This opera by Giuseppe Verdi is considered a congenial work on Shakespeare’s contribution to world literature. For many tenors, the role of Otello is the crowning achievement of their career.
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With “Aida” Verdi created one of the absolute highlights of opera history and offers the music lover everything opera can do. The popularity of the work is unbroken: Mass scenes like the Triumphal March thrill the general public, intimate scenes like the farewell of Aida and Radames touch the lover and opera fan.
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La forza del destino is one of three Spanish operas (Don Carlo, Forza del destino, Il Trovatore) by Verdi, all of which enter the heroic-historical world of the grand opéra. It can justifiably be counted among the great works of Verdi. The many magnificent duets between Alvaro and Caro, the religious scenes of Leonora and the colourful supporting roles of Preziosilla, Guardiano and Fra Melitone characterise this opera. Verdi’s musical themes are grandiose and he uses them as leitmotifs throughout the opera for the first time.
Don Carlos is an opera for great voices. Each of the six main characters receives a convincing dramatic foundation and development, and each singer has great musical highlights. Schiller wrote a brilliant literary model with his novel “Don Karlos” . It is a play about freedom and human dignity of the age of enlightement, which ignited the spark of inspiration in Verdi. No other work by Verdi has such a far-reaching plot and the power of five acts.
With the leading role of Simon Boccanegra, Verdi has written a grandiose portrait of the role. The somewhat convoluted plot gave the composer room for great scenes. Like Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra is undoubtedly a masterpiece, but has nevertheless remained an opera for the connoisseur.
Few operas can evoke such storms of applause at the end of a performance as Elektra. The music of Elektra and its leading role is unique in opera literature and Strauss, the great tone painter, was able to push the limits of his time with this music.
Tchaikovsky wrote ten operas and Eugene Onegin is his most famous and beautiful. Emotive music, dazzling orchestration and inner drama characterize this work. In addition, Tchaikovsky gives us beautiful, musical orchestral passages reminiscent of his most beautiful ballets.
Johann Strauss’ Fledermaus reflects the enchanting and unforgettable splendor of the belle époque and the charm of Vienna.
Barbiere is justifiably one of the most popular operas in the entire repertoire and is perhaps the quintessential operatic comedy. An exhilarating music and the hilarious situation comedy combine to create a great masterpiece.
The music of Italiana in Algeri is ravishing, sparkling with wit and melody – the finale of the first act may be considered the invention of slapstick comedy par excellence. For the female lead Rossini created the voice type of the coloratura mezzo-soprano, to which he would create further monuments a few years later with Rosina from Barbiere and Angelina from Cenerentola.