Video Clips of the Week!!
While he was still alive and composing, Puccini was known for creating some of the most beautiful melodies in opera. It's no wonder that two of his operas still make the top 10 list today!
Our first video clip is from Puccini's beautifully tragic opera Tosca. The opera follows a beautiful opera singer, Floria Tosca, who is forced by a corrupt chief of police to chose between her boyfriend's life or her honor. If you saw the Opera Company of Philadelphia production of Tosca this spring, you may recognize the popular aria in this video clip. The clip features tenor Placido Domingo as Cavaradossi, Tosca's love. The aria, "E lucevan Le stelle" (The stars shone brightly) takes place moments before Cavaradossi is scheduled to be executed. He recalls the first night he met Tosca and mourns the inevitable end of his life.
The story of La Boheme follows four friends who live in Paris during the 1840's. Although the story is not as exotic as Tosca the opera features some of Puccini's most beautiful melodies. Our second video clip features soprano Adrianna Martino singing the popular aria "Quando men vo" (Also known as "Musetta's Waltz). Ms. Martino plays Musetta, a young singer who has come across her old boyfriend, Marcello, in a cafe. Still in love with him but wanting to make him jealous, Musetta creates a scene by flirting with every man in the cafe and singing about how everyone stops and stares at her beauty. Once she realizes her plan has worked, Musetta sends her new boyfriend on an "errand" so she can be alone with Marcello.
"E lucevan le stelle", Tosca, Placido Domingo
"Quando men vo", La Boheme, Adriana Martino
Website of the Week!!
Can't get enough of Puccini? Check out the Opera Company of Philadelphia's upcoming production of Puccini's Manon Lescaut. Want to see Tosca or La Boheme? Take a look at these great movie productions of Tosca and La Boheme!
Opera on the Air!!
On Saturday, August 20th at 1 PM, radio station WRTI will be broadcasting the San Fransisco Opera's production of Giuseppe Verdi's AIDA. The grandest of grand operas, AIDA tells the tale of a enslaved princess's forbidden love with the commander-in-chief of the enemy's army. Conducted by Nicola Luisotti the production features soprano Micaela Carosi in the title role, mezzo-soprano Dolora Zijack as Aida's rival, princess Amneris, tenor Marcello Giordani as general Radames, and bass Hao Jiang Tian as the high priest Ramfis.
On Sunday, August 21st at 1:30 PM be sure to catch on PBS Channel 39/WLVT the Great Performances at the Met broadcast of Richard Strauss' Capriccio. Renée Fleming stars as a widowed countess who ponders whether the music or the written word is more important to musical drama while being wooed by a composer (Joseph Kaiser) and a poet (Russell Braun).
Until next week!!
Comments
My favorite scene is the finale, because Carmen deserved to die in vain. She is dumps boys like flipping pages, and she seem to not see any pity when she changes boyfriends. I feel no pity.