Twitter

There's a new Twitter game where you reduce an opera plot to a very short sentence or two. This sounds like something I used to do with movie plots. My favorite was:

Man's marriage is in trouble for messing up family room. Chandelier appears over mountain in Wyoming.

It was a long time ago when I did this.

For opera?

1. Two idiot girls can't recognize their own boy friends in mustaches. Or?

Does this game only apply to comedies?

2. Japanese girl really believes American sailor will return for her.

3. Young Bohemian poet in Paris has girlfriend with fatal disease.

4. Young man of upper class background has prostitute girlfriend with fatal disease. Papa doesn't like it. [Duh!]

Maybe I don't have the idea exactly. Or maybe opera plots are just not that complicated.

5. Mother murders baby to improve daughter's marriage chances.

I have a feeling I'm not getting it.

6. Idiot man thinks people win at cards because they know which cards to bet on.

I'm getting the feeling we aren't going to the opera for the plots.

7. When they're in the country, he's too good for her. When they're in the city, she's too good for him. [One of the few operas with a proper ending.]

8. Excellent guided tour of Rome includes a service at the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle, private apartments in the Palazzo Farnese, and a panoramic view of the city from the top of the Castel Sant' Angelo.

9. Original version of Scent of a Woman. Man isn't blind but can still smell them coming. Women all seem to get pissed afterward.

Am I getting the idea yet?