Warp wrote:
>   "Bad acting, but good singing."
> 
>   I think that quite aptly describes opera. :P
> 
I think it is a somewhat outdated remark. I wouldn't be surprised if 
that quote is at least 20 years old. From a time where there was a good 
change that the leading female role was sung by the canonical fat lady. 
I am a regular at the opera and in my experience nowadays the acting is 
just as important as the singing. Not only for the production but also 
for the audience (not necessary in that order). If you are not able to 
perform a convincing role either because you can not act or because you 
are 50 kilos too heavy or 20 years to old to play a young lover, you 
have a problem.
I have experienced that an actor was booed at because he was totally 
unconvincing as a Siegmund (Walkure, Richard Wagner), and that is a real 
rarity for an european opera audience. At another occasion we had a slim 
young girl singing the part of brunhilde in another Walkure. Then in the 
Siegfried (the 3rd part of Wagner's ring cycle, Walkure is the second) 
we were to have a famous opera diva of the old style as brunhilde. 
Before the start of the opera they announced that she could not come 
because she was ill (again? you could here many people think) and that 
at such short notice it was hard to find a replacement, but that 
although the role is somewhat too heavy for a young singer the brunhilde 
from the Walkure would be our brunhilde for this night too. This 
resulted in a big round of applause, expressing that we had every 
confidence that she could do it (she did) and that we are sick and tired 
of that Diva attitude.
As you may recall (probably not ;) ) one of my cousins is an opera 
singer. I have seen him at several performances and I can only say that 
he not only has a fantastic voice, he is a good actor too. But I might 
be a little biased.
So to summarize: I disagree.

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