OK, we've had threads about novels, movies, etc. which feature a provider as the leading, or at least a main, character. Anyone want to take a shot at naming an opera which features a provider in a similar role?
Sparifucile's sister Maddalena.....the Duke chases her skirt and the end on the night that she and her brother kill Gilda, to spare the Duke's life....etc....etc....
Madame Butterfly....as she's a geisha.....close enough.....oh yeah...the Police's Roxanne.....just kiddn
If you're not just talking about Western "Grand" opera, then you'd have to include this Chinese opera set in the Ming Dynasty. This opera tells the story of a prostitute who falls in love with a scholar who frequents her brothel. When the scholar runs out of money the procuress bars him from returning. Meanwhile, the prostitute is sold to a merchant from Shanxi Province. The merchant's wife poison her husband and the prostitute is blamed. The scholar has become a high official in charge of justice at Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi Province. He has questions about the merchant's murder and orders the prostitute to be brought to Taiyuan. He sees the accused is his former lover and is so shocked that he loses his self-composure, which betrays his involvement with her. He pays a private visit to her in jail but is discovered by another official, who is persuaded to investigate the case and find the truth. In the end she is cleared of the charge and is married to her former lover.
Probably more than you ever wanted (or cared) to know!
Umberto Giordano's Mala Vita, which premiered in Rome in 1892. Because of its unrelenting depiction of a Neapolitan prostitute's wretched existence ("Mala vita" means "the miserable life"), the work was considered rather scandalous by Italian audiences but was popular in Austria and Germany.
This is, of course, not a contest, just fun. And now I know of a few people here with similar taste in music.
linkmeister: I thought of this as I was listening to Pilar Lorengar singing 'Siempre Libre'.
bandforming: A different take on two I'm very familiar with. Can't really argue with your interpretation, though.
Avocet: you got me, buddy. I never heard of either. And operas outside the western tradition are certainly OK. Did a web search and found a CD of 'Mala Vita'. Considering my opinion of Andrea Chenier, I might just buy it.
Once again, thanks to all. Additional participation welcome.
just to fan the flames a little bit....in the last Rigaletto i saw Maddalena was prego.....the singer may have been prego for real...or they may have done it for affect....it made it that much more sleezier......everybody laughed when she made her enterance
there was one prego provider in Vegas....but i didnt get the chance to sample....she was cute too.....one of these days i wanna sail that sea......
Ah, so true! How could we have missed her? Shame on us!
A more modern opera, Lulu, which premiered 2/24/79 at the Paris Opera.
It features murder, disease, gambling, a lesbian countess, and Jack the Ripper, too! Check the synopsis via the link. What a wild show, huh?
You were probably thinking of Otto Preminger's daring (for its time) "Carmen Jones", staring Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte. That wouldn't really qualify as opera, though.
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