Opera in Commercials
Operatic Commercial Sponsors
Date: July 05, 2000 01:30 PM
Author: Susie McLean
As I
was sitting here watching the ballgame, a break occurred for
the
"BellSouth" call to the bullpen. It seems that every function
during a sports event has a corporate sponsor.
Now
suppose opera was sponsored the same way? What acts, duets,
arias, etc. would inspire a particular corporation's sponsorship?
My suggestions:
The Black and Decker Anvil Chorus.
The Forest Lawn Tomb Scene from Aida.
Seagram's Elixir of Love.
Any others?
Date: July 05, 2000 03:21 PM
Author: Jeff Grove
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
We could also do what we teachers call non-examples.
I’m not so sure, for instance, that Tampax would be in much of a
rush to sponsor Die Frau Ohne Schatten!
Date: July 05, 2000 03:29 PM
Author: Jonathan Clark
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
Oh
my, this has so much potential and so many possibilities, I
predict a long life for this thread.
The
first ones that came to my mind: The FTD Florists Silver Rose
Presentation in DER ROSENKAVALIER The (name your local casino) card
game in QUEEN OF SPADES (and other operas with gambling) The
National Rifle Association duel in EUGENE ONEGIN (and others, since
the
same themes repeat in opera) The U.S.Army "Be All That You Can
Be" enlistment in ELIXIR, NOZZE, etc. I'll be back.
Date: July 05, 2000 04:47 PM
Author: José Verde
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
The Versace Tabarro
The Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Boheme (or Traviata)
The Chlorox "Bianca al par di neve"
The Prozac Lucia di Lammermoor
Date: July 05, 2000 05:10 PM
Author: Jeff Grove
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
The SuperCuts Il Barbiere di Siviglia
The Smith & Wesson Werther
The Trojans Les Mamelles de Tirésias
The Mrs. Fields Hänsel und Gretel
The Amazing Ginsu Dialogues des Carmélites
Date: July 05, 2000 05:32 PM
Author: Ian Michaud
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
A
big banner advertising a 1-900 Psychic Hotline would be just the
thing for the Ulrica scene in Un Ballo.
This
isn't quite the same thing, but when Ben Heppner appeared in a
new
production of Peter Grimes in Vancouver it was decided quite
late
in rehearsals to add a sweater to his costume. As it was too
late
by this time for the costume designer and wardrobe department
to
produce a new garment from scratch, the company had one donated
from
a local store. The result was the following line in the house
program: "Mr Heppner's sweater is courtesy of Mr Big and Tall."
However as the wardrobe department did a jim-dandy job of 'ageing'
the
sweater to make it look like a well-used garment of a working
fisherman, I don't think it was a particularly good advertisement
for the store.
Ian
Date: July 05, 2000 08:27 PM
Author: Sharon Thomas
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
Ian's post is just fascinating! Vancouver Opera has begun to employ,
on a
very small scale, what the movies call "product placement," in
which sponsors pay a fee to ensure that Harrison Ford reaches for a
Miller Lite beer or Julia Roberts drives up in a Ford Explorer. This
could be the answer to future operatic funding as government money
dries up and corporate "underwriters" disappear. For enough money,
the
company could arrange for Falstaff to call for a bottle of
Brand-X sherry and Violetta to serve her guests Brand-Y champagne.
This
would be especially effective on television, where the camera
could zoom in for closeups of all the products Schaunard buys for
his
friends and the designer labels on Musetta's clothes. Isn't it a
good
thing we have many brilliant directors moving operas from their
own
period into the twentieth century, the age of mass production
and
advertising? Why shouldn't Don Giovanni have supper catered by
Boston Market? Mamma Lucia's establishment could stand a couple of
Cinzano umbrellas, no? Am I being sarcastic? Of course, but that
doesn't mean it won't happen.
Date: July 05, 2000 10:52 PM
Author: Don Operatico (operatico@hotmail.com)
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
The Viagra "Là ci darem la mano"
The Barnum and Bailey's Circus Triumphal March (Aida)
The
Humana Death by Tuberculosis (this can be either Bohème or
Traviata).
The Philip Morris Death of Carmen
The Mack's Earplugs Wozzeck
The Penthouse Thaïs
The Decon Rat Poison Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
The
Pizza Hut recit between the duets at the beginning of Figaro.
This
post has been brought to you by Bull Hockey Fertilizer Co.
Quando sarà che d'Eleonora mia possa godermi in libertate amore!
Date: July 06, 2000 12:03 AM
Author: a joseph stoddart
Subject: whoa!!!
the
JAL 'Madama Butterfly'...for those dying to get to Japan!
to say nothing of KLM's 'Flying Dutchman'
the Veuve Clicquot 'Merry Widow'
the Tiffany & Co. 'Ring'
the Ethan Allen 'Mahagonny'
the Martha Stewart 'Maria Stuarda'
the Tropicana 'Love for three Oranges'
the General Motors' 'Cardillac'
Ma Bell's 'Lakmé'
First Alert's 'Khovanschina'
the Boy Scouts of America 'Peter Grimes' (Ha!)
Date: July 06, 2000 04:06 PM
Author: Michael Williams
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
The United Airlines "Esclarmonde".
The Sprint "La Voix Humaine".
The Jacoby & Meyers "Gianni Schicchi".
Date: July 06, 2000 09:13 PM
Author: Joan Abel
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
This
is an inspired thread, & everybody's come up with the best
ideas already, but I shall oil my brains & try to eke out a few
crumbs:
"Fidelio" courtesy of the National Bureau of Prisons
Air India presents "Lakme"
Hoffritz Cutlery brings you "The Barber of Seville"
Don Giovanni's feast catered by Restaurant Associates
"Abduction from the Seraglio" sponsored by the Society for Peace in
the Middle East
"Pagliacci" brought to you by Actors Equity
"Cavalleria" by the Teamsters Union
I'll probably think of ten more after bedtime!
Date: July 07, 2000 10:15 PM
Author: Becca
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
"The Cunning Little Vixen" - brought to you by PETA.
Date: July 09, 2000 06:03 AM
Author: a tenor in Holland
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
A
few that came to me in the night: Pelleas & Melisande sponsored by
Clairol; Porgy & Bess sponsored by Everest & Jennings; Peter
Grimes
brought to you by Long John Silver's; Graun's Montezuma sponsored by
Kaopectate; Meistersinger sponsored by Thom McAnn Shoes; Guillaume
Tell
sponsored by Washington State Apples; Le Coq d'Or brought to
you
by Kentucky Fried Chicken; Paul Bunyan sponsored by Poulan Chain
Saws; Werther underwritten by the U.S. Postal Service.... groetjes
mensen
Date: July 09, 2000 10:30 AM
Author: Jeff Grove
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
Just
a quickie here to say how much I’m enjoying the posts here as
they’re forwarded to me. Virtually every new item has had a great
laugh somewhere. Special citations to Don O., joseph, and our tenor
in
Holland for some items that are as twisted as they are funny!
Date: July 09, 2000 11:00 AM
Author: Mimimimp Mimi Podwell
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
I agree, Jeff, the thread on operatic commercial sponsors is
hilarous; what about using Rossini's "Il Turco" overture for a
Clorox commercial or Boheme duet for Viagra? Keep those
interesting posts coming.
Date: July 09, 2000 08:36 PM
Author: Don Operatico (operatico@hotmail.com)
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
Thanks, I'm sure. My favorite so far, I'm not sure why, is the
Thom McCann Meistersinger.
The Timex Fledermaus Duet
The Microsoft "Deh vieni alla finestra"
The amazon.com Traviata
Date: July 10, 2000 03:16 AM
Author: a joseph stoddart
Subject: www.w
Oh
Jeff, I never tire of the ry, himsical or Ionic...helps keep my
galloping agnerisme in check!
Date: July 10, 2000 05:36 PM
Author: a tenor in Holland
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
Well, great minds think alike....I was in all seriousness coming
back
on to add: Timex sponsoring Fledermaus! Glad you liked the
Meistersinger....I mean Sachs is a cobbler so why not let him be
working on a nice pair of wing-tips on special for $49.95? Actually,
Meistersinger with all the various guilds and trades represented by
the small roles and by the chorus is ripe for all sorts of
sponsorships....goldsmiths, tinsmiths, bakers, tailors, soap-makers,
grocers, etc....one could get enough sponsorships to actually pay
for a production!.....doei
Date: July 10, 2000 07:11 PM
Author: JUDSON
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
Perhaps MEISTERSINGER could simply be sponsored by the AFL-CIO.
You know, this funny thread is not as silly as it seems. Friday's
TIMES had a big article about THE GLASSBLOWERS, the John Phillip
Sousa operetta which just opened at Glimmerglass Opera in
Cooperstown, NY, it's first performance since who-knows-when.
The entire production is being sponsored by Corning Glassworks.
Date: July 10, 2000 09:54 PM
Author: Skippy (skippy@evilone.com)
Subject: Operatic Commercial Sponsors
That's an idea after my own heart. Commission an opera whose
sole raison d'être is an advertisement, like The Tobacco Baron.
Time to rake it in.
Joanna's Gentlemen's Club Thaïs (or Salome, or Lulu)
The Alka-Seltzer Banquet Scene (Don Giovanni)
Ikea's "Petite Table"
Jack Daniel's "Yankee Vagabondo"
School of the Americas Torture Scene (Tosca)
The Aquafresh "Il balen del suo sorriso".
[Skippy stole these ideas from me, of course. Don O.]
[PS.It's hard to believe I forgot that Sachs was a cobbler. I
thought the shoes were for the standees who have to stand
through the thing. DO] Ah! per sempre io ti perdei!
Notice: Microsoft has no responsibility for the content featured in
this
group, and most certainly does not sponsor any operas. Blekh!