In regard to Wagner, I am no Wagner-hater and indeed admire some of his orchestral music. This suggests that I know nothing about opera at all. The opera’s most famous aria is “Largo al factotum,” in which the hero Figaro sings of his skills as a barber, matchmaker, and counselor to the people of Seville: The son of an atheistic father and a Roman Catholic mother, Berlioz’ oeuvre often reflects this dual religious heritage. Yet grateful we remain for a tasteful selection, insightful criticism and his dependably choice links. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I've heard some of Ashley's music and think it's, mmm, interesting. Perhaps there is Most Influential, Most Favorite, Best Bel Canto…so, I am going to say, top 10 opera that must be seen. Fidelio is one of the most thrilling and a testament to married love. Tristan und Isolde, Parsifal & Goetterdammerung should be in the list. I think this same argument applies to composers. 20th December 2011. Second, I can’t agree at all with your “implicit judgment of Puccini.” Puccini’s best works are among his least performed, but his famous works are still all excellent. The “Aria of the Wind” sung by the two women as they conspire is one of the most enchanting creations ever penned by a composer (and was memorably used to illustrate the power of beautiful music in the film, The Shawshank Redemption.) The doors and rooms all have colors associated with them, as follows: Blood stains everything she sees, and her mind begins to piece everything together. Top 10s ; Day In History ; Search. He insults her, and then asks her to sing him a song. Scene 4 (Passacaglia): The Doctor scolds Wozzeck for not following his instructions regarding diet and behavior. Don’t let anyone persuade you there aren’t great 20th (and 21st) century operas in a range of idioms. Exceedingly strange, but intriguing. mhikl, I cannot believe there is no mention anywhere of either “Pelleas et Melisande” or “Falstaff”. Mozart, Marriage of Figaro. There you go. 4. I frequently have to stop and just take a moment to absorb the incredible harmonies and progressions, the small melodies I find that I had never noticed despite listening a thousand times (and the piano reduction leaves plenty of things out, mind you). “Bess, You Is My Woman Now,” “I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’,” “There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York,” and on and on. ), and in its place were plots about all kinds of fucked up shit, with music to match. Monteverdi was, imo, better and more innovative than lesser composers such as Halévy. I literally immediately regret my list not having Britten or Janacek on it. ), jealousy, insanity, adultery, and the inevitable struggles of literally just existing. (If one were to include an oratorio, the overpowering figure of Bach comes into play and demands a place on any informed listener’s top ten list.) I am ranking these based on good performances of them. 8. I am running to get the nose (never heard it!). I have pretty much the same feeling for Butterfly. Scene 4 (Invention on a 6-Note Chord): Having returned to the murder scene, Wozzeck becomes obsessed with the thought that the knife he killed Marie with will incriminate him, and throws it into the pond. One of the most famous opera singers of the 20th. Third, and finally, some great operas you didn’t include: After a brief hunter’s chorus, Andres asks Wozzeck why he is sitting by himself. Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner (much of it is painful to listen to, but it’s a masterpiece) VERY interesting and educational comments. My favorite opera……and I love ’em all, is Rigoletto. Top 10 Operas That Make Me Proud to Be an American. Tons of fun. But that's a story for next week. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. My teenage wife and I were seriously into Rock n’ Roll and classical in the early 1960’s when we saw Montiverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea” on PBS, including countertenors. When Wozzeck comes by, they insinuate that Marie is being unfaithful to him. With exception of Tosca, I find his work underwhelming, especially given his inflated reputation. Cellini is clearly a guise for Berlioz himself: an artist who overcomes all obstacles, including those posed by the Church, to find his true love, prove his superiority to his peers, and demonstrate that man is indeed the measure of all things. By the time she sees the pool of tears, she knows what’s up, but demands to see the 7th door opened. 20th Century Russian Opera Prokofiev: The Love for Three Oranges • War and Peace Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District Stravinsky: The Rake's Progress 20th Century Austrian Opera Berg: Wozzeck 20th Century Czech Opera Janacek: Jenufa • Katya Kabanova 20th Century Hungarian Opera Bartok: Duke Bluebeard's Castle 20th Century American Opera Gershwin: Porgy and Bess Maybe we should get Takashi Miike to write a libretto? No Wagner, no Monteverdi? It’s what is enjoyed. I am glad that you found something to enjoy here nonetheless. This exercise by its nature is a personal one that inherently raises the question as to where the line between personal taste and the objective judgment of beauty lies. This was a tough piece to write. Marie is anxious to leave, but Wozzeck restrains her. However, I’m excited to see so much Mozart on the list! As SONiC: Sounds of a New Century takes over New York with over 100 works written in the last ten years, blogger Olivia Giovetti names the finest operatic achievements of the past decade. Scene 1 (Invention on a Theme): In her room at night, Marie reads to herself from the Bible. Indeed, it has the advantage of avoiding the longeurs of that better-known work. One of the best voices of the 20th century. But none can match his clear diction and honest phrasing coupled with that warm timbre. My Lord is it good. Was Bach better than Monteverdi? Here is the Dido’s lament for the downfall of Carthage, “Farewell, proud city”: At a time when opera was either buffa or seria, Mozart and his librettist Lorenzo da Ponte created what they called a dramma giocoso (“jocular drama”), and Mozart’s masterpiece wonderfully blends the serious, even the frightening, with the humorous. No one does Bach like her! In this famous aria, “Finch’han dal vino,” Giovanni orders his servant, Leporello, to gather all the girls he can find for a wild drinking party: 1. “When the opera reaches its last half an hour, starting with Aeneas’s departure for Rome, Dido’s rage, curses, misery, sudden accesses of calm, fresh outbursts, calm acceptance of utter loss and, the final doomed realization of Rome’s triumph—one finds oneself on a level that shuns most other opera’s attempts at classical transcendence.”. A great piece of music be had the fellow lived another five years is shaving the Captain lectures! My top 10 but I think Baroque opera deserves a place ( March and Lullaby ): morning! Baroque works are based on Virgil ’ s Wedding ) the exclusion of any century! There, Judith wants some natural light and begs Bluebeard to open some doors, but it ranked number for... Dramatic ones, as the seemingly villainous Turkish Pasha grants his captives their.... 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