The most annoying operatic character

Naupilus, I was a bit surprised to see your post and particularly your comments on Siegfried and Don Ottavio, at least.

So, do you think you or some of us are in a position to rewrite (music and texts) established masterpieces like Siegfried or Don Giovanni? As for me, I would never touch a note (and a word of them).

Parla

Naupilus, I agree that Don Ottavio can be boring in the wrong hands, and I think you're right about his essential function being to cast Giovanni in even starker relief. I've seen a few decent ones, however, who manage to escape the shackles. Hans-Peter Blochwitz was one I particularly remember as making him rather more than the usual cypher.  

Strange that you should mention Salome. I agree that I've never seen a convincing productionof the play - it's inherently undramatic in my opinion and must be quite a challenge to any director. But in the context of the quality of opera libretti generally (and with the caveat that I haven't read or seen the Wilde for quite some time) my recollection is that the libretto for Strauss's masterwork actually sticks extremely closely to the Wilde text, far more than any other example I can immediately think of (which is usually a cue for posters giving a host of better examples, but there you go).

Incidentally, it's curious how affecting and vulnerable some Salomes can be in performance, even more so since one's not quite expecting it.  

I am not sure I wrote that I would change a note... I think you might have exaggerated my chagrin.

No - I would not change these works. But that does not mean that I don't have problems with the two characters named. As I implied I think it highly likely Da Ponte wrote Don Ottavio in such a way as to throw Don Giovanni into greater relief. Ottavio seems a decent enough chap but certainly I would rather spend an hour with his nemesis. In a dramma giocoso somebody has to play the straight man - that's his role.

As for Siegfried again I see his clear function in the narrative but he lacks the depth even of Siegmund. George Bernard Shaw described Siegfried as a born anarchist and a son of the morning which is very true. He lives by his whims and moods and fears nothing - it is a false type of courage for me, as heroes should always have something to fear, and Siegfried seem only to fear boredom. He's a manchild.

Others have mentioned Fricka as a bore but I actually feel she, in her very small part, is integral to the whole central problem in the cycle - Wotan's inability to stick to the rules of his position. Wotan cannot keep his word because he enters into a bargain he has no intention of honouring - and Fricka knows it.

Naupilus, your post was admirably clear. When I read my reply, I realised that I hadn't typed the first sentence in full - I should have clarified the reason I thought it strange was not because of anything that you said, but simply because of the coincidence of my thinking about Salome myself, albeit in another context. What you say about the opera and the character I fully agree with.

Ah... Joan Collins... it brings back the memories... thank goodness I also have memories of the opera!