The Great Classics

Paul Dukas (1865-1935) was a composer who had little self-confidence and was very self-critical. As a result of this he destroyed the manuscripts of all but seven large and five small works. Luckily h...

In 1786, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed his wonderful opera Le Nozzi di Figaro. In the opera, Count Almaviva tries to seduce the fiancée of Figaro, his valet. Eventually, through four acts full of c...

Italian composer Ottorino Respighi wrote several operas, ballet music, chamber music, piano and organ works as well as Cantatas in a style much influenced by the French Impressionists mixed with his u...

Italian composer Ottorino Respighi wrote several operas, ballet music, chamber music, piano and organ works as well as Cantatas in a style much influenced by the French Impressionists mixed with his u...

Rienzi remains one of the most popular works from the ?master of romantic opera?, Richard Wagner. The Friedensmarsch from the fourth act (scene 2) of Rienzi is subdued and solemn in character: in the...

François-Adrien Boieldieu (1775-1834) is considered as the one of the most important representatives of the French opéra-comique. His style is characterised by natural, unembellished melody lines, str...

François-Adrien Boieldieu (1775-1834) is considered as the one of the most important representatives of the French opéra-comique. His style is characterised by natural, unembellished melody lines, str...

The Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) was self-educated to a large extent but went on to become one of the ?Mighty Five? which also included Balakirev, Cui, Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov. T...

The opera Carmen, perhaps the best known work by Bizet, was first criticised in France because of the 'obscene libretto, ' but was soon considered a masterpiece, partly thanks to the appealing melodie...

Berlioz based his sparkling overture Le Carnaval Romain on themes from his opera Benvenuto Cellini. The opera had been performed a few times in Paris, a number of years before, with little success. Th...

Berlioz based his sparkling overture Le Carnaval Romain on themes from his opera Benvenuto Cellini. The opera had been performed a few times in Paris, a number of years before, with little success. Th...

Paul Dukas (1865-1935) was a composer who had little self-confidence and was very self-critical. As a result of this he destroyed the manuscripts of all but seven large and five small works. Luckily k...

Paul Dukas (1865-1935) was a composer who had little self-confidence and was very self-critical. As a result of this he destroyed the manuscripts of all but seven large and five small works. Luckily k...

Joseph Hellmesberger (1855-1907) stammte aus einer musikalischen Wiener Familie. Neben der Komposition von Operetten schrieb Hellmesberger auch eine Reihe von Tänzen, darunter Danse Diabolique. Dieses...

Nur wenigen ist bekannt, dass Franz Schubert sich jahrelang mit dem Komponieren von Opern und Theatermusik beschäftigt war. Insgesamt schrieb er nicht weniger als zehn vollständige Werke fürs Theater....

Im April 2009 jährt sich der Todestag von Georg Friedrich Händel zum 250. Mal. Ein guter Grund, seinen Werken in diesem Jahr besondere Aufmerksamkeit zu schenken. Zum Beispiel mit einem thematischen K...

Im April 2009 jährt sich der Todestag von Georg Friedrich Händel zum 250. Mal. Ein guter Grund, seinen Werken in diesem Jahr besondere Aufmerksamkeit zu schenken. Zum Beispiel mit einem thematischen K...

Nur wenigen ist bekannt, dass Franz Schubert sich jahrelang mit dem Komponieren von Opern und Theatermusik beschäftigt war. Insgesamt schrieb er nicht weniger als zehn vollständige Werke fürs Theater....

Paul Dukas (1865-1935) was a composer who had little self-confidence and was very self-critical. As a result of this he destroyed the manuscripts of all but seven large and five small works. Luckily h...