For this week’s edition of the quiz, we will shine a spotlight on Verdi’s “Macbeth.” Verdi’s “Macbeth” is one of the great Italian operas in the repertory and arguably one of the most unique. Verdi initially composed it in 1847 at the height of his “galley years” where Bel Canto traditions most influenced his musical output. However, given his close {…}
As the 2021-22 season approaches, we want to take stock of an opera that is set to make some major premieres at the start of the season. The work in question is “Fire Shut Up in My Bones,” a work that premiered a few years back to tremendous reviews. For this latest installment of the Opera Quizzes, we take a {…}
As we did with the last quiz, we’re going to have some fun with some of opera’s major repertory staples. This week we look at Verdi’s seminal “Rigoletto.” The quiz will not only test your knowledge of its musical passages, story points, as well as some other miscellaneous information. My hope is that this quiz will provide some new and {…}
(Credit: Richard Termine) Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” is one of the canon’s most renowned and beloved works. And for this week’s quiz, we’re taking a deep dive into the famed work. The quiz will not only test your knowledge of its musical passages, but also its differing versions (the French and Italian) as well as some other miscellaneous information. My {…}
Over the past few years, few LGBTQ+ operas have managed as much mileage as Laura Kaminsky, Kimberly Reed, and Mark Campbell’s “As One.” The chamber opera has seemingly played everywhere (and continues to do so) and has firmly established its foothold as a staple of the modern operatic repertory. So for this week’s quiz, we take a look at the {…}
A few week’s ago, our quiz focused on Chinese composer Tan Dun. This week we continue to spotlight Asian opera artists, but this time shifting our focus to the singers dominating the world stages. So for this quiz, we will offer up a prompt and it will be your job to pick which singer it best applies to. As always, {…}
One of the great modern Asian composers to have a major impact on the opera world is Tan Dun. Noted for his wide-ranging compositional style, he has also mastered the operatic form over the past 30 years. In this week’s quiz, we take stock of his work in opera. We present you with a statement and you must match it {…}
Ethel Smyth was a major figure of her time. By the time she was 75 in 1934, she was honored with a festival of her music. During the final performance, at Albert Hall, she watched as Sir Thomas Beecham, one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, led her Mass before an enthused public. She was also a renowned {…}
Born on Feb. 2, 1937, Martina Arroyo would go on to become one of the greatest opera stars of the second half of the 20th century. The soprano was renowned for her interpretations of Verdi’s most demanding roles, but she was also a champion of a wider repertory. Once done singing, she would become a teacher and would create the {…}
Anthony Davis is one of the most prominent modern-day composers in the world. Renowned for a wide range of music, he has also cemented himself as a major creator of operas with just over half a dozen works to date, several of them modern classics. So for this week’s quiz, we take stock of his operatic repertory. We will provide {…}
We’re going to step away from opera quizzes related to specific people or works this week and just jump to trivia quizzes related to some fun facts in many of the great operas around the world. So we provide a prompt and you have to guess which number corresponds with said prompt. As always, enjoy!