Libretto Background and Photos-Today Mozart's exquisite Le Nozze di Figaro delights and moves audiences everywhere long after its 1786 birth into tumultuous times. The original Beaumarchais play raised a firestorm in France then on the brink ofrevolution with its dangerous commentary on class relations. However Lorenzo Da Ponte carefully omitted anything political from his opera libretto; what remained when joined with Mozart's sublime and penetrating music was awitty yet profound tale of infatuation heartache scheming and tenderness where complex emotions are laid bare and everyone regardless of class is equally vulnerable to the powers of love.Figaro continues the story ofThe Barber of Seville several years later in a single “day of madness.” Count Almaviva's love Rosina is now his long-suffering countess and the barber Figaro now the count's valet is about to marrySusanna the countess's maid. But the couple-to-be must first deal with two obstacles: a demand that Figaro pay his debt to an older woman or marry her instead and the count's determination to bed Susanna on her weddingnight.Suspicions fly plots are hatched narrow escapes abound and connivers receive their due. Love and forgiveness finally bring order to the craziness and a day filled with torment and worry ends in joy.

12 Songs by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with texts in Italian, French and German. Mozart's brilliant piano technique and his intimate knowledge of beautiful singing is combined to create cameos of human psychology such as reverence, infatuation, humor, jealously, and playfulness, all in masterful songs. Includes word-by-word translations of the Italian, French, and German text as well as a translation into the International Phonetic Alphabet.

12 Songs by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with texts in Italian French and German. Mozart???s brilliant piano technique and his intimate knowledge of beautiful singing is combined to create cameos of human psychology such as reverence infatuation humor jealously and playfulness all in masterful songs. Includes word-by-word translations of the Italian French and German text as well as a translation into the International Phonetic Alphabet.

12 Songs by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with texts in Italian, French and German. Mozart's brilliant piano technique and his intimate knowledge of beautiful singing is combined to create cameos of human psychology such as reverence, infatuation, humor, jealously, and playfulness, all in masterful songs. Includes word-by-word translations of the Italian, French, and German text as well as a translation into the International Phonetic Alphabet.

In 1857 and 1858 as Richard Wagner had come to the completion of Die Walkure the second installment in his epic opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen he took time out to write a series of lieder for (and based on poems by)Mathilde Wesendonck with whom Wagner was believed to have been at the very least extremely infatuated. Whatever the truth might have been behind their relationship it is known that Wagner had met Mathilde's husband Otto inZurich and his ensuing friendship with the couple led to this beautiful set of lieder.Wagner himself called two of the set's songs (Im Treibhaus and Traume) ?studies? for his magnificent opera Tristan andIsolde and though originally intended for female voice with piano all of these songs were eventually orchestrated either by Wagner (in the case of Traume) or by other composers. When they were first performed in 1862 they weretitled Five Songs for a Female Voice. In the 20th century they also became very popular songs for some of the greatest tenors.Much earlier in 1839 Wagner had composed a three-song cycle called Trois Melodies. The firstpiece entitled Dors mon enfant was a lullaby that Wagner ascribed to an unnamed young poet of his publisher's acquaintance and of which he wrote that his wife had called ?heavenly for sending one to sleep?. He thenset Ronsard's song Mignonne and Victor Hugo's L'attente (from that author's Orientales) to round out the set. Wagner offered L'attente to the reigning diva of the time Pauline Viardot who is said to have flatly refused it.Wagner wrote in his memoirs My Life ?I have no reason to be ashamed of these small pieces.?Listen to brilliant tenor Jon Robert Cart perform these lieder. Then he steps aside and you take center stage with yourvirtuoso accompanist Narciso Solero at the piano.

Par BRITTEN BENJAMIN. Full Score (Eng/Ger) Britten’s last opera, Death In Venice, is based on the short story by Thomas Mann. It follows the inner turmoil of the ageing novelist Gustav von Aschenbach, who becomes infatuated by a boy he sees on the beach in Venice. Unable to confess his love, he dies as the city is ravaged by plague. Full of atmosphere and intense soundscapes, the simple yet subtle motives pull the opera together with great sureness of touch. / Scores / Répertoire / Voix, Choeur et Orchestre