"Opera in English is, in the main, just about as sensible as baseball in Italian"
- H. L. Mencken
About this Quote
H.L. Mencken, known for his sharp wit and criticism, thought that opera sung in English is simply as ludicrous as the game of baseball being played in Italy where it isn't a popular sport. Mencken's ironical remark suggests that he believes opera, with its grandiose styles and fancy outfits, loses its effect when translated into the English language. It is most likely that he is likewise poking fun at the cultural distinctions between Italy and America where baseball is a significant sport, and opera is not as popular. In general, Mencken's comment is an amusing observation on the crossway of language, culture, and art.
This quote is written / told by H. L. Mencken between September 12, 1880 and January 29, 1956. He was a famous Writer from USA.
The author also have 123 other quotes.
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"One night I went over to get some dope from some Hollywood tough guy. After I left, my son Scott, who was only fifteen, went over with a baseball bat to kill him. I was laughing out of one eye and crying out of the other. I thought, Who am I kidding?"
"When I started to sing, my mother would have me engaged to perform at the Women's Christian Temperance Union national or annual meetings. I would hate doing this because I wanted to play baseball or go off skiing"
