Léo Delibes: Lakmé Prelude Context Léo Delibes’ three-act opera Lakmé is perhaps this French composer’s most well-known work. Composed between 1881-1882, Lakmé is based on Le Mariage de Loti by Pierre Loti, and Les babouches du Brahmane by Théodore Pavie. The Prelude to Lakmé is the first purely musical number Read more…
Mikhail Glinka: Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture Context Composed between 1837-42, Mikhail Glinka’s opera Ruslan and Lyudmila is based on Alexander Pushkin’s poem of the same name. Split into five acts, the opera’s libretto was written by Valerian Shirkov, Nestor Kukolnik and N.A. Markevich. Seldom performed as a full-scale opera today, Read more…
Gioachino Rossini: The Barber of Seville Overture Context Gioachino Rossini’s highly popular comic opera, The Barber of Seville was premiered on 20th February 1816 at the Teatro Argentina in Rome. The libretto for the opera was based on Pierre Beaumarchais’s comedy Le Barbier de Séville (1775). Rossini composed some of Read more…
Giacomo Puccini: Un bel dì vedremo Context Giacomo Puccini composed music for the opera Madama Butterfly between 1903-04. The libretto was by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. The premiere was held on 17th February 1904 at La Scala in Milan. The opera is based on John Luther Long’s short story Read more…
Franz von Suppé: Light Cavalry Overture Context Franz von Suppé’s 1866 operetta Leichte Kavallerie has remained seldom performed since its premiere in Vienna in 1866. However, the overture to the operetta has remained Suppé’s most popular and most performed work. Often heard in concert halls, as well as in film Read more…
Leonard Bernstein: Overture to Candide Context Leonard Bernstein composed the music for the operetta Candide in 1955-56. The operetta is based on the 1759 novella of the same name by Voltaire. The premiere was unsuccessful and after some revisions and creative changes, Candide has become a very popular show. The Read more…
Jules Massenet: Meditation Context Used as an instrumental en’tract between scenes in Act II of Jules Massenet’s opera Thaïs, Meditation has since become a popular concert piece for violinists around the world. The piece reflects Thaïs, a beautiful courtesan, reflecting on big decisions that are coming their way. The orchestra Read more…
Ludwig van Beethoven: Coriolan Overture Context Composed in 1807, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture was used in Heinrich Joseph von Collin’s tragedy of the same name. The overture received its concert premiere in 1807 at a private concert for Prince Franz Joseph von Lobkowitz. At the same concert Beethoven also Read more…
Giuseppe Verdi: Libiamo ne’ lieti calici Context Composed between Il trovatore (1853) and Les vêpres siciliennes (1855), La Traviata was part of Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘middle period’ of composition. Previous to La Traviata came 16 other operas including the ever-popular Nabucodonosor (1842) and Rigoletto (1851). Based at the start of the Read more…
Giacomo Puccini: O Mio Babbino Caro Context Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy in 1858 and he was one of nine children. The family was known in Lucca as a local musical dynasty due to the family’s ancestors also being very much involved with music. Puccini received a general Read more…