August 28, 1850 was the world premiere of Wagner’s “Lohengrin,” an opera that would catapult the master to his next phase. “Lohengrin,” for many, is his most Italian work, notable for how the famed composer utilizes differing structures from Italian opera and molds them to his musical and artistic means. The opera has a fascinating performance history, which is what {…}
“Opera Meets Film” has grown into one of OperaWire’s most popular sections. And to celebrate two years of the start of this weekly series, we are going to put opera and film fans to the test to see how much you really know about how opera is employed in movies. It should be a fun rediscovery of many topics we {…}
August 16 and 17, 1876 featured the world premieres of “Siegfried” and “Götterdämmerung,” respectively. Those two operas have remained, along with the other two Ring operas, major fixtures of the opera repertory. In fact, the creation of the works, their history, and legacy, is legendary, especially among major Wagnerites. And it is precisely them that we challenge with this quiz {…}
In the opera world, we are constantly keeping our eyes on the stars. We think we know all about their respective paths and trajectories. We constantly evaluate their respective brightness and when we think they might potentially go dark. In essence, the opera world is obsessed with stars. So for this week’s edition of the Opera Quiz, we will take {…}
(Credit: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) Over the last few years, Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell,” which had its world premiere on August 3, 1829, has seen its popularity slowly increase. In fact, many are starting to see it as one of, if not the best, of Rossini’s operas. But the opera remains a mystery to many and in an attempt to {…}
(Credit: Ken Howard / Metropolitan Opera) Wagner’s “Parsifal” is one of the greatest operas ever created. Its music is undeniably some of the most sublime ever created by humankind, but the power of its mythology cannot be overlooked. Within “Parsifal,” we find a number of major archetypes in all of its characters, all with differing attitudes toward the work’s central {…}
Licia Albanese is a 20th century legend. Among major Metropolitan Opera artists of the mid-20th century, she was recognized as one of the major sopranos of her time, dominating such operas as “Madama Butterfly” and “La Traviata” in a way that no other singer has since dominated. Her career is treasured and here is a fun quiz to test the {…}
(Credit: Ann Ray / Metropolitan Opera) In the opera house, big personalities abound. From violists who just can’t seem to catch a break to prima donnas who attract adulation and praise (and maybe a touch of jealousy, too) at every turn, who knew one building could be filled with so many different characters! Whether you commute to the opera house {…}
It’s the month of independence for a few major countries around the world. So in honor of freedom and liberty, this week’s quiz is dedicated to some of the most notable appeals for freedom, peace, and liberty in the history of opera. Guess the right one and have some fun!
Who doesn’t love a good opera villain? In an art form of extreme emotions, there is no doubt that some of the characters are among the most heinous you could ever imagine. But how well do you know your villains, their motives, their crimes, and their fates? Here’s a quiz to test out your understanding of opera’s worst beings.
(Photos: Lisa Tomasetti) Gounod is one of the core composers of the French repertory. Born on June 17, 1818, two of his operas remain major staples of the repertory. But Gounod composed more than just “Faust” and “Roméo et Juliette.” How well do you know that repertory? This quiz will test your knowledge of Gounod’s entire operatic output.
