When most people think of science-fiction they think of rayguns and spaceships, but sci-fi has it’s share of culture.
My wife insists no one will be reading this, but I’m an opera fan and if only one other reader appreciates it then its worth it. Plus, is there anything more bizarre than aliens singing opera?
1. Klingon Opera Makes Great Bar Music
A huge fan of Klingon opera, Worf requests to hear “Aktuh and Maylota” from a bar singer. This is enough to drive a Ferrengi to cry about the dreadful noise.
2. The Fifth Element Opera Gets Funky
On a space freighter the huge blue alien Plavalaguna, or “the Diva”, sings an aria from the opera “Lucia di Lammermoor” by Gaetano Donizetti. Commonly referred to as “The Mad Scene”, the aria is known as “Il Dolce Suono…Ardon gli incensi”. Touching and moving, it feels otherworldy even when the singer isn’t big and blue. At the end it breaks out some fat beats.
3. The Opera Freaks Out Batman
In the movie Batman Begins, young Bruce Wayne is terrorized by an opera featuring people dressed like bats. The opera is “Mefistofele” by Arrigo Boito. His father speaks for many when he says, “A little bit of opera goes a long way. Right, Bruce?”
4. Tuvok Breaks Down ‘Cuz He’s In Heat
In the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Tinker, Tenor, Soldier, Spy” the Doctor sings “La Donne E Mobile” from Guiseppe Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto”. The Vulcan Tuvok is going through the Pon Farr, basically the Vulcan version of heat. Everyone knows something is wrong with him because during the performance he starts to cry. The Doctor improvises a song to solve the problem.
5. The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis At The Coruscant Opera House
Senator Palpatine attends a beautiful ballet by the Mon Calamari at the Coruscant Opera House and tells the naive Anakin Skywalker the tragedy of “Darth Plagueis the Wise”.
6. Rockhound Rides The Nuke
In the movie Armageddon Rockhound (Steve Buscemi) goes space nuts and starts riding the nuclear drill singing the William Tell Overture. The William Tell Overture is the instrumental introduction to the opera Guillaume Tell (in English, William Tell) by Gioachino Rossini.
Do you have a favorite operatic moment in sci-fi?
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Those were some odd moments although I liked the one in the Fifth Element.
Alex, theres a Youtube video I saw of someone doing the Fifth Element version of the aria. Pretty sweet.