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…
Léo Delibes: Flower Duet 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 Brahamane by Théodore Pavie. Flower Duet features in Act 1 of the opera, Read more…
Gioachino Rossini: William Tell Overture Context Born in February 1792 into a family of musicians in Pesaro, Italy, Gioachino Rossini began to learn the piano from age eight. Rossini became a multi-instrumentalist at a young age, being competent at piano, cello and horn by his late teens. Rossini is most Read more…
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart The Marriage of Figaro Overture Context The overture is very lively and its persistent driven tempo throughout makes this an incredibly thrilling piece of music that has been one of the most played orchestral works since its premiere in 1786. Typically an overture showcases some famous themes/melodies 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…
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…
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…
Scott Joplin: Treemonisha Overture Context Scott Joplin is remembered for being one of the most memorable ragtime composers of the turn-of-the-century during his lifetime (1868-1917). After Joplin’s death in 1917, ragtime music came out of the ‘mainstream’ line and started to form into the likes of jazz, big band swing Read more…
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Christmas Eve Introduction Context Composed between 1894-95, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Christmas Eve is an opera in four acts. Based on Nikolai Gogol’s short story with the same name, Rimsky-Korsakov wanted to add his traditional folk spin on this popular tale. The opera premiered in December 1895 at the Mariinsky Read more…