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Georges Bizet’s Opera Comique – Djamileh
Georges Bizet’s “Djamileh” is an opera comique in one act (1871). It features various musical pieces such as an overture, choruses, duets, terzettos, and a finale duet. The performance includes…
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Gaetano Donizetti
…the opera comique “La fille du Regiment,” which was lauded for its charm and virtuosity. This was followed by “La favorite,” another major contribution to the French opera repertoire. In…
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Jules Massenet
…the legendary composer, Franz Liszt. Initial Strides in the Musical World Massenet’s first opera, a one-act piece titled La Grand’Tante, made its debut in 1867 at the Opéra-Comique. However, it…
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Giacomo Puccini
…Opera The turning point in Puccini’s life came in 1876, when he and his brother walked nearly 20 miles to Pisa to watch a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera, Aida….
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Flop or Masterpiece? Ten Classical Works That Made a Comeback
…1875 premiere at the Opera-Comique in Paris left audiences aghast. The storyline, which revolves around a free-spirited and morally ambiguous woman, was considered scandalous at the time. The premiere received…
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Giuseppe Verdi
…was the intellectual and operatic hub of Italy, Verdi absorbed much about literature, politics, counterpoint, and the elements of opera. His success with his opera Nabucco later led to his…
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Christoph Willibald Gluck
…the Italian opera tradition. Career Beginnings in Italy Gluck’s first opera, Artaserse (1741), premiered in Milan and was well-received. Over the next decade, he composed numerous operas in the Italian…
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Jean-Philippe Rameau
…Rameau’s opera challenged the dominance of Jean-Baptiste Lully, the long-established model of French opera. Rameau’s music was more dramatic, adventurous, and complex than Lully’s. His use of the orchestra was…
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Richard Wagner
…captivated by Wagner’s talent that he offered him lessons free of charge. Embarking on the Path of Opera At the age of 20, Wagner composed his first complete opera, “Die…
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Exploring Classical Music by Century: A Selection of Five Works from Each Era
…Peri’s Euridice Peri’s opera Euridice is one of the earliest surviving examples of opera. The opera is known for its use of recitative, a style of singing that allows for…
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Carl Maria von Weber
…passion for operatic music. Pioneering Works and Musical Innovations While Weber’s output of non-operatic music was modest, it was nonetheless remarkable. He composed a Symphony in C Major, a viola…
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George Frideric Handel
…from 1719. Despite the initial success of his operas, the popularity of Italian operas waned, and Handel transitioned to composing oratorios. Embracing Oratorios Handel’s shift to oratorios was met with…
