Past Operas 2019

By | September 6, 2019

December 18th 2019

Madame Butterfly – Puccini

A Film by Frederic Mitterrano

The story of a young geisha who falls madly in love with an american captain that travels all around the world collecting hearts.

November 20th 2019 at 1:30pm

Rigoletto—Verdi

Domingo. Cotrubas. Levine.

A brilliant performance despite it taking place as long ago as 1977. A comparatively young Placido Domingo sang the duke as well as any I’ve heard and I also thought the Rigoletto was the best I’d seen

 

 

Synopsis:- click here

 


October 16th 2019 at 1:30pm

Salome—Richard Strauss

Nadia Michael. Michaela Schuster.

Conductor Philippe Jordon. Director David McVicar
Orchestra Royal Opera House

Religion, sexuality and perversion potently combine in David McVicar’s gripping production of Richard Strauss’s opera.

“McVicar, a director who rarely puts a foot wrong, has once again put his stamp on a great work, making you view it afresh.” (Musicomh.com)

“As shocking as the cover shows it is even more chilling set in Nazi Germany. Excellent production.”

Synopsis:- Click here


August 21st 2019 at 1:30pm

Faust – Gounod

Gounod’s Faust (1859) was one of the world’s most popular operas from the 1860s to World War II, and remains a core repertory work. The story, adapted by Gounod’s librettists Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré’s play Faust et Marguerite, is based on Part I of Goethe’s epic poem Faust, which was a major inspiration for many composers during the 19th century and beyond.

Gounod added a ballet to Act V when Faust received its first Paris Opéra staging in 1869.

Synopsis: Click here

 


July 17th – No Opera


June 19th at 1:30pm

Lucia Di Lammermoor – Donizetti

The Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti (1796-1848) adapted his opera Lucia de Lammermoor from the novel by Sir Walter Scott, with its tale of a doomed romance between Miss Lucia, daughter of the Ashtons, and Lord Edgardo, the head of the Ravenswood clan driven to a lonely exile on Wolf’s Crag. The 1992 stage production with The Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala as conducted by Stefano Ranzani comes to home video in the release Lucia de Lammermoor. Renato Bruson portrays Lord Enrico Ashton and Mariella Devia is Miss Lucia. The cast also features Vincenzo la Scola, Marco Berti, Carlo Colombara and Ernesto Gavazzi

Synopsis: Click here


May 15th 2019 at 1:30pm

Attila – Verdi

This energetic, noisy opera was a product of Verdi’s ‘anni di galera’ when he had difficulty in keeping up with the pressure upon him to compose operas. It has been described as one of his ‘crasser’ products. I can think of several composers who would give their eye teeth to be able to write such an opera. The problem for Verdi is the standard of what had gone before and what we now know was to come………

So, by Verdian standards, not the best of operas; but by any standards this must be one of the best performances of it. Recorded in 1991, all had overcome their curiosity of the camera so there are none of the early distracting sly glances. All is played on stage and how well it is played, with all characters engaging completely with the text.

Synopsis: Click here


March 20th 2019 at 1:30pm

Carmen Sleeve PhotoCarmen – Bizet

Metropolotan Opera

Bizet’s Carmen has everything you want from an opera: high drama, passionate characters, a love story. And what’s more it’s absolutely packed with great melodies – even if you don’t know the opera, you’ll definitely know the tunes.

First and foremost – the music is nothing short of awesome

Bizet wrote a fair few great works – the Te Deum for a start – but in Carmen he really went up a gear in terms of writing entrancing melodies.

Superstar tenor José Carreras is Don José, the solider from a small town who … Samuel Ramey is the charismatic matador Escamillo, who lures Carmen away 

Synopsis: Click here


February 20th 2019 at 1:30pm

Tito Sleeve PhotoLa Clemenza Di Tito – Mozart

Glyndebourne

Loosely based on the life of the Roman Emperor Titus, La clemenza di Tito distills the suspense of Don Giovanni, the warmth of Le nozze di Figaro, and the nobility of Die Zauberflöte into one powerful parable of love and friendship, vengeance and mercy.

Synopsis: Click here

 

 


January 6th 2019 at 1:30

La Boheme – Puccini

La bohème is one of opera’s most popular and unforgettable stories. When young poet Rodolfo meets seamstress Mimì, it’s love at first sight. But faced by the cruel realities of poverty and ill health, will the flame that burns between them flicker and die? Or will the timeless strength of their youthful passion withstand every trial and tribulation that life can throw at them?

Synopsis: click here

Last Updated on March 16, 2020