would be a failure. But so far as I can tell, it's really just a string of great tunes held together by a rather incomprehensible narrative. That's not great opera, though it may very well include some of the greatest music ever written.
And the Ring Cycle is coherent? Not if you've ever laughed your way through Anna Russell's description! All things considered I'll settle for some of the greatest music ever written, thanks.
John
-- John & Susie Howell Virginia Tech Department of Music Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A 24061-0240 Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034 (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
