Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Puccini: Madama Butterfly

Puccini: Madama Butterfly

Madama Butterfly was first performed in 1904. It is one of the most performed operas today. The story is set in 1904 in Nagasaki, Japan. The opera uses Japanese pupperty for the child of Madama Butterfly. Madama Butterfly, played by Patricia Racette, has great singing throughout opera. This opera was performed in 2009 at the Met in New York City, and has very nice set designs and costumes.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Lully: Armide

Lully: Armide

Armide was first performed in 1686. It is one of Lully's best operas. Will Armide choose hatred or give in to her feelings of love for Renaud? Armide, played by Stéphanie D'oustrac stands out. Armide also has great set designs and costumes, along with the Baroque music of Lully. This opera was performed in 2008 at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Arias

I listed some arias I like.

Carmen: Habanera - by Bizet
Carmen: Toreador Song - by Bizet
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro - by Puccini
L'elisir d'amore: Una furtiva lagrima - by Donizetti
La bohème: Che gelida manina - by Puccini

Arias

I listed some arias I like.

La traviata: Sempre libera - by Verdi
Rigoletto: La donna è mobile - by Verdi
Searse: Ombra mai fu - by Handel
The Barber of Seville: Largo al factotum - by Rossini
Turandot: Nessun dorma - by Puccini

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Handel: Partenope

Handel: Partenope

Partenope was first performed in 1730. The queen Partenope has three men who want to win her over. Who will take her hand in the end? Partenope has a great orchestra. Arsace, played by Andreas Scholl, and Partenope, played by Inger Dam-Jensen stands out. The entire cast is perfect in this very fun to watch opera. This opera was performed at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2008.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore

Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore

L'elisir d'amore was first performed in 1832. This opera by Donizetti is very popular today. L'elisir d'amore is very funny at times, especially the scenes with the Doctor trying to sell his fake love potion to Nemorino. Rolando Villazón and Anna Netrebko both have great singing and the orchestra plays very well throughout. L'elisir d'amore has the popular aria "Una furtiva lagrima", sung by Rolando Villazón and is encored. This opera was performed in 2005 at the Vienna State Opera in Vienna, Austria.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Lully: Persée

Lully: Persée

One of the best French Baroque operas by Lully, Persée was first performed in 1682. Lully has many operas from this era. Persée has great settings, costumes and music. A few dance scenes are also here. The cast is wonderful, along with the orchestra. This opera was performed in 2004 at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto, Canada.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Handel: Alcina

Handel: Alcina

The Baroque opera Alcina was first performed in 1735. Handel has many operas that I like. This opera has good baroque music by Handel and good performances by everyone, especially Catherine Naglestad, who plays the sorceress Alcina. I also liked the set design and interesting plot. This opera was performed in 1999 at the Stuttgart Municipal Opera House in Stuttgart, Germany.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

No operas by Bach

Bach composed a lot of music during the Baroque period, including oratorios, concertos, and masses, but no operas.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Baroque period operas

I listed some Baroque period operas I like.

Acis and Galatea - by Handel
Acis et Galatée - by Lully
Admeto - by Handel
Ariodante - by Handel
Berenice - by Handel
Serse - by Handel
Tolomeo - by Handel

Classical period operas

I listed some Classical period operas I like.

Alceste - by Gluck
Armide - by Gluck

The Italian Mozart

Rossini's nickname was "The Italian Mozart", because of his song-like melodies.

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Ermione - by Rossini
Il viaggio a Reims - by Rossini
Iris - by Mascagni
Maria Stuarda - by Donizetti

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Debussy's only completed opera

Pelléas et Mélisande is the only opera Debussy completed. Pelléas et Mélisande was first performed in 1902.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Offenbach operas

I listed some operas I like by Offenbach.

La belle Hélène
La vie parisienne
Orpheus in the Underworld

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

L'amico Fritz - by Mascagni
La vie parisienne - by Offenbach
Le comte Ory - by Rossini
Maria di Rohan - by Donizetti
Roberto Devereux - by Donizetti

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Wagner librettos

Wagner wrote the libretto for all of his operas.

Prelude

A prelude is usually a short piece of orchestral music played that leads into an act without a break. An overture is a longer piece of music.

Interlude

An interlude is a short piece of instrumental music played between scenes or acts.

Encore

Encore means again. A popular performance may be repeated if the audience calls for an encore.

Dress rehearsal

A dress rehearsal is a full uninterrupted rehearsal in costumes shortly before the first performance.

Duet

A duet is a musical passage performed by two singers.

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

La belle Hélène - by Offenbach
Orpheus in the Underworld - by Offenbach
Thaïs - by Massenet
The Tale of Tsar Saltan - by Rimsky Korsakov
Werther - by Massenet

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Cavalleria rusticana - by Mascagni
Falstaff - by Verdi
Götterdämmerung - by Wagner
Otello - by Verdi
Siegfried - by Wagner

Most performed operas

The most performed operas today are from the Romantic period.

Wagner's Ring Cycle

Wagner's four epic operas make up the Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung). The four operas are Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung.

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Hansel und Gretel - by Humperdinck
La fille du régiment - by Donizetti
Lakmé - by Delibes
Prince Igor - by Borodin
Rigoletto - by Verdi

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Boris Godunov - by Mussorgsky
Esclarmonde - by Massenet
La Gioconda - by Ponchielli
The Gypsy Baron - by Strauss II
The Queen of Spades - by Tchaikovsky

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Belisario - by Donizetti
Die Walküre - by Wagner
Hamlet - by Thomas
Rusalka - by Dvořák
The Bartered Bride - by Smetana

Monday, March 14, 2011

Stagehand

A stagehand works behind-the-scenes of the opera. They set up lighting, props, rigging, scenery and special effects.

Classical period operas

I listed some Classical period operas I like.

Die Entführung aus dem Serail - by Mozart
Ermione - by Rossini
Idomeneo, K. 366 - by Mozart
Il turco in Italia - by Rossini
Les Boréades - by Rameau

Baroque period operas

I listed some Baroque period operas I like.

Agrippina - by Handel
Alcina - by Handel
Les Indes galantes - by Rameau
Partenope - by Handel
Platée - by Rameau

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Die Fledermaus - by Strauss II
Eugene Onegin - by Tchaikovsky
I Lituani - by Ponchielli
Les Troyens - by Berlioz
Mignon - by Thomas

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Béatrice et Bénédict - by Berlioz
Lucia di Lammermoor - by Donizetti
Macbeth - by Verdi
Mireille - by Gounod
Tannhäuser - by Wagner

20th century operas

I listed some 20th century operas I like.

Arabella - by Strauss
Der Rosenkavalier - by Strauss
Die Frau ohne Schatten - by Strauss
Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District - by Shostakovich
The Tale of Tsar Saltan - by Rimsky Korsakov

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Das Rheingold - by Wagner
Elektra - by Strauss
Pelléas et Mélisande - by Debussy
Tosca - by Puccini
Zazà - by Leoncavallo

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - by Wagner
Euryanthe - by Weber
I puritani - by Bellini
L'elisir d'amore - by Donizetti
The Devil and Kate- by Dvořák

Baroque period operas

I listed some Baroque period operas I like.

Dardanus - by Rameau
Persée - by Lully
Phaëton - by Lully
Rodelinda - by Handel
Zoroastre - by Rameau

Wagner operas

I listed some operas I like by Wagner.

Das Rheingold
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Die Walküre
Götterdämmerung
Lohengrin
Parsifal
Siegfried
Tannhäuser
The Flying Dutchman
Tristan und Isolde

Strauss II operas

I listed some operas I like by Strauss II.

Die Fledermaus
The Gypsy Baron

Classical period operas

I listed some Classical period operas I like.

Don Giovanni, K. 527 - by Mozart
L'italiana in Algeri - by Rossini
La naissance d'Osiris - by Rameau
Orphee ed Eurydice - by Gluck
The Magic Flute, K. 620 - by Mozart

20th century operas

I listed some 20th century operas I like.

Elektra - by Strauss
Jenufa - by Janacek
Lulu - by Berg
Pelléas et Mélisande - by Debussy
Turandot - by Puccini

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Aida - by Verdi
Don Carlos - by Verdi
Jenfua - by Janacek
Pagliacci - by Leoncavallo
Salome - by Strauss

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Beatrice di Tenda - by Bellini
La traviata - by Verdi
Martha - by Flotow
Rosmonda d'Inghilterra - by Donizetti
Semiramide - by Rossini

Baroque period operas

I listed some Baroque period operas I like.

Griselda - by Vivaldi
Naïs - by Rameau
Pigmalion - by Rameau
Psyché - by Lully
The Fairy-Queen - by Purcell

Berg operas

I listed some operas I like by Berg.

Lulu
Wozzeck

Finale

The finale is the last musical number of the opera or the last number of the act.

Intermission

The intermission is a break, usually about 20 minutes, between the acts of the opera where the audience is free to move around.

Lighting designer

A lighting designer designs and coordinates the light changes in the opera.

Makeup designer

A makeup designer designs and applies the makeup to the actors in the opera.

Overture

An overture is orchestral music played at the beginning of an opera.

Props

Props are small items carried or used by the performers on stage.

Wig designer

A wig designer designs and oversees the creation of the wigs used in the opera.

Trio

A trio is three singers.

Rigger

A rigger works on ropes, booms, and lifts for the stage production of the opera.

Berlioz operas

I listed some operas I like by Berlioz.

Béatrice et Bénédict
Les Troyens

Most opera houses

Many opera houses are located in France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and the United States.

Opera translations

Many opera houses project words near the stage or on back of seats in the audiences language so foreign language operas can be understood.

Opera house seating

Opera houses hold several thousand seats.

First opera house

The first opera house open to the public was the Teatro San Cassiano in Venice, Italy in 1637.

Vocal coach

A vocal coach is a member of an opera company who coaches singers. They help with pronunciation, singing and interpretation of roles.

Trouser role

A trouser role is a role depicting a man or boy but sung by a woman.

Leoncavallo operas

I listed some operas I like by Leoncavallo.

Pagliacci
Zazà

Glinka operas

I listed some operas I like by Glinka.

A Life for the Tsar
Ruslan and Lyudmila

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Norma - by Bellini
Parsifal - by Wagner
Roméo et Juliette - by Gounod
Ruslan and Lyudmila - by Glinka
Tristan und Isolde - by Wagner

20th century operas

I listed some 20th century operas I like.

Dialogues des Carmélites - by Poulenc
Madama Butterfly - by Puccini
Rusalka - by Dvořák
War and Peace - by Prokofiev
Zazà - by Leoncavallo

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

A Life for the Tsar - by Glinka
Der Freischütz - by Weber
La Cenerentola - by Rossini
La sonnambula - by Bellini
The Flying Dutchman - by Wagner

Baroque period operas

I listed some Baroque period operas I like.

Giasone - by Cavalli
Les fêtes d'Hébé - by Rameau
L'incoronazione di Poppea - by Monteverdi
Tamerlano - by Handel
Thésée - by Lully

Ponchielli operas

I listed some operas I like by Ponchielli.

I Lituani
La Gioconda

Dvořák operas

I listed some operas I like by Dvořák.

Rusalka
The Devil and Kate

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Cavalli operas

I listed some operas I like by Cavalli.

Giasone
L'Ormindo

Mascagni operas

I listed some operas I like by Mascagni.

Cavalleria rusticana
Iris
L'amico Fritz

Classical period operas

I listed some Classical period operas I like.

Così fan tutte - by Mozart
Daphnis et Eglé - by Rameau
Iphigénie en Tauride - by Gluck
Paride ed Elena - by Gluck
The Marriage of Figaro - by Mozart

Baroque period operas

I listed some Baroque period operas I like.

Alceste - by Lully
Atys - by Lully
Bajazet - by Vivaldi
King Arthur - by Purcell
L'Ormindo - by Cavalli

Opera in Italian

The word opera means work in Italian.

Weber operas

I listed some operas I like by Weber.

Der Freischütz
Euryanthe

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Bellini operas

I listed some operas I like by Bellini.

Beatrice di Tenda
I Capuleti e i Montecchi
I puritani
La sonnambula
Norma

Baroque period operas

I listed some Baroque period operas I like.

Armide - by Lully
Castor et Pollux - by Rameau
Dido and Aeneas - by Purcell
L'Olimpiade - by Vivaldi
Semele - by Handel

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Carmen - by Bizet
Lohengrin - by Wagner
Lucrezia Borgia - by Donizetti
Nabucco - by Verdi
Samson and Delilah - by Saint Saëns

Tchaikovsky operas

I listed some operas I like by Tchaikovsky.

Eugene Onegin
The Queen of Spades

Thomas operas

I listed some operas I like by Thomas.

Hamlet
Mignon

Massenet operas

I listed some operas I like by Massenet.

Esclarmonde
Manon
Thaïs
Werther

Pit

The pit is the sunken area in front of the stage where the orchestra plays during the opera.

Opera history

Opera started in Italy at the end of the 16th century.

Popular operas

Some of the most popular operas performed today are by Italian, French, and German composers. Some of the operas are Aida, Carmen, La boheme, La traviata, Madama Butterfly, and The Barber of Seville.

Divo

A divo is a celebrated male opera star.

Diva

A diva is a celebrated female opera star.

Vibrato

Vibrato is a natural pulsating change of pitch.

Prokofiev operas

I listed some operas I like by Prokofiev.

The Fiery Angel
War and Peace

20th century operas

I listed some 20th century operas I like.

Duke Bluebeard's Castle - by Bartók
Salome - by Strauss
The Fiery Angel- by Prokofiev
Tosca - by Puccini
Wozzeck - by Berg

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Anna Bolena - by Donizetti
Faust - by Gounod
Il trovatore - by Verdi
La bohème - by Puccini
The Barber of Seville - by Rossini

Baroque period operas

I listed some Baroque period operas I like.

Cadmus et Hermione - by Lully
Giulio Cesare - by Handel
Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria - by Monteverdi
Proserpine - by Lully
Zaïs - by Rameau

Vivaldi operas

I listed some operas I like by Vivaldi.

Bajazet
Griselda
L'Olimpiade

Gluck operas

I listed some operas I like by Gluck.

Alceste
Armide
Iphigénie en Tauride
Orphee ed Eurydice
Paride ed Elena

Donizetti operas

I listed some operas I like by Donizetti.

Anna Bolena
Belisario
Don Pasquale
La fille du régiment
L'elisir d'amore
Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucrezia Borgia
Maria di Rohan
Maria Stuarda
Roberto Devereux
Rosmonda d'Inghilterra

Rameau operas

I listed some operas I like by Rameau.

Castor et Pollux
Daphnis et Eglé
Dardanus
Hippolyte et Aricie
La naissance d'Osiris
Les Boréades
Les fêtes d'Hébé
Les Indes galantes
Les Paladins
Naïs
Pigmalion
Platée
Zaïs
Zoroastre

Librettist

The librettist is the writter of the libretto.

Baroque period operas

I listed some Baroque period operas I like.

Amadis - by Lully
Hippolyte et Aricie - by Rameau
L'Orfeo - by Monteverdi
Rinaldo - by Handel
Roland - by Lully

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Puccini operas

I listed some operas I like by Puccini.

La bohème
Madama Butterfly
Tosca
Turandot

Puccini: La bohème

Puccini: La bohème

La bohème, by Puccini, was first performed in 1896. This performance from 2008 at the Met has great set designs for the scenes. The Paris street scenes, the large crowds in the street, and the snow scenery. Ramón Vargas plays the tenor Rodolfo and Mimi is soprano singer Angela Gheorghiu.

Gounod operas

I listed some operas I like by Gounod.

Faust
Mireille
Roméo et Juliette

Romantic period operas

I listed some Romantic period operas I like.

Don Pasquale - by Donizetti
I Capuleti e i Montecchi - by Bellini
Madama Butterfly - by Puccini
Manon - by Massenet
William Tell - by Rossini

Libretto

The libretto is the text of an opera.

Cue

A cue is a signal to a singer or orchestra member to begin singing or playing.

Carpenter

The carpenter works on the construction of sets for the operas.

First opera ever

The first opera ever is Dafne by Peri. It was probably performed in 1597-1598.

Beethoven's only opera

Fidelio is the only opera by Beethoven. It was first performed in 1805.

Rossini operas

I listed some operas I like by Rossini.

Ermione
Il turco in Italia
Il viaggio a Reims
La Cenerentola
L'italiana in Algeri
Le comte Ory
Semiramide
The Barber of Seville
William Tell

Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

Carmen is one of the most famous operas ever. By Georges Bizet, it was first performed in 1875. It is one of my favorite operas of all time. Carmen has very popular music, including the "Hanbanera" and "Toreador Song" arias. Elina Garanca stands out as Carmen, giving a great performance. This Carmen is a must see for new opera fans. This opera was performed in 2010 at the Met in New York City.

Verdi: La traviata

Verdi: La traviata

La traviata, by Giuseppe Verdi, was first performed in 1853. This performance from 2005 in Salzburg, Austria has great singing by soprano singer Anna Netrebko and tenor Rolando Villazón. Verdi's music is very good throughout the opera. La traviata is one of my favorite operas.

Opera house

An opera house is a theater building used for opera performances. It consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building.

Baton

A baton is a thin rod used by a conductor to lead an orchestra or choir.

Conductor

The conductor is the leader of the orchestra. A conductor is sometimes called maestro.

Composer

A composer is someone who composes music as a profession.

Purcell operas

I listed some operas I like by Purcell.

Dido and Aeneas
King Arthur
The Fairy-Queen

Mozart operas

I listed some operas I like by Mozart.

Così fan tutte
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Don Giovanni
Idomeneo
The Magic Flute
The Marriage of Figaro

Monteverdi operas

I listed some operas I like by Monteverdi.

Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria
L'incoronazione di Poppea
L'Orfeo

Soprano voice

Soprano is the highest female voice.

Contralto voice

Contralto is the lowest female voice.

Countertenor voice

Countertenor is the highest male voice.

Bass voice

Bass is the lowest male voice.

Mezzo-soprano voice

Mezzo-soprano is a female voice between soprano and contralto.

Bass-baritone voice

Bass-baritone is a male voice between baritone and bass.

Tenor voice

Tenor is the highest male voice after countertenor.

Baritone voice

Baritone is the most common male voice. It is below tenor.

Act

An act is a portion of an opera that is designated by the composer. Operas have several acts.

Aside

An aside is a comment from an actor directly to the audience that the other characters cannot hear.

Bravi

Bravi is a form of applause by members of the opera audience at the end of a pleasing performance. Bravi is for a group of performers.

Brava

Brava is a form of applause by members of the opera audience at the end of a pleasing performance. Brava is for a single woman.

Bravo

Bravo is a form of applause by members of the opera audience at the end of a pleasing performance. Bravo is for a single man.

Bizet: Carmen

Bizet: Carmen

Carmen is one of the most famous operas ever. By Georges Bizet, it was first performed in 1875. The "Hanbanera" and "Toreador Song" are very popular arias. The overture is also very famous. This recording has great singing and music, with Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra. After hearing Carmen, you will be an opera fan forever. It is one of my favorite operas of all time.

Classical period operas

I listed some Classical period operas I like.

Fidelio - by Beethoven
La Cenerentola - by Rossini
Les Paladins - by Rameau
Médée - by Cherubini
The Barber of Seville - by Rossini

Verdi operas

I listed some operas I like by Verdi.

Aida
Don Carlos
Falstaff
Il trovatore
La traviata
Macbeth
Nabucco
Otello
Rigoletto

Strauss operas

I listed some operas I like by Strauss.

Arabella
Der Rosenkavalier
Die Frau ohne Schatten
Elektra
Salome

Handel operas

I listed some operas I like by Handel.

Acis and Galatea
Admeto
Agrippina
Alcina
Ariodante
Berenice
Giulio Cesare
Partenope
Rinaldo
Rodelinda
Searse
Semele
Tamerlano
Tolomeo

Lully operas

I listed some operas I like by Lully.

Acis et Galatée
Alceste
Amadis
Armide
Atys
Cadmus et Hermione
Persée
Phaëton
Proserpine
Psyché
Roland
Thésée