(Julia Migenes singing the “Habanera” from Bizet’s opera “Carmen”)ĭebussy’s only completed opera is a misty tale of doomed love. Among the memorable arias are the “Habanera”, the “Flower Song” and the “Toreador Song”Ĭarmen: Beecham – De Los Angeles, Gedda, BlancĬarmen: Solti – Troyanos, Domingo, van Dam, Te KanawaĬarmen: Abbado – Berganza, Domingo, Milnes The story is a tragic drama about a hot-blooded gypsy, Carmen, and her rival lovers, Don Jose, a soldier, and Escamillo, a bull fighter. Tuneful and magnificent arias and masterfully crafted orchestral interludes abound. Wozzeck: Böhm – Fischer-Dieskau, Lear, KohnĬarmen is a French opera, and yet it successfully evokes Spanish locales, where the story is set. The theme is about a poor man who could not afford morality. Its jagged music and its libretto give a shocking visceral experience, yet rewards repeated hearing. Written in an atonal style (music that avoids establishing a key), this work is challenging to listen to.
Monserrat Caballe sings “Casta Diva” from Norma Norma: Bonynge – Sutherland, Alexander, Horne Norma: Serafin – Callas, Filipeschi, Stignani The final act is the greatest example of dramatic bel canto ever written. It contains arias with long and deeply expressive melodies, and is at its most sublime in Casta Diva, the ultimate bel canto soprano aria, and in the moving duets In mia man and Qual cor tradisti. Norma is Bellini’s greatest opera, and therefore one of the greatest Bel Canto (literally, “beautiful singing”) masterpiece. Highlights include the “Prisoners’ Chorus”, which is an ode to prison sung by a chorus of political prisoners and Florestan’s intense aria “Gott! Welch’ ein Dunkel hier!”įidelio: Fricsay – Rysanek, Häfliger, Fischer-Dieskau The leading parts of Leonore and Florestan require great vocal intensity to perform. With its theme of unselfish love, loyalty, courage, sacrifice and heroic endurance, Fidelio is the nearest thing Beethoven ever produced to deliver an explicit political-philosophical message. Having chosen the only subject that interests him, Beethoven molded the work into one of the greatest of all German operas. (See also Top 100 Classical Music & Recordings List)įidelio is that classical music titan, Ludwig Van Beethoven’s only opera. The year the opera was first performed is also indicated to make you appreciate the context of its artistic milieu. Here then are the top 50 operas, also listing their best recordings. Opera plots are oftentimes ridiculous, but you should not listen to opera for the story but for how the music glorifies the story. The best way to start appreciating opera is to know the plot of the story, and what the characters are singing about. Opera is also for those who are thrilled by the power of the human voice, the most expressive of all musical instruments.
When you have gone past this, you will discover a special kind of theater where emotions of the characters are expressed through music that is overwhelming, sublime, powerful and beautiful. In appreciating opera, you have to forget the prejudices against the genre, borne by spoofs and ridicule by popular culture.
0 kommentar(er)
