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Home , Cincinnati Opera, Mad scene, Teatro Argentina

and Literature

1. What Irish playwright wrote the original version of Salome? A: Oscar Wilde

Richard Strauss’ Salome: “Dance of the Seven Veils” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oVaIuMI0II

While Strauss’ opera is set in German, Oscar Wilde’s Salomé originally is written in French. Strauss started composing the opera shortly after seeing the play and it premiered in December of 1905 at the Königliches Opernhaus in Dresden, Germany.

It didn’t premiere in the US until February 1907 by the . Salome was first performed by Opera 1948 and was last seen on our stage in 2000.

2. was based on the book The Bride of Lammermoor written by this famous author. Who was he? A: Sir Walter Scott

Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor “Mad Scene”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92jiitUEahg

Premiering in 1835 at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, the novel that it is loosely based on was published in 1819. The novel’s combination of war and feuds, plus the romance and mythology was the perfect inspiration for Donizetti for Lucia.

Lucia di Lammermoor was first performed by Cincinnati Opera in 1921 and was last seen on our stage in 2008.

3. What America playwright/producer did Puccini gain inspiration from for at least two of his ? A: David Belasco

Puccini’s Madame Butterfly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTT5FlTvz4A

David Belasco’s play is based on a short story by John Luther Long also titled Madame Butterfly. Puccini wrote different versions of the opera, the first one premiering in 1904 at La Scala, and then final one – the one we know most nowadays – in 1907 that premiered at the Metropolitan Opera.

Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW85AKJxMzk La fanciulla del West is the other opera by Puccini that was based on a play by Belasco, The Girl of the Golden West. It followed Madama Butterfly, premiering in 1910 at the Met. Puccini has described it as one of his greatest works, although it is not as popular within his canon.

Madame Butterfly’s Cincinnati debut was in 1924 and was last seen in 2014. La Fanciulla del West had its Cincinnati debut in 1933 and was last seen in 1986.

4. Rigoletto is based on a play entitled Le Roi s’amuse. What famous Frenchman wrote this play as well as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables? A: Victor Hugo

Luciano Pavarotti sings La Donna é Mobile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCFEk6Y8TmM

Rigoletto was written when Verdi was commissioned to compose a new opera by Teatro of Venice. Originally, Verdi thought to have the based on the play Kean by , but decided against it. Once he found Hugo’s five-act play, he was set, however it came with a lot of struggles since the play was banned after its premiere in 1832. This was due to its character depiction of a womanizing and cynical king, and it took La Fenice’s involvement to convince the Austrian board that it should be performed, although some compromising changes had to be made. It made its premiere in March 11, 1851 at Teatro La Fenice.

Rigoletto had its Cincinnati debut in 1920 and was performed for the next two following seasons, and the last time it was produced was in 2011.

5. The Barber of Seville is one of a trilogy of plays by Pierre Beaumarchais. Name the other two plays in the trilogy. A: The Marriage of Figaro and The Guilty Mother

Royal : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E0ZoR4tbPE

While Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro is based on the second play by Beaurmarchais, it was composed 30 years earlier than when Rossini wrote Barber. It premiered in February 20, 1816 at the Teatro Argentina in .

The Barber of Seville had its Cincinnati debut in 1920 and will be seen this upcoming season!

6. At least two operas have been based on Goethe’s play Faust. One is Faust by Gounod. What is the other opera and its ? A: Mephisofele by Arrigo Boito

Knoxville Opera Mefistofele Act 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65QuHopdS1I This is the only completed opera that Arrigo Boito wrote the music for. The opera premiered on March 1868 at La Scala with little success. Boito was an admirer of Wagner and thought that Gounod’s Faust was a “superficial and frivolous treatment of a profound subject.”

Mefistofele had its Cincinnati debut in 1922 and was last seen in 1972.

7. Of the Shakespeare plays listed below, which has not been used as the basis for an opera libretto? A. B. C. Titus Andronicus D. Romeo & Juliet

Hamlet by . Has yet to debut with Cincinnati Opera. Mad Scene from Hamlet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFOSg8psOA4

Macbeth by . Made its Cincinnati debut in 1960 and was last seen in 1978. Anna Netrebko sings from Act I: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ogsDRwTxoQ

Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod. Made its Cincinnati debut in 1922 and was last seen in 2019. “Je veux vivre” from Romeo and Juliet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reFulcDIfIU

8. John Steinbeck’s books have been made into plays, movies and also an opera. Name the opera and the composer. A: Of Mice and Men by Carlisle Floyd

“An’ we’ll live off the fat of the land” from Of Mice and Men: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14m45R2ECMI

Premiering in January 1970 by the Seattle Opera, the three act opera is Floyd’s eight opera to composed. It had its Cincinnati debut in 1971 and was last seen in 1988.

9. Of the fairy tales listed below, which has not been used as the basis for an opera libretto? A. Hansel and Gretel B. Cinderella C. The Little Mermaid D. Sleeping Beauty

Hänsel und Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck. Had its Cincinnati debut in 1920, and was last seen in 1973. Dream Pantomine from the Met’s Hansel and Gretel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR6EmxZYMJQ

La Cenerentola by . Had its Cincinnati debut in 1966 and was last seen in 2000. Joyce DiDonato sing “non più mesta”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3reLK2FbNI

Rusalka by Antonin Dvorak. Will be having its Cincinnati debut this upcoming season! Kristine Opolais sings “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzgQPjbDTMM