This week's selection focused on Russian opera. Some of the most famous Russian opera composers are Mussorgsky, Borodin, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich.
Opera arrived in Russia later than it did in the rest of Europe, and it was not until the 19th century that Russian opera really took off.
Some of the most famous Russian operas are Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky), Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky), and Prince Igor (Borodin).
Just as Hitler's control of Germany and Austria shaped German opera, so the control of Lenin and Stalin in the Soviet Union greatly influenced Russian opera. "The ideological and stylistic control and limitation of creative freedom by the authorities and older colleagues-composers in the hierarchical structures of the Union of Composers made almost impossible the innovation and experiment in any field of musical art."
Here's an excerpt of Prince Igor played by the Vienna Philharmonic.
Leave your comments and impressions below. And, don't forget to read the eighth installment for next week.
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Essential Opera - Reading Together - Part 7
In our continued tour of opera around Europe, we landed on Germany and Austria in this week's reading. While existant almost as early as Italian opera, German opera struggled to compete with Italian opera. It wasn't until the late 18th century, that German opera was able to establish itself credibly through the talent of Mozart. Other famous German opera composers include Beethoven, Weber, Wagner, and Strauss.
"Germany and Austria have one of the strongest operatic traditions in European culture. This is also evidenced by the large number of opera houses, particularly in Germany where almost every major city has its own theatre for staging such works, as well as internationally renowned operatic events such as the Salzburg Music Festival."
Three of the most famous German operas are Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), and Strauss' Die Fledermaus (The Bat).
Of course, Hitler's rise to power significantly impacted opera in both Germany and Austria. "Adolf Hitler's assumption of power destroyed this thriving operatic scene. Ironically, after the burning of the Reichstag in 1933, the German seat of the government was moved to the Krolloper, the state opera house in Berlin which, under the adventurous directorship of Otto Klemperer, had seen the premieres of many innovative works of the 1920s."
An interesting side tidbit: Otto Klemperer was the father of Werner Klemperer who is best remembered for his roll as Colonel Wilhelm Klink in the TV show Hogan's Heroes.
Leave your comments and impressions below. And, don't forget to read the seventh installment for next week.
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You just finished reading Essential Opera - Reading Together - Part 7.
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"Germany and Austria have one of the strongest operatic traditions in European culture. This is also evidenced by the large number of opera houses, particularly in Germany where almost every major city has its own theatre for staging such works, as well as internationally renowned operatic events such as the Salzburg Music Festival."
Three of the most famous German operas are Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), and Strauss' Die Fledermaus (The Bat).
Of course, Hitler's rise to power significantly impacted opera in both Germany and Austria. "Adolf Hitler's assumption of power destroyed this thriving operatic scene. Ironically, after the burning of the Reichstag in 1933, the German seat of the government was moved to the Krolloper, the state opera house in Berlin which, under the adventurous directorship of Otto Klemperer, had seen the premieres of many innovative works of the 1920s."
An interesting side tidbit: Otto Klemperer was the father of Werner Klemperer who is best remembered for his roll as Colonel Wilhelm Klink in the TV show Hogan's Heroes.
Leave your comments and impressions below. And, don't forget to read the seventh installment for next week.
-----
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Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Essential Opera - Reading Together - Part 6
Last week we focused on Italian opera, and this week we're looking at French opera. Some of the most famous French opera composers are Rameau, Berlioz, Bizet, Debussy, Poulenc, and Messiaen. French operas have also been written by non-French composers, including Gluck, Cherubini, Rossini, Meyerbeer, Offenbach, and Verdi.
"French opera began at the court of Louis XIV of France with Jean-Baptiste Lully's Cadmus et Hermione (1673), although there had been various experiments with the form before that, most notably Pomone by Robert Cambert."
Some of the most famous French operas:
- Guillaume Tell by Rossini
- Les Troyens by Berlioz
- Orphee aux enfers by Offenbach
- Faust by Gounod
- Carmen by Bizet
- Pelléas et Mélisande by Debussy
What's your favorite French opera?
Leave your comments and impressions below. And, don't forget to read the seventh installment for next week.
-----
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"French opera began at the court of Louis XIV of France with Jean-Baptiste Lully's Cadmus et Hermione (1673), although there had been various experiments with the form before that, most notably Pomone by Robert Cambert."
Some of the most famous French operas:
- Guillaume Tell by Rossini
- Les Troyens by Berlioz
- Orphee aux enfers by Offenbach
- Faust by Gounod
- Carmen by Bizet
- Pelléas et Mélisande by Debussy
What's your favorite French opera?
Leave your comments and impressions below. And, don't forget to read the seventh installment for next week.
-----
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Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Essential Opera - Reading Together - Part 5
Italian opera began around 1600 and it still plays an important role in the world of opera today. "Many famous operas in Italian were written by foreign composers, including Handel, Gluck and Mozart. Works by native Italian composers of the 19th and early 20th centuries, such as Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini, are amongst the most famous operas ever written and today are performed in opera houses across the world."
In the seventeenth century, Italian opera began in Florence and Mantua and then spread throughout Italy, including Rome. Venice, however, was the home of the first public opera house. Venice also became the center for the commercialization of opera.
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Italian operas continued strong. In the twentieth century, Puccini wrote some of the greatest Italian operas.
Leave your comments and impressions below. And, don't forget to read the sixth installment for next week.
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You just finished reading Essential Opera - Reading Together - Part 5.
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In the seventeenth century, Italian opera began in Florence and Mantua and then spread throughout Italy, including Rome. Venice, however, was the home of the first public opera house. Venice also became the center for the commercialization of opera.
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Italian operas continued strong. In the twentieth century, Puccini wrote some of the greatest Italian operas.
Leave your comments and impressions below. And, don't forget to read the sixth installment for next week.
-----
You just finished reading Essential Opera - Reading Together - Part 5.
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