About
The Bent Nail Opera Blog offers a unique perspective on opera by a teenage – an rarity in the opera world. Here you can find reviews and opinions by a genuine lover of opera. This blog will truly give a refreshing point of view to those who see opera as a dying art form.
Backstage with Renee Fleming
Hi there!
I am also a teenager who loves opera. I took a class about it during a janterm at my high school and have been hooked since, my first live one I saw was Madame Butterfly and then the Barber of Seville. I frequently attend the Met live in HD broadcasts (I live in the west coast area so I can’t fly to New York too much) My favorites have been Trovatore and Lucia (WITH NATALIE DESSAY MY ALL TIME FAVORITE SOPRANO!) by the way, that is so cool you got to meet her!
i think its neat that you are blogging about opera, it is a dying art form and I cannot find many teenagers who love it. Kudos to you!
I love opera! Also a teen :] I’m a singer, so opera has quickly become of the pinacle of my music idolatry. Le Nozze, is by far my favorite; no one can write like Mozart! Seeing my first Met show this October (Don Giovanni), and I’m stoked! Its so good to know there’s more of us out there!
I’m always glad to find out about more teen opera lovers! We need to stick together
How did you become interested in opera…through singing it?
Daisy, what type of singer are you? Are you classically trained? Soprano? Contralto? What kind of stuff do you like to sing?
Yes we do need to stick together!
I became interested in opera through one of my teachers at school actually. I go to a private school, and we had a 3 week Janterm (we take time off our normal courses and pick different ones they teach that are fun and out of the box like dance, opera, grilling, etc.) So I picked opera for the heck of it…little did I know what was in store
In two weeks she discussed the classics, La Boheme, Carmen, The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro, Lucia di Lammermoor, etc. Our class saw the Barber of SEville at our local opera! (i’m from Seattle) and it was HILARIOUS! So then my love for opera sprouted. I have been singing since I was 5, in various select choirs, and ensembles, and in the last 3 years, solo repotoire. At first I was interested in theatre. Now all I want to do is sing opera. I’ve been learning basic techniques and singing ariettass uch as “Caro mio Ben” and “se tu m’ami” My dream is to be on the met stage one day! unfortunately I can’t fly out to the met to see the operas, but I am a huge fan of the HD as I mentioned earlier.
Theres my long story in how I got interested!! OPERA TEENS UNITE!
Its always interesting how many different ways people find the opera. I came to it by watching the movie “Amadeus” (if you haven’t seen it, you ABSOLUTELY MUST!).
And yes, we definitely do need to unite! We should start some sort of online club…maybe a group on Facebook…I’ll think about this and get back to you. And if you could brainstorm some ideas, I would really appreciate it!
AMADEUS! MY FAVORITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME oh my gosh…so amazing!
Ohh yeah! thats a really good idea…facebook could be good! I’ll think some more about it too.
Yes, through singing, I feel head over heels! I am a soprano with coloratura movement and increasing (and unfortunately decreasing) range! I am utterly and completely devoted to Mozart, I love every note he has written! I pour over his scores! I used to love to sing Susanna from Nozze, but even she has alluded me! Her A3 in Deh Vieni I can’t even squeeze out
But, on the other hand, it’s exciting to see my whistle register develop! I about fainted when I realized that someday, if I can keep my range, I could sing Queen of the Night….I’m seeing my first Met show in October and I literally feel close to fainting when I think of it! Who are you favorite singers? I ADORE Anna Netrebko (and her fiance, Erwin Schrott!)
I love Se tu m’ami! Lately I’ve been doing Zerlina from Don Giovanni, and I love her. Simplistic, yet lovely!
Ohhh you are a coloratura soprano!! Jealous
haha I’m learning a little coloratura but its so hard….I have a huge range. which I don’t like too much haha. I can hit a low C (C below middle C) so I sound like a man haha but my highest is a lucia E flat (three E flats above middle C) But trust me those high notes are still developing 
Mozart was a genius, he is amazing! I love Non so Piu Cosa Son, and THE MAGIC FLUTE is on my top 10 favorite operas list!
That would be SO AMAZING If you could sing Queen of the Night!!! Work for it, I’m sure you could do it. that would be an incredible accomplishment
I love Anna too and her son is SOOO cute! My favorite soprano though is Natalie Dessay, unfortunately her range and sound has really declined the last two years. shes had two vocal surgeries for a polyp and cyst (though none were due to poor technique) and has still been singing! if you youtube “natalie Dessay Range” she can sing a THREE A flats above middle C! In full voice!!! its crazy hahaha
I also love Diana Damrau, and Joyce DiDonato.
How about favorite TENORS??
I just started the “Teen Opera Lovers!” group on Facebook! Please join
So nice to see fellow teenage lovers of opera! Check out my blog!
Hi Bent Nail:
I am writing to invite you to my production of Die Zauberflote with Westminster Opera Theatre in Princeton, Dec. 2 and 3. Lots of young talent and superb designers from the famed McCarter Theatre. Click on my Facebook page for more, or my website as below.
You can also contact Anne Sears at sears@rider.edu for more press information.
Thanks, Michael
Hi! I’m also a teenage lover of opera! It’s so nice to see other teens who love opera the way that I do! For more opinions and reviews of an opera loving teenager, check out my blog, operateen.tumblr.com! The Bent Nail blog is awesome and I hope I can get my blog to “Bent Nail” status one day! Viva l’opera!