Performance

Although today MADAMA BUTTERFLY stands among Giacomo Puccini's greatest operatic hits, alongside masterpieces like TOSCA or LA BOHÈME, its premiere at La Scala ended in disaster. The love duet from Act I was met with booing, and when Cio-cio-san began singing about the nesting robins, the audience burst into such laughter that the performance was nearly halted. Yet, today it is perhaps one of the greatest melodramatic operas, a true ...

"Manon Lescaut" was Puccini's first work to achieve full success, marking the beginning of the then 34-year-old composer's international career. Not even the fact that the same subject had been presented on the opera stage by Jules Massenet just nine years earlier, let alone earlier works by Halevy and Auber based on the novel by Prévost, could diminish the success of Puccini's opera. In "Manon Lescaut," Puccini's individual musical style, which ...

After the magnificent successes of "La Bohème," "Tosca," and "Madama Butterfly," Puccini once again showcased his talent in a brilliant operatic triptych, which included the outstanding musical farce "Gianni Schicchi" – one of Puccini's finest works – and "Suor Angelica." The entire triptych was premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, where it received immense acclaim. Critics unanimously noted that Puccini's artistry had deepened ...

"Tosca" is considered a quintessential example of verismo opera, a movement of which Puccini was one of the main representatives. It is undoubtedly a story full of shocking realism drawn from life, but above all, it is a moving tale of tragic love. "Tosca" is one of Puccini's most famous works and one of the operas most frequently performed on world stages. The popularity of this title is no accident. The piece stands out with its dynamic action ...

Although the direct source for the libretto of the opera "Turandot" was Carlo Gozzi's play, it is impossible to ignore its romantic translation by Friedrich Schiller, who introduced the story of the Chinese princess into Western culture. However, today it is thanks to Giacomo Puccini's opera that this story has permanently entered the theatrical stage. Despite the composer's death preventing him from completing the opera, "Turandot" is ...

Giuseppe Verdi, the composer of dozens of operas including hits like "La Traviata," "Aida," "Rigoletto," and "Il Trovatore," almost never ventured beyond the realm of opera composition. However, the death of the eminent Italian poet Alessandro Manzoni, a close friend of Verdi's, deeply moved the composer. In tribute to Manzoni, Verdi decided to honor his memory by composing the "Messa da Requiem" (the full title). Although rooted in Christian ...

RIGOLETTO - an opera born of creative necessity   From the audience's perspective, I choose "La Traviata," but as a composer, "Rigoletto."   Already at its Venice premiere, Verdi discovered that the audience had embraced "Rigoletto." Although there was some surprise at the composer's new style, the grim fate of the court jester and his daughter Gilda touched the hearts of the spectators and their musical sensibilities. The ...

Creating the choreography for Romeo and Juliet (2007), Sasha Waltz turned to one of the most poignant love stories in world literature. The tale of star-crossed lovers, whose families are enemies, and whose deaths bring understanding and reconciliation, is one of Shakespeare's most famous works. This dark tragedy inspired Hector Berlioz to compose the dramatic symphony Romeo and Juliet for three soloists, two large choruses, and orchestra. ...

The grand opera without a happy ending...   An elderly music enthusiast drew my attention to Samson, telling me about Voltaire's libretto; he even sketched out a preliminary scenario for my use. Thus Saint-Saëns wrote in a letter to Henri Collet, revealing at the same time his desire to reference the tradition of oratorio in Samson and Delilah. Hence, the work, not being an "action opera," in its construction contains more purely ...