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Magic Flute Overture Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart opener 09b.mp3 Magic Flute Perc.mp3 "The Magic Flute," officially designated as a "German opera," the text by Emanuel Schickaneder, was written in 1791 and produced in the same year in Vienna. It was the last great work of the composer. The story concerns Pamima, daughter of the Queen of Night, who was been induced to go to the Temple of Isis by Sarastro, the priest, and there learn the ways of wisdom, and her lover, Tamino, an Egyptian prince.In her efforts to revenge her daughter's loss, the Queen of Night induces Tamino to go to her rescue. He reaches the Temple with Papageno, a bird-catcher, the harlequin of the story. Both are seized and brought before Sarastro. Tamino promises to follow Pamina's example and take the vows. After various absurd and grotesque adventures the evil spirits are overcome, and Tamino and Pamina are united as the reward of their fidelity. The work is an important one as marking the first time that German opera employed all the elements of finished art. The overture opens with the stately chords for trombone which are heard before the priest's march and Sarastro's prayer, "O Isis and Osiris." The main body of the overture has but single theme, which is wonderfully developed in fugal form. 07 The Rabbit of Seville.m4a FHN winterpart b.wav |
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Nessun Dorma Giacomo Puccini Nessun Dorma.mov Horns Nessun Dorma.mp3 Perc. Nessun dorma (English: No one shall sleep)[1] is an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot,[2] and is one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. It is sung by Calaf, il principe ignoto (the unknown prince), who falls in love at first sight with the beautiful but cold Princess Turandot. However, any man who wishes to wed Turandot must first answer her three riddles. If he fails, he will be beheaded. 
"BACCHANALE" from Samson and Delilah Camille Saint-SAËNS (1835-1921) Closer.a.mp3 Perc. Coming soon. In his own time he was very popular for his stage works, and at least one of his operas, Samson and Delilah, was a huge success. Although it has fallen from the everyday operatic repertoire, it is still revived occasionally. One of its orchestral interludes, however, has become so familiar that it has almost been relegated to the realm of Pop-orchestral compositions, the Bacchanale. Nearly everyone is familiar with the Biblical story of Samson, mighty champion of Israel, who fell under the love-spell of Delilah. Her discovery that his strength was embodied in his flowing locks, and her subsequent seduction (in which she cuts off his hair at his own unthinking request) makes for a dramatic plot around which to build an opera. When Samson discovers what she has done to him he realizes that her love was false, but he is powerless. In the final scene, many months later when his hair has regrown and his strength has returned, he brings down the temple upon his captors by pushing apart the pillars to which he is chained. All this is just the sort of spectacle that the French loved in their grand opera, and Saint-Saëns knew how to ride the crest of the wave of public sentiment. |
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