Opera Full Score-The first opera written for television 'Amahl and the Night Visitors' has become the most frequently performed opera of all time with over five hundred performances annually across the world. Menotti's take on theChristmas story focuses on Amahl a young handicapped boy and his mother who are visited by three Kings -- Balthazar Melchior and Kaspar -- who are on their way to find Jesus. The Kings stay the night during which Amahl'smother tries to steal some of the Kings' gold and is caught in the act. Melchior suggests that she keep the gold because the child they are visiting will rule his kingdom with love not riches. Amahl's mother gives back the gold wishing she had something to give of her own. Amahl offers his crutch as a gift and suddenly is able to walk. He decides to follow the Kings so that he himself may give his crutch to the Christ child.The work is ideal foran amateur performance (for example a secondary school or a local dramatic society) since all the action takes place in one act and one place and the work calls for limited adaptable musical forces. It also gives each principala chance to shine either in a solo or an ensemble.This is the Schirmer hardback edition of the full score.

Italian/English-Mozart's 'The Marriage Of Figaro' was based on Beaumarchais' politically radical play - the second of the trilogy which begun with 'The Barber Of Seville' - later of course adapted into an opera by Rossini. As in 'Il Barbiere diSiviglia' 'The Marriage of Figaro' depicted the aristocracy as buffoons controlled and outwitted by their cunning servants. This time Figaro and Susanna are due to wed but must first outwit the Count who is determined toexercise a master's ancient right to deflower the bride of his servant. This is the Schirmer edition of the libretto in the original Italian with an English translation by Ruth and Thomas Martin.

Wagner completed the first version of the opera in 1845 during his tenure as Kapellmeister at the royal court of Dresden but he continued to redraft and revise it for the rest of his life. The setting is medieval Germany: the minstrel Tannhauser has fallen into sin with the goddess Venus but after a year in a moment of realisation he demands to leave. He finds himself near his home and is reunited with Elisabeth a girl he once loved. Elisabeth's uncle the landgrave organises a singing competition between Tannhauser and Wolfram who also loves her. Wolfram's song is simple and moving while Tannhauser confused by Venus outrages the audience by singing of profane love.He is banished to Rome on a pilgrimage to seek redemption and Elisabeth follows him with Wolfram. After much searching she gives up and dies just missing Tannhauser who Wolfram discovers creeping back to Venus the Pope having said that it was as impossible for him to be forgiven as for his staff to sprout flowers. Tannhauser sees Elisabeth and casts himself to die by her coffin and the Pope's staff bursts into bloom. This is the Schirmer edition of the Vocal Score edited and translated into English by Natalia MacFarren.

Description Richard Wagner: Tristan Und Isolde (Vocal Score) Wagner's 'Tristan und Isolde' has long been acknowledged as the beginning of musical modernism. This is the Schirmer edition of the Vocal Score, edited by Richard Kleinmichel with an English translation by Henry Grafton Songlist Tristan Und Isolde

Premiered in Vienna in February 1892 under the direction of Hans Richter Massenet's Werther has proven an enduring work one of the composer's most tightly constructed and dramatically urgent. The libretto was fashioned bywriters Georges Hartmann Edouard Blau and Paul Millet after Goethe's 'Sorrows of Young Werther'. Charlotte the eldest daughter of a baliff is engaged to Albert. In his absence she is escorted to the local ball by ayoung visiting poet Werther. Albert returns unexpectedly disappointed at not finding Charlotte he promises her sister he will return in the morning. At the ball Werther falls in love with Charlotte but realises that Alberthas returned and urges Charlotte not to break her promise to marry Albert. Three months later Charlotte and Albert now married walk across the town square on their way to church followed by Werther who is stilldistraught. Albert realizes that Werther must be in love with his wife and Charlotte tells him he must leave town until Christmas. Werther rushes away contemplating suicide.Alone at home on Christmas Eve as Charlotterereads the dejected love letters written to her by Werther he appears and reads to her a passage from a poem where the poet foresees his own death. Charlotte begs him to stop and he realises she loves him too. But she runs fromhis embrace and Werther leaves resolved to die. Albert enters and a message arrives from Werther asking to borrow Albert's pistol. Her reaction convinces him of her love for Werther. The pistols are dispensed and when Albert hasgone she hurries off arriving at his quarters to find him dying. She declares her love and he begs forgiveness and dies.This is the Schirmer edition of the Libretto in French and English.

Of the four episodes of the 'Ring Cycle' 'Die Walkure' is most often performed separately and may be Wagner?s best-loved work. The source of this affection is certainly the sensitive depictions of Siegmund and Sieglinde's loveand the father-daughter relationship of Wotan and Brünnhilde.Siegmund stumbles into an unfamiliar house Sieglinde?s for shelter and the two fall for each other quickly. However Sieglinde's husband (from a forcedmarriage) Hunding is a kinsman of Siegmund?s foes and challenges Siegmund to a duel. Sieglinde gives Hunding a sleeping potion and the two realise they are brother and sister. Siegmund claims Sieglinde as his bride. Watching Wotan and Fricka tell Brünnhilde that she must defend Hunding's marriage rights. Brünnhilde sets out to observe the lovers. When Sieglinde falls asleep Brünnhilde berates Siegmund but when he argues she decides to help him.Hunding and Siegmund battle when Siegmund is about to win however Wotan appears and shatters his sword; he is killed. Brünnhilde escapes with Sieglinde and the broken sword. Wotan fells Hunding with a wave of his handand leaves to punish Brünnhilde. Sieglinde realises she bears Siegmund's child so takes the pieces of the sword and rushes off into the forest to hide. Brünnhilde herself flees to the Valkyries' Rock to hide but Wotan fins herand sentences her to become a mortal woman: she must lie in sleep to be claimed by any man who finds her but behind a wall of fire that only the bravest hero can pierce. This is the Schirmer edition of the Libretto inthe original German with an nglish translation by Stewart Robb.

Description Carl Maria Von Weber: Der Freischutz (Vocal Score) Weber had always been attracted to the common Central European tale of the free-shooter.' This is the Schirmer edition of the Vocal Score, in the original German with an English translation by Natalia Macfarren. Songlist Der Freischutz

Gaetono Donizetti's 'The Elixir Of Love' (L'Elisir D'Amore) remains an important work in the repertory of major opera houses of the twenty-first century. It is a good-natured story in which the peasant Nemorino attempts to winthe heart of his love Adina through the ingestion of a farcical magic elixir (which is in fact merely Bordeaux!). Nemorino's aria 'Una furtiva lagrima ' is the most famous excerpt from the opera.

A Grand Opera Buffa in Two Acts-Suggested by La Mère coupable of Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais. Libretto by William M. Hoffman. Commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera Company for its 100th anniversary.

Conductor composer and pianist André Previn continues to redefine the possibilities in his extraordinary career already one of the most distinguished musicians of our time. This wonderful opera in three acts is based onthe famous play by Tennessee Williams and with the libretto by Philip Littell Previn has beautifully created music which truly evokes a sense of place and setting and reflects the fragility violence and passions of thecharacters. Available here is the piano/vocal score of Previn?s marvelous work which was commissioned by San Francisco Opera and premiered on 19th September 1998.

Description Gian-Carlo Menotti: Amahl And The Night Visitors (Vocal Score) This vocal score is a new and revised edition of the well-known opera that made television history on Christmas Eve, 1951.