4 Messages
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102 Points
Categorizing operas in IMDB
There are lots of operas present in IMDB - but it seems that they don't quite fit in the current structure.
Here are a couple of issues I've experienced (while looking at IMDB to match my Plex scanner when I rip my classical opera dvd's):
1) There is no genre for opera. I can see in the help section (https://help.imdb.com/article/contribution/titles/genres/GZDRMS6R742JRGAG?ref_=helpms_helpart_inline#musical) that classical opera is supposed to be treated as Music - but the description of the Music genre is very broad and doesn't mention operas at all. It might be helpful when trying to find an opera in IMDB if there was a seperate "Opera" genre.
2) Choosing a type for an opera also seems to be a challenge. Given the description in this help issue: https://help.imdb.com/article/imdb/discover-watch/how-do-you-decide-if-a-title-is-a-film-a-tv-movie-or-a-miniseries/GKUQEMEFSM54T2KT?ref_=helpart_nav_23#) I would expect that "Video" would be the only fitting choice (opera dvd's are like cd's produced to sell in stores - neither to be shown in theaters or on TV). Most of the operas I find seem to be categorized as "TV Movie"
3) Crediting the persons involved is also a challenge. The actor/actress credit option works fine for all persons on stage (that typical have a named role in the opera) - but the conductor and the orchestra is also part of the standard credit list on a opera DVD.
4) Finally: Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring Cycle) seems to provide a special problem. It is 1 work but 4 operas. One recording - the very famous Centenary Ring performed in 1976-1980 and filmed in 1979-1980 - is listed as a "TV Mini-Series" with one season and 4 episodes.
While this makes it technically possible to have description and trivia placed together for the entire opera cycle, it is quite misleading to interpret the Ring Cycle as a TV Mini-Series.
(on the practical side it gives me a challenge on how to place match the Ring Cycle operas from Plex since Plex doesn't want to mix films and tv series).
If this has been discussed before, I'd be happy to recieve links to this. I've tried as best as possible to look for existing debates before asking but I'm a novice in IMDB so I may have missed something.
Best regards
bderoes
Champion
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5.1K Messages
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118.7K Points
5 years ago
Adding a new genre to IMDb is not easy. Apparently there was a project years ago to develop definitions of additional genres, and consensus was achieved, but implementation is still pending. Those genres were broader than Opera. (I would _love_ to have an Opera genre. The keyword is almost useless, since people attach it when a snippet of opera is used in a "regular" film.)
Many operas are first broadcast on TV, then issued on DVD. I look for production companies that are primarily television (for instance, RAI) and clues like "video director" versus "broadcast director" in the credits.
Yes, we usually see the conductor and the orchestra onscreen, and it's appropriate to include them in the cast, with character Self. Or in the Music department.
Yes, listing the Ring Cycle, or Il trittico, as mini-series is a nice way to gather them together (although Trittico is just 1 performance, while Ring is 4), but if you don't find evidence that it was broadcast on TV, don't bend history to make a database convenience. The Movie Connections feature "follows/followed by" and/or trivia items can be used to link the associated productions.
Please don't add an opera to IMDb without being very thorough about your research. I just merged 2 identical titles this week. (But a _LOT_ of opera releases still need to be added to IMDb.) Given that the title "Otello" has 49 matches (some may be the play), I usually search for the principal cast, sometimes using Collaboration search, but usually settling for using the Show All filmography button, and the browser Find in Page feature for lengthy ones (although some series may need to be expanded for some singers).
Also, please be sure to add the composer, who goes in the Music Department, occupation "music" or "music by". Only living composers who wrote music for the production in question actually go in the Composer slot. For instance, Philip Glass does _not_ belong in the Composer slot for the 2020 Met production of Akhnaten, since that was composed in 1983.
I've been trying to build a master list of operas, but have been thwarted by people leaving off the composer. And there's no good way to keep up with new additions without the composer.
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eboy
2.5K Messages
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69.2K Points
5 years ago
Earlier, related thread:
https://community-imdb.sprinklr.com/conversations/data-issues-policy-discussions/opera-which-genre/5f4a79fd8815453dba948645
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