Tragédie-opéra in 3 acts First performed : Académie Royale de Musique, April 12 1774 Composer : Ritter Christoph Willibald Gluck Libretto : M. du Rollet, after Racine and Euripides “From Gluck’s appearance dates modern art; from him come all the great masters who have enchanted the world both during his life, and after his death.” – Barbedette Iphigénie … Continue reading 101. Iphigénie en Aulide (Gluck)
HIPPOLYTE ET ARICIETragédie lyrique in 5 actes and a prologueComposer: Jean-Philippe RameauLibrettist: Abbé PellegrinFirst performed: Académie Royale de Musique at its theatre in the Palais-Royal, Paris, 1 October 1733Halte-là! Are you a Ramiste or a Lulliste? And shall we fight a duel?Those were serious questions in early 18th century France. Society was bitterly divided between those … Continue reading 87. Hippolyte et Aricie (Jean-Philippe Rameau)
ŒDIPE À COLONETragédie-opéra in 3 actsComposer: Antonio SacchiniLibretto: Nicolas-François Guillard, after SophoclesFirst performed: Versailles, 4 January 1786, then at Paris, at the Académie Royale de Musique (salle de la Porte Saint-Martin), 1 February 1787, conducted by Jean-Baptiste ReyCOMMENTARYThe young Berlioz was moved to tears by the trio 'O doux moments', which follows the reconciliation scene in Act III.The extraordinary … Continue reading 82. Œdipe à Colone (Antonio Sacchini)
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO) Opera comica in 4 acts Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Libretto: Lorenzo da Ponte, after Beaumarchais First performed: Burgtheater, Vienna, 1 May 1786, conducted by Mozart (Parts of this post come from an article published in The Canberra Times, 10 August 2016.) PLOT Wedding preparations can be hell. For audiences, however, … Continue reading 73. Le nozze di Figaro [The Marriage of Figaro] (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
DER SCHAUSPIELDIREKTOR Komische Operette in 1 act - KV 486 Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Libretto: Gottlieb Stephanie the Younger First performed: Schönnbrunn Palace, Vienna, 7 February 1786; Kärntnertor Theater, Vienna, 11 February 1786 Dossier An imperial command is hard to refuse. Mozart, halfway through a little number called The Marriage of Figaro, was ordered to compose after-dinner … Continue reading 67. Der Schauspieldirektor (W.A. Mozart)
NINA, O SIA LA PAZZA PER AMORECommedia per musica in 1 actBy Giovanni PaisielloLibretto: Giuseppe Carpani and Giovanni Battista Lorenzi, after Benoît-Joseph Marsollier de Vivetières’ Nina ou La folle par amourFirst performed: Belvedere di San Leucio, Caserta, 25 June 1789Revised: Teatro dei Fiorentini, Naples, in 2 acts, autumn 1790Reception: Enthusiastic, and popular in Italy until … Continue reading 12. Nina (Giovanni Paisiello)
STRATONICE Opéra-comique in 1 act By Étienne Nicolas Méhul Libretto : François-Benoit Hoffman, after De Dea Syria (attributed to Lucan) First performed : Opéra-Comique (1re sale Favart), Paris, by the Comédiens Italiens ordinaires du Roi, 3 May 1792, conducted by Frédéric Blasius STORY SÉLEUCUS, King of Syria (taille = baritenor) ANTIOCHUS, his son (haute-contre) STRATONICE, promised to Séleucus (soprano) ERASISTRATE, … Continue reading 11. Stratonice – Étienne-Nicolas Méhul
