Phil's Opera World

Opera in 2 Acts (Running Time: 2 hours 29 minutes, including supplements). Oberto is a very interesting piece, it was Verdi’s first opera, and although not to the level of most of his later works, it is hardly within his bottom ten either. The plot is a bit silly, but the music demonstrates real inspiration…

Opera in four acts: Running Time: 2 hours 2 minutes This opera basically is the entirely of Polish opera. There are other Polish operas, even one other by Moniuszko that is more famous in Poland (Straszny dwor) but if anyone has heard a Polish opera outside of Poland that wasn’t by Szymanowski, this is probably…

Opera in four acts (Running Time 149 minutes) This completes my reviews of the unfamous operas of Alfredo Catalani, I may review La Wally later but it is a minor rep piece and comparatively famous so this is the last of the rarities. The sound quality is not all that great with this 1975 performance,…

Opera in three acts (Running Time: 184 minutes) Another opera by Magnard, this time the message is a bit confusing. Is it about hope for humanity? It is about human corruption? Is it both? Guercoeur was partially destroyed in 1914 by the Germans during World War 1. Although completed around 1901 it was not performed…

Opera in two acts (Running Time: 1 hour 57 minutes) This was one of my earliest Donizetti reviews and to be honest, my opinion of it has not changed much. PLOT: Sancia, (soprano) Queen of Castile is widowed after a battle and thinks her son Garcia (contralto) has also died in the same battle so…