Major Operas

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Premiered: 1705, Hamburg Libretto by Barthold Feind Act I King Tiridates of Armenia and his queen, Ormoena, have been captured and brought to Rome, where Nero falls in love with the beautiful Ormoena. Before he can marry her, however, Nero must first rid himself of his own virtuous wife, Octavia. Act II Nero orders Octavia to commit suicide, either by poison or with a dagger. Ever obedient, Octavia prepares to stab herself but is stopped ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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‘The Pearl Fishers’ While the success of Carmen overshadows his other operas, Bizet’s first lasting success was with Les pêcheurs de perles, written when he was only 24. Set in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), it uses gently oriental inflections to portray the priestess Leïla torn between love and her sacred vows, and a more romantic and dramatic style for the conflict between two pearl fishers who are both in love with her. ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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Carmen is the opera that has ensured Bizet’s lasting fame but which, somewhat uniquely, was partly fashioned by pressures from the directorate of the commissioning theatre, the Opéra-Comique. The revenue from this theatre was largely dependent on attracting the bourgeoisie, providing an evening out for chaperoned couples with an eye on marriage. Thus a setting including a cigar factory, a murder outside a bullring and a tavern inhabited by gypsies somewhat ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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Composed: 1949 Premiered: 1950, Philadelphia Libretto by the composer Act I John Sorel has been shot by the secret police at a political meeting. His wife Magda and his mother hide him in their apartment. A secret police agent threatens Magda. John decides to escape abroad. Magda will need a visa to join him. If the window is broken they will know the glass cutter, Assan, has a message from him. Magda joins the ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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‘Saint Alexius’ Premiered: 1632, Rome Libretto by Giulio Rospigliosi Prologue The figure of Roma (Rome), surrounded by a chorus of slaves, dedicates the performance to the Prince of Polonia (Poland). Act I Eufemiano, a Roman senator and Alessio’s father, encounters Adrasto, a knight returning from war. While pleased to see Adrasto, Eufemiano mourns the disappearance of his son Alessio. Meanwhile, Alessio, an ascetic, is offered lodgings at his father’s house by the pages Marzio and Curzio. ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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‘Mephistopheles’ Composed: 1866–67 Premiered: 1867, Venice Libretto by the composer after Goethe’s Faust Prologue Mefistofele wagers with God that he can win Faust’s soul. Act I Crowds celebrate Easter Sunday in Frankfurt. The aged Faust is bored and watches a mysterious friar, who follows him back to his study. When Faust opens his bible the friar reveals himself as Mefistofele, who agrees to Faust’s yearning for one perfect moment in exchange for his soul. The contract is ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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‘Alceste, or the Triumph of Alcide’ Composed in 1674, Lully’s Alceste, ou le triomphe d’Alcide, a tragédie lyrique with a prologue and five acts, had a double link with ancient Greek culture. The libretto, by Philippe Quinault, was based on Alcestis, a tragedy by the ancient Greek dramatist Euripides that in turn derived from the legend of Alcestis, wife of Admetus, King of Thessaly: Admetus had been promised immortality as long ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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Composed: 1869–70, completed 1874–87 Premiered: 1890, St Petersburg Libretto by the composer, after Vladimir Vasil’yevich Stasov Prologue Ignoring an eclipse of the sun, Prince Igor prepares to leave Putivl’ for a campaign against the pagan Polovtsï, accompanied by his son Vladimir. Skula and Yeroshka, two musicians, decide to desert. Igor refuses to listen to the appeals of the people and his wife, Yaroslavna, and entrusts her in his absence to her brother, Prince Galitsky. Act ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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Composed: 1866–69, completed by Cui and Rimsky-Korsakov 1870 Premiered: 1872, St Petersburg Libretto set directly to Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin’s verse tragedy Act I Don Juan has been exiled from Madrid for murdering Don Alvaro, the commander. He has now returned in secret, accompanied by his servant Leporello, to see an old flame, the actress Laura. While he is standing outside a monastery, an old monk tells him that the commander’s beautiful widow, Donna Anna, ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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‘Orpheus, a Legend in Music’ L’Orfeo, favola in musica consists of a prologue and five acts – a prolonged performance for its time. Monteverdi used several devices to extend the action of the opera. He wrote recitatives to be performed between the duets, as well as polyphonic madrigals, of which he was a master. Further additions included dances. The opera, commissioned by the Gonzaga family for the carnival of 1606–07, was first ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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‘The Coronation of Poppea’ L’incoronazione di Poppea, composed in 1642, has been called Monteverdi’s greatest opera. It was one of the first operas to be based on history rather than mythology. The action takes place in Rome in ad 65. The eponymous heroine is the mistress and, later, wife of the Emperor Nero. The libretto was by Busenello, who took his text from the annals of the ancient Roman historian Tacitus ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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Composed: 1844–53 Premiered: 1861, Pest Libretto by Béni Egressy after József Katona’s play Prologue King Endre of Hungary is away at war and his wife Gertrud and her corrupt followers have taken control at court. Act I At Gertrud’s instigation, her brother Otto intends to seduce Bánk’s wife Melinda. Rebels opposed to Gertrud have sent a message to Bánk seeking his help. Word arrives of Endre’s victory. Bánk arrives and is told that Melinda is in ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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Composed: 1911–15 Premiered: 1917, Munich Libretto by the composer Act I The composer Palestrina used to serve the pope. He was dismissed when he married, but has written nothing since his wife died. His pupil Silla finds his music old-fashioned. Palestrina tells Cardinal Borromeo that Silla may be right. Perhaps the style of the old masters is obsolete. Borromeo assures him that, if he were to use his God-given talent again, his powers would ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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Although ostensibly ‘English’, Dido and Aeneas owes its ancestry to Italian and French operatic influences. Although the recitatives follow the rhythms and inflexions of the English language, they were clearly modelled on Italian monody. Purcell followed the already established tradition of taking the plots of operas from ancient myth and legend. This one came from ancient Rome, as the hero, the Trojan prince Aeneas, was by tradition an ancestor of ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
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Composed: 1858 Premiered: 1859, Paris Libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré Act I Faust’s search for knowledge has been futile and he calls on the devil. Méphistophélès offers wealth, fame or power, but all Faust wants is youth. He is shown a vision of Marguerite and signs his soul away, being transformed into a young man. Act II The townspeople mill around at the Kermesse. Valentin is leaving for war and asks Siébel to look ...

Source: Definitive Opera Encyclopedia, founding editor Stanley Sadie
399 Words Read More
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