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Author	Topic: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (64 - Jenufa by Janacek)
Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 9/5 2:23pm Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (70 - Un ballo in maschera by Verdi)
	I understand she didn't believe in personal hygiene...a bit of a turn-off.
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Obi Anne Title: FanForce RSA Europe Registered: Nov '98	Date Posted: 9/5 11:22pm Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (70 - Un ballo in maschera by Verdi)
	To be honest I haven't heard that one, but it's not unrealistic. There was a movement in Germany in the end of th 19th century that believed that the body could take care of itself and that one shouldn't remove/wash away what was on it. -----signature----- "That is the beauty of grand opera; you can do anything...as long as you sing it" Anna Russell
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 9/5 11:35pm Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (70 - Un ballo in maschera by Verdi)

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Obi Anne Title: FanForce RSA Europe Registered: Nov '98	Date Posted: 9/8 12:38pm Subject: RE: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (69 - Guillaume Tell by Rossini)
	So we leave Swedish history for a while, and instead go to what might have happened in a country that's quite often confused with Sweden: Switzerland 69 - Guillaume Tell by Gioachino Rossini Guillaume Tell is an opera in four acts by Gioachino Rossini to a French libretto by Etienne de Jouy and Hippolyte Bis, based on Friedrich Schiller's play Wilhelm Tell. It was first performed at the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique on August 3, 1829. Based on the legend of William Tell, this opera was Rossini's last, even though the composer lived for nearly forty more years. Synopsis Place: Switzerland Time: fourteenth century Prior to the start of the opera, Arnold, son of the Swiss leader Melcthal, has rescued Mathilde, an Austrian princess, from drowning. In spite of the political situation, Arnold and Mathilde have fallen in love. Act 1 It is the day of the Shepherd Festival, in May, near Lake Lucerne. Per tradition, Melchtal blesses the couples at the celebration. However, Arnold excludes himself from this privilege, as he is torn between his love for his country and his love for Mathilde. Horn fanfares interrupt the festival, and herald the arrival of Gesler, the Austrian Governor, whom the Swiss detest. Leuthold then enters, pursued by Gesler's forces. One of Gesler's soldiers has attempted to assault Leuthold's daughter, and Leuthold killed the soldier to defend her. He wishes to escape, and the lake is the only route. William Tell offers his assistance. Gesler’s guards arrive, led by Rodolphe. Leuthold manages to escape with the help of Tell, but as reprisal, Gesler's guards take Melchtal prisoner. Act 2 In a valley by a lake, Arnold and Mathilde meet and again pledge their love. Tell and Walter arrive, and inform Arnold that Gesler has ordered the execution of Melcthal. Arnold vows vengeance. Arnold, Tell and Walter swear an oath to liberate Switzerland. They inspire the cantons to unite in this quest. Act 3 At the market-place in Altdorf, the day is the hundredth anniversary of Austrian rule in Switzerland. In commemoration, Gesler has had his hat placed on top of a pole and the Swiss are ordered to pay homage to the hat. Tell arrives with his son Jemmy. Tell refuses to honour the hat. Gesler recognises Tell as the man who saved Leuthold, and wants to punish him somehow. He orders Tell to shoot an apple from Jemmy’s head, in the hope that Tell will harm his son. Tell is successful in piercing the apple, and tells Gesler that had the shot failed, he would have used his next arrow against him. Gesler orders Tell to be arrested. Act 4 A Swiss rebel army arrives, and battle ensues. Tell kills Gesler with an arrow through the heart. The Swiss emerge victorious. Mathilde and Arnold, secure in their love, reunite at the close. Roles Guillaume Tell - Baritone Hedwige, his wife - mezzo-soprano Jemmy, his son - soprano Mathilde, a Habsburg princess - soprano Arnold Melcthal - tenor Melcthal, his father - bass Gesler, the Austrian governor of Uri and Schwyz - bass Walther Furst - bass Ruodi, a fisherman - tenor Leuthold, a shepherd - bass Rodolphe, captain of Gesler's guard - tenor a hunter - baritone ***************************** The full opera is rarely performed, it's loooong and the role of Arnold requires a tenor with a great range. I would actually say that the reason why the opera is on this list is mostly because of the very famous ouverture, or rather the last part of the ouverture. This is what I'm talking about. I can almost guarantee that you have heard it. There are some nice arias in the opera as well though, here is Arnold's aria Asile hereditaire, sung by Marcello Giordano, and Mathilde's sombre forêt, sung by Hasmik Papian. -----signature----- "That is the beauty of grand opera; you can do anything...as long as you sing it" Anna Russell
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 9/8 2:11pm Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (69 - Guillaume Tell by Rossini)
	Yes, the Lone Ranger rides again! The overture is all that I've heard from this opera; there are brief excerpts from the overture on the brilliant Clockwork Orange soundtrack. I'd like to hear the entire thing sometime, just for fun. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 9/9 9:06am Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (69 - Guillaume Tell by Rossini)
	Just the overture here, too; though rarely played with such brio.
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Obi Anne Title: FanForce RSA Europe Registered: Nov '98	Date Posted: 9/9 10:25am Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (69 - Guillaume Tell by Rossini)
	To me Muti has a tendency to speed things up, but it works because he can get a brilliant sound from the orchestra, no matter how fast they are playing. -----signature----- "That is the beauty of grand opera; you can do anything...as long as you sing it" Anna Russell
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Obi Anne Title: FanForce RSA Europe Registered: Nov '98	Date Posted: 9/16 12:06pm Subject: RE: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (68 - A kékszakállú herceg vára by Bartók)
	68 - A kékszakállú herceg vára by Béla Bartók Duke Bluebeard's Castle (Hungarian: A kékszakállú herceg vára; literally: The Castle of the Blue-Bearded Prince) is a one-act opera by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók. First performed in 1918. Synopsis Place: A huge, dark hall in a castle, with seven locked doors. Time: Not defined. Judith and Bluebeard arrive at his castle, which is all dark. Bluebeard asks Judith if she wants to stay and even offers her an opportunity to leave, but she decides to stay. Judith insists that all the doors be opened, to allow light to enter into the forbidding interior, insisting further that her demands are based on her love for Bluebeard. Bluebeard refuses, saying that they are private places not to be explored by others, and asking Judith to love him but ask no questions. Judith persists, and eventually prevails over his resistance. The first door opens to reveal a torture chamber, stained with blood. Repelled, but then intrigued, Judith pushes on. Behind the second door is a storehouse of weapons, and behind the third a storehouse of riches. Bluebeard urges her on. Behind the fourth door is a secret garden of great beauty; behind the fifth, a window onto Bluebeard's vast kingdom. All is now sunlit, but blood has stained the riches, watered the garden, and grim clouds throw blood-red shadows over Bluebeard's kingdom. Bluebeard pleads with her to stop: the castle is as bright as it can get, and will not get any brighter, but Judith refuses to be stopped after coming this far, and opens the penultimate sixth door, as a shadow passes over the castle. This is the first room that has not been somehow stained with blood; a silent silvery lake is all that lies within, "a lake of tears". Bluebeard begs Judith to simply love him, and ask no more questions. The last door must be shut forever. But she persists, asking him about his former wives, and then accusing him of having murdered them, suggesting that their blood was the blood everywhere, that their tears were those that filled the lake, and that their bodies lie behind the last door. At this, Bluebeard hands over the last key. Behind the door are Bluebeard's three former wives, but still alive, dressed in crowns and jewellery. They emerge silently, and Bluebeard, overcome with emotion, prostrates himself before them and praises each in turn, finally turning to Judith and beginning to praise her as his fourth wife. She is horrified, begs him to stop, but it is too late. He dresses her in the jewellery they wear, which she finds exceedingly heavy. Her head drooping under the weight, she follows the other wives along a beam of moonlight through the seventh door. It closes behind her, and Bluebeard is left alone as all fades to total darkness. Roles Bluebeard - bass Judith - mezzo-soprano Bluebeard's wives - silent roles the castle ****************************************** The opera is loosely based on the fairytale of Bluebeard, but true to the early 20th century it has been transformed into a psychological drama, where the doors unlocks Bluebeard's inner emotions and secrets. There have been a number of interpretations of the opera, from most field of psychology, I don't know enough to say anything about those though. It's also considered to be Hungary's national opera. If you search for Bartok and Bluebeard on youtube you can find complete versions of the opera, it's not even an hour long. Unfortunately they are all in Hungarian, without subtitles. Here is the final scene in one of the versions, conducted by sir Georg Solti. I must say it's a very haunting scene. I would love to know what they are singing about. It makes me actually wanting to see the full opera, but I'm not sure if I'd be willing to experience almost an hour with Hungarian. -----signature----- "That is the beauty of grand opera; you can do anything...as long as you sing it" Anna Russell
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 9/17 7:47am Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (68 - A kékszakállú herceg vára by Bartók)
	It actually sounds (and looks) very intriguing. But Hungarian, yeah.
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Thrawn1786 Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 9/17 11:47am Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (68 - A kékszakállú herceg vára by Bartók)
	The Met had a telecast of this with Jessye Norman as Judith and Samuel Ramey/James Morris(can't remember which) as Bluebeard. It was very odd in that every time Judith opened a door, Bluebeard removed some piece of clothing or item from his person. I want to say he was down to a simple robe and completely bald by the last one, but I can't remember. -----signature----- Knick knack, Patti's whack, diva's on her throne-you just got Patti LPwned! Senator of Thrawn Fans Unite, EU Senate My 2009 Dear Diary Challenge entry: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/29687672/p1/?3
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Obi Anne Title: FanForce RSA Europe Registered: Nov '98	Date Posted: 9/17 12:03pm Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (68 - A kékszakállú herceg vára by Bartók)
	Too bad it's not one of the telecasts that are available on Metplayer. -----signature----- "That is the beauty of grand opera; you can do anything...as long as you sing it" Anna Russell
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 9/25 7:33pm Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (68 - A kékszakállú herceg vára by Bartók)
	Too bad it's in Hungarian...
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Obi Anne Title: FanForce RSA Europe Registered: Nov '98	Date Posted: 10/4 12:42pm Subject: RE: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (67 - The turn of the screw by Britten)
	67 The turn of the screw by Benjamin Britten The Turn of the Screw is a 20th century English chamber opera composed by Benjamin Britten with a libretto by Myfanwy Piper, based on the novella The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. Synopsis Time: The middle of the nineteenth century Place: Bly, an English country house Prologue A singer known as Prologue tells about a young governess (who remains unnamed throughout the opera) he once knew who cared for two children at Bly House. She had been hired by their uncle and guardian, who lived in London and was too busy to care for them. After hiring her, he laid three stipulations on the Governess: Never to write to him about the children, never to inquire about the history of Bly House, and never to abandon the children. Act 1 The Governess is apprehensive about her new position. When she arrives at Bly House, the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose, and the children greet her. When the Governess sees Miles, the little boy, their eyes lock and the Governess feels as if she has a strange connection with Miles. Mrs. Grose interrupts their reverie and leads the Governess off to explore the beautiful land around the house. The Governess sings that all her fears are now gone. A letter from Miles' school arrives, advising the Governess that the boy has been expelled for threatening other children. The Governess is sure that Miles, like his sister Flora, is too innocent to have done such wicked things. Encouraged by Mrs. Grose, she decides to ignore the letter. The Governess sings about her wonderful position at the house and the beautiful children she has in her care. But she is troubled by footsteps she has heard outside her door and cries in the night. Suddenly, she spots a pale-faced man perched on a tower of the house. When the man disappears, she becomes frightened and wonders if she has seen a ghost. Her mind is put at ease by the playing of the children, and their singing of the nursery rhyme Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son. The Governess doubts that she saw anything, but decides to confront Mrs. Grose. The housekeeper tells the Governess about Peter Quint, the former valet at Bly House. Mrs. Grose implies that Quint was a pederast who preyed on Miles, and that he had a sexual relationship with Miss Jessel, the young and beautiful previous governess. Mrs. Grose also also implies that Miss Jessell, too, had sexual relations with the children. The housekeeper could do nothing, as Quint cleverly intercepted her mail and threatened her with physical harm. But when Miss Jessel became pregnant and her depravity was exposed, she abandoned the children and fled, soon thereafter dying alone. Shortly thereafter, Quint died under mysterious circumstances on an icy road near Bly House. The Governess rededicates herself to protecting the children. The next morning, the Governess teaches Miles Latin when he enters into a trance-like state and sings a song which reveals that he has been a victim of Quint's depravity. Later that day, the Governess sits by the side of a lake with Flora. Flora recites the names of the seas of the world, finishing with the Dead Sea. Flora's comparison of the Dead Sea with Bly House unsettles the Governess. As Flora plays on the shore with her doll, the Governess suddenly sees a strange woman across the lake who seems to be watching Flora. The horrified Governess realizes that the woman is a ghost—the ghost of Miss Jessel, who has returned to claim Flora. The Governess hurries Flora home to safety. That night, Miles and Flora slip out into the woods to meet Miss Jessel and Peter Quint. The children fantasize about a world where dreams come true. The Governess and Mrs. Grose arrive as the children are about to be possessed, and the spirits depart. Miles sings a haunting song about how he has been a bad boy. Act 2 The ghosts of Peter Quint and Miss Jessel reappear. They argue about who harmed whom first when they were alive, and accuse one another of not acting quickly enough to possess the children. In her room, the Governess worries about the evil she feels in the house. The next morning, the family goes to church. The children sing a song which sounds similar to a choral chant. Mrs. Grose declares that nothing can be wrong if the children are as sweet as this. The Governess tells her of Miles' unearthly day-dream song and Flora's bizaare behavior. Alarmed, Mrs. Grose tells the Governess to write to their employer in London. At first, the Governess declines, recalling her employer's admonitions before she took the job. But when Miles mentions the ghosts of Quint and Jessel, the Governess realizes things are much more dire than they seem. She resolves to leave Bly House with the children. After church, the family returns home. The Governess goes into the children's schoolroom where she sees the ghost of Miss Jessell seated at the teacher's desk. The spectre bemoans her fate, and sings about how she suffers in the afterlife. The Governess confronts the spirit, which vanishes. Believing the ghosts may not yet have the upper hand, the Governess changes her mind, deciding to stay at Bly House after all. Instead, she writes to the children's' uncle, informing him of what she has seen and heard. That night, the Governess tells Miles that she has written to his uncle about the spirits haunting Bly House. She departs. The voice of Quint calls out to Miles, terrifying him. The lights go out, and the ghost hovers over the terrified child. Quint tells Miles to steal the letter. The boy goes to the schoolroom, finds the letter, and takes it back to his room. The next morning, Miles plays the piano for the Governess and Mrs.Grose. Distracted by his performance, Flora slips off to go to the lake. When the two women realize Flora is gone, they search for her. Finding the girl at the lake, the Governess sees the spectre of Miss Jessel nearby—but Mrs. Grose sees nothing. The Governess tries to force Flora to admit that the apparition is close to them, but Flora merely hurls invective at the Governess. Mrs. Grose, convinced the Governess has gone too far, angrily takes Flora home. The Governess feels betrayed by Mrs. Grose. That night, Flora begins to rant and rave about committing unspeakable horrors. The Governess realizes that Flora has become possessed and deranged. Mrs. Grose agrees to take Flora and have her institutionalized. But the housekeeper tells the Governess that she knows Miles took the letter from the schoolroom. The Governess confronts Miles alone. As she questions him, the ghost of Quint pressures Miles not to betray him. Hysterical, Miles confesses that he took the letter. The Governess demands to know who put Miles up to it. Miles blurts out Quint's name. At the mention of his name, Quint's ghost vanishes. Miles falls dead on the floor. A weeping Governess cradles the dead child in her arms, singing aloud of her grief and wondering if she did the right thing after all. Roles Prologue - tenor Governess - soprano Miles - treble (boy soprano) Flora - soprano Mrs. Grouse, the housekeeper - soprano Miss Jessel, the former governess - soprano Mr. Quint, the former manservant - tenor ********************************************* I can downright say that after reading the synopsis, this is an opera I wouldn't like to see, ever. For those of you interested a quick youtube search for Britten and Screw will bring up the full opera. It's an acclaimed German version, sung in English, from 1982. -----signature----- "That is the beauty of grand opera; you can do anything...as long as you sing it" Anna Russell
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 10/5 7:44am Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (67 - The Turn of the Screw by Britten) - Date Edited: 10/5 7:45am (1 edits total) Edited By: Zaz
	This is based on a Henry James novella where the real question is whether the ghosts are real or manifestations of the governess's suppressed id, or whatever. The material can work: see: "The Innocents" I can't imagine an opera in English working, though.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 10/5 2:13pm Subject: The music! The drama! The 100 Greatest Operas (67 - The Turn of the Screw by Britten)
	I think The Innocents is my favorite horror film; it's terrifying and Deborah Kerr is astoundingly great. And I think it is absolutely an operatic story. I'd really love to see this one. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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