Andreas van Zoelen (* 1978) is a saxophonist and composer of Dutch/Moravian descent. He studied conducting and saxophone at the Brabants Conservatorium in the Netherlands, with Jean Pennings. He start...
After the 'Battle of Vitoria', Beethoven's friend Johann Nepomuk Maelzel talked him into writing a composition for his panharmonicon (a kind of 'mechanical orchestra') to commemorating this battle. Th...
At the end of his life Offenbach composed his opera 'Les contes d'Hoffman', but unfortunately he was not able to finish it. The plot tells the story of the poet Hoffmann telling three of his amorous a...
Carmen' is probably the most famous opera in the whole opera-repertoire, although its premiere in 1875 was a great disappointment. The chorus 'Vivat! Vivat le Torero!' is sung in the second act of the...
With Les Pêcheurs des Perles Bizet first made his mark in 1863. Set in ancient Ceylon, this tale of friendship, love and betrayal has been performed more and more often in opera houses around the worl...
Verdi composed 'Un Ballo in Maschera' for the San Carlo Theatre in Naples where it was to have been staged during the 1858 carnival season. The libretto told the true story of the liberal King Gustavu...
