Lucio Silla K. 135Dramma per musica in three actsOn 13 December 1769 Leopold Mozart and his son Wolfgang set out on their first tour of Italy. It was not until 28 March 1771 that they finally returned to Salzburg. The trip brought the young composer two commissions for opere serie. In March 1770 he was commissioned to write Mitridate K.87 (74a) for the 1770–71 Carneval season at the Regio Ducal Teatro in Milan. Mozart started work on the opera in Bologna on 29 September 1770 and the première duly took place on the Feast of St. Stephen (26 December) in 1770. The second Lucio Silla (K. 135) again commissioned for the 1771–72 Carneval season inMilan doubtless resulted from the success of Mitridate. News of the commission reached the Mozarts in March 1771 in Verona where they had stopped on their return to Salzburg. (At roughly the same time Wolfgang received an invitation from Vienna to supply a serenata teatrale for the wedding of Archduke Ferdinand the third son of Maria Theresia scheduled to take place in Milan in October 1771. This invitation ultimately resulted in Ascanio in Alba K. 111.)- Urtext of the New Mozart Edition- Full score (BA4590-01) and vocal score (BA4590-90) available for sale- Performance material (BA4590-72) available for hire

Lyric opera in two acts. Libretto by David Pountney.Commissioned?jointly by the Royal Academy of Music London UK and The Juilliard School New York USA.UK premiere: 18th March 2011 - Royal Academy of MusicOpera and Sinfonia at the Royal Academy of Music London conducted by Jane Glover.US premiere: 16th November 2011 - Students of The Julliard School at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre New York conducted by AnneManson.Overview.The piece consists of three interlocking stories of students involved in political action in three different situations.?Die Weiße Rose? was the name taken by a group of students atthe University of Munich led by Sophie and Hans Scholl. They produced leaflets protesting against the National Socialist government of Germany in 1942-3 until they were arrested and guillotined.?Soar to Heaven? follows twocharacters Wu and Zhou involved on opposite sides of the Cultural Revolution in China.?The Oxford Revolution? tells the story of James Meredith who fought a lonely battle against segregation and racial prejudice to becomethe first black student to enrol at ?Ole Miss? the University of Mississippi in the USA.Librettist's Note.There are inevitably and properly some differences between the original libretto and whatMax ultimately set to music. Most of these are insignificant but all the Latin texts in the opera were added by Max and texts for the alternating black / white choruses (Scene 19) and final chorus (Scene 28) were written by him.

Otto Nicolai became one of the few 'one-hit wonders' among classical composers. Although some of his operas had success during his lifetime it is really only his final opera The Merry Wives of Windsor that has become a repertory item but with its storyline wit and an abundance of memorable tunes it is not difficult to understand why. It was a rousing success from its first performance on March 9 1849 and the bubbly overture is still especially popular. The drama takes place in three acts to a libretto by Hermann von Mosenthal the English version being by Josef Blatt.

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.

Per Gli Sponsali Di Teti e Peleo - HWV 73-The main text of this edition of Handel?s wedding serenata ?Parnasso in festa per gli sponsali di Teti e Peleo? (HWV 73) is based on the version used for the work?s first performances in March of 1734. Three appendices retrace the complex history of the work significantly different versions of which were used for revival performances in 1737 1740 and 1741. Included are abandoned and modified parts of the score as well as a documentation of changes made to the characters.Handel composed ?Parnasso in festa? for the wedding of Anne Princess Royal and Prince William of Orange which took place on March 14 1734 in London. As Handel?s contribution to the publicfestivities the serenata was performed the evening before the nuptials at King?s Theatre in the Haymarket. The bridal couple attended the performance.While the Italian text of the serenata was newly set most likely by Giacomo Rossi most of the music was drawn from pieces of Handel?s earlier works among them ?Athalia? from ?Radamisto? (HWV 12a) ?Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno? (HWV 46a) and ?Delirio amoroso? (HWV 99). Newly composed parts are limited to eight vocal pieces the sinfonia at the beginning of part 3 and the beginning of the overture. The available source material reflects the history of the work: There is no autograph composition score while the conducting score reflects a collaboration between Handel and his main copyist John Christopher Smith senior. However composition scores of individual newly composed pieces have been preserved.New edition based on the latest research after thorough examination of all relevant primary and secondary sourcesExtensive editorial Foreword about the work?s conception mythological background transmission reception and a survey of sources (Ger/Eng) with extensive critical report (Eng)Selected musical facsimiles as well as complete facsimile of the printed libretto of 1734Urtext of the Halle Handel EditionFull score (BA10718-01) and vocal score (BA10718-90) available for salePerformance material (BA10718-72) available for hire

AUDRAN Edmond : Le Grand Mogol (Acte I, Choeur) - GODARD Benjamin : Jocelyn (Choeur des Montagnards) - HEROLD Ferdinand - Le Pré aux Clercs (Mascarade) - LECOCQ Charles : Ali-Baba (Acte II, 5e tableau) - LECOCQ Charles : Giroflé-Girofla (Marche Mauresque) - LECOCQ Charles : Le Petit Duc (La Leçon de chant) - OFFENBACH Jacques : La Belle Hélène (Marche) - OFFENBACH Jacques : La Vie Parisienne (Final de l'Acte I) - OFFENBACH Jacques : Les Brigands (Final de l'Acte III) - PLANQUETTE Robert : Rip (Acte III, 2e tableau)