Here is a list of the 10 most popular opera composers by performance numbers. The data used to compile this list is from Operabase, perhaps the world’s greatest source of opera data. All data is for the most recently completed full season – the 2017/2018 season. In the top 10 Read more…
Here is a list of the 10 most famous arias in the world. Bask in the glorious sounds of some of the world’s greatest singers singing tunes from the world’s most famous operas. Performers include Luciano Pavarotti, Maria Callas, Renée Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Anna Netrebko. “La donna è mobile” Read more…
Leah Crocetto, San Francisco Opera’s latest Aida, is no longer an up and coming star – she has made it! Crocetto is anything but a stereotypical diva; she is kind, down-to-earth, entertaining, and personable, one of those people everyone loves to be around. A musician through and through, Leah Crocetto Read more…
They were all the rage in the early 19th century, a time when bel canto dominated the operatic stage. The vast majority of mad scenes were written for the leading soprano, providing her the ultimate opportunity to showcase her skills. Many of these pieces are extremely demanding, full of Read more…
Here are the ten most popular operas by number of performances according to Operabase, perhaps the world’s greatest organizer of opera data. The figures apply to the 2017/2018 season. Verdi appears twice, Puccini and Mozart three times each, and Bizet and Rossini both once. La traviata, by Verdi. This masterpiece Read more…
You may have heard the term recitative when you hear people talk about opera, but what exactly is recitative? This is my definition of recitative – any semi-spoken, semi-sung non-repetitive part of an opera that advances the action. Typically, the earlier the opera is, the easier it is to distinguish between recitative and other operatic sections, such as arias or ensemble pieces.
Don’t just take my word for it; listen to the great Leonard Bernstein talk about recitative…
Here are a few full-length operas on YouTube with English subtitles. Isn’t it amazing that you can watch full-length operas for free in the comfort of your own home? Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), Mozart Opera Sense recommended recordings of Die Zauberflöte: Tristan und Isolde, Wagner Opera Sense recommended recordings Read more…
A few of the “greatest hits” from the operatic repertory:
Overture to Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro). While none of the music in the overture returns in the opera itself, it certainly does an excellent job setting the stage for the “day of madness” that is to follow. (more…)
Start your day off right… Nothing can beat this “Bella figlia dell’amore” from Rigoletto with Pavarotti and Sutherland. What a fantastic quartet!