What the heck is wrong with you, Wikipedia?
Actually, there really isn't much wrong with the online encyclopedia, which has (or at least has attempted to) bring the knowledge of the planet to the entire world. But because Wikipedia does this by using a group of volunteers around the planet effort, every so often something falls through the cracks, like several years ago when I went to look up something about one of Loraine's favorite hockey players and learned that, apparently, Jaromir Jagr was married to a goat.
I'm thinking that particular section of the entry might not have been 100% correct.
Anyway, the thing I noticed about Wikipedia was when I looked up the opera "Carmen" on the site. I did so because the Marquette Symphony is performing the work--complete with singers--early next year, and I wanted to find out if one of the opening sections of the opera was titled "Habenera" or "Habenero". (I'm pretty sure it wasn't the latter, because I'm guessing Bizet would not name a classical work after a chili pepper. But maybe that's just me).
As I scrolled down the article, I can to realize--to my horror--that it didn't, in any way, mention how most people first HEARD the opera "Carmen". Nowhere in the article, including in the "influence on pop culture" sub-section, did the contributors to Wikipedia mention the fact that almost every single person on this planet first heard pieces of "Carmen" on an episode of "Gilligan's Island".
What the what, Wikipedia?
Even if you've never sat down and listened to the opera, if you've watched a particular episode of "Gilligan's Island" you HAVE heard music from it. You remember the episode of the show where Broadway producer Harold Hecuba finds himself stranded on the island, and the castaways put on a music version of "Hamlet" to show Hecuba that Ginger could really act?
The music they use? From "Carmen". In fact, and I'm guessing that it's just not me, when you hear the opening strains of "Habenera" you start subconsciously singing to yourself "I ask to be, or not to be", because that's what The Skipper was singing when the used the music on the show.
And, Wikipedia, how could you NOT acknowledge that?
As I'm sitting here typing this I'm trying to decide if I'm just being a nerd in pointing this out or if the contributors to the Wikipedia article really missed the boat. I'm thinking the latter, if only because so many people first hear music from the opera that way. It would be like reading an article on Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" and not mentioning Elmer Fudd singing "Kill the Wabbit".
Although now, apparently, I'm going to have to go down THAT rabbit hole and see if that particular Wikipedia article made the same mistake.
So while Wikipedia really IS a force for good in this world, it's not 100 totally complete, at least not yet. The snubbing of "Gilligan's Island"'s borrowing of an opera proves that.
8-)
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