Ward: Stand-Up Opera

B.J. Ward (Artist), Giuseppe Verdi (Artist), Giacomo Puccini (Artist), Georges Bizet (Artist), Erich Wolfgang Korngold (Artist), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Artist), Antonin Dvorak (Artist), Felicien David (Artist), Michael Sushel (Artist), Gregory Jefferson (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 15, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Summit(Classical)
• ASIN: B00004D3BV
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #370,631 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opera As Fun Entertainment: Comedian Soprano B.J.Ward, May 16, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ward: Stand-Up Opera (Audio CD)

Who would have thought opera could be so much fun and make for great comedy ? B.J. Ward is herself a gifted and unique soprano, even if she is not among the ranks of today's most famous. She first heard Licia Albanese sing La Rondine and was hooked on opera ever after. In this recording, taped live at an Embassador's building in New York City, B.J. Ward treats the audience to hilariou stand-up comedy while at the same time singing arias from some of the great, mainstream operas. Hopefully, this will attract the younger folk into opera, for if you can appreciate great comedy styling, surely you can appreciate opera, the best musical and theatrical art form. The cover on the album is also quite catchy. I enjoyed this album a lot. I'm a fan of B.J. Ward, who is to opera what the parodist composer C.P.Q. Bach is to classical music. Other recordings of Miss Ward include Larynx, the Song Bird (I think thats what its called) and Queen of the Night, these are compilation albums of arias sung by the incomparable B.J. Ward. She may not be Renee Fleming, she is surely not Maria Callas, but she is an artist in her own right, with a beautiful voice that is full of her own love for opera. I think she is the closest singer and personality to the personage of Beverly Sills.

Prior to each aria in this album is a bit of stand-up comedy introducing the piece, explaining the scene and plot of the opera. The operas included here are all the big names- Verdi's La Traviata, Puccini's La Boheme ( "both women die of tubercolosis" says B.J. Ward, "only Mimi in Boheme is not as well-dressed ") She has knowledge of opera history, she hates how women are victims in opera, always dying out of love, being screwed over by men (the composers of these operas were sexist men she says but its not like that today). Her wit and humor are very 90's, like a female Jerry Seinfeld, and the arias are exquisite. She sings Vissi D'Arte from Tosca, Como Scoglio from Cosi Fan Tutte, Fiordiligi's difficult showpiece- and she succeeds in singing the whole thing- The Seguidilla from Carmen, in rich mezzo voice, Sempre Libera from Traviata, another coloratura razzle-dazzle piece, with extraordinary strength and acrobatic skill. She sings a rarity, too - "Ernani, Involami" from the early Verdi opera Ernani. She concludes with a tribute to her idol soprano, Licia Albanese in a fine rendition of "Doretta's Dream" aria- Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta. Don't hesitate to buy this album today and enjoy the comedy and operatic stylings of the one and only B.J.Ward...she's a one woman opera in itself.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Will Laugh Your Head Off, May 16, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ward: Stand-Up Opera (Audio CD)

One line is all I need to quote: B.J. Ward sings Rusalka's Song to the Moon, and calls Dvorak's Rusalka "Disney's Little Mermaid with a Quentin Tarantino ending" !!!

4.0 out of 5 stars High brow comedy, February 12, 2010

By 

Kenneth Deats (Gallatin Gateway, MT) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ward: Stand-Up Opera (Audio CD)

The female version of Victor Borge. B.J. Ward's excellent voice along with witty, truthful and hilarious observations about operas, opera singers and composers is a delight. Lovers of classical music will love to play this album for friends.