Opera Essentials

About this playlist

Opera's origins lie at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. Several works compete for the honour of being the 'first' opera, but the earliest opera still performed today is Claudio Monteverdi's 'L'Orfeo' from 1607. Developed over the centuries by greats like Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Verdi and Wagner, it is today a diverse and exciting artform.

Tracklist

Tracks with this symbol are accompanied by content from the Maestro Listening Guide.

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte, K620

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte, K. 620, Act 1 Scene 2: No. 2, Lied, "Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja" (Papageno)

Walter Berry/Philharmonia Orchestra/Otto Klemperer

2:40

Handel: Rinaldo, HWV7a

"Lascia ch'io pianga"

Cecilia Bartoli

4:52

"Va, pensiero" (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves)

Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor

4:43

Dvořák: Rusalka, B203

Mesicku na nebi hlubokém

Renée Fleming

6:25

Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro, K492

Overture

English Baroque Soloists

4:10

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin, Op. 24

Letter scene. "Puskai pogilabnu ya, no pryezhde"

Nuccia Focile

13:17

Bizet: Carmen, WD31

"Quand je vous aimerai?...L'amour est un oiseaux rebelle" (Habanera)

Jessye Norman

5:35

Monteverdi: L'Orfeo, SV318

Monteverdi : L'Orfeo : Act 2 "Vi ricorda" [Orfeo]

Lajos Kozma, Nikolaus Harnoncourt & Concentus musicus Wien

2:42

Gounod: Faust, CG4

Quel trouble inconnu...Salut! Demeure chaste et pure

Franco Corelli

6:42

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte, K620

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte, K. 620, Act 2: "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" (Königin der Nacht)

William Christie

3:16

Purcell: Dido and Aeneas, Z626

Purcell: Dido and Aeneas, Z. 626, Act 3 Scene 2: "When I am laid in earth"" (Dido)

Emmanuelle Haïm

Maestro small icon

4:00

Mozart: Don Giovanni, K527

Mozart: Don Giovanni, K. 527, Act 2: "Don Giovanni, a cenar teco" (La Statua del Commendatore, Don Giovanni)

Carlo Maria Giulini

5:18

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, WWV90

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, Act 3: "Mild und leise wie er lächelt" (Isolde)

Daniel Barenboim

6:58

Puccini: Gianni Schicchi, SC88

Puccini: Gianni Schicchi: "O mio babbino caro" (Lauretta)

Montserrat Caballé

2:48

Gershwin: Porgy and Bess

Introduction and Summertime

Houston Grand Opera;John DeMain

3:43

Wagner: Die Walküre, WWV86b

"Hojotoho! Heiaha!"

Vera Schlosser

8:24

Adams: Doctor Atomic

Doctor Atomic, Act I, Scene 3: "Batter my heart"

BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers, John Adams

7:34

Puccini: Turandot, SC91

"Nessun dorma!"

Luciano Pavarotti

6:42

Vivaldi: Juditha triumphans devicta Holofernes barbarie, RV644

Armatae face

Magdalena Kožená

3:22

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor, Act 3: "Spargi d'amaro pianto" (Lucia, Raimondo, Chorus, Enrico)

Maria Callas

4:08

Mozart: Don Giovanni, K527

"Là ci darem la mano"

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo

3:15

Puccini: La bohème, SC67

"Quando m'en vo"

Nicole Cabell

4:40

Handel: Alcina, HWV34

Ah! mio cor! schemito sei!

Joyce DiDonato

9:30

Beethoven: Fidelio, Op. 72

"Leb wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht"

Gundula Janowitz

3:58

Verdi: Rigoletto

La donna è mobile

Michael Fabiano

2:07

Total playing time

2:11:02

Curated by

Thomas Steffens

Primephonic CEO

About this playlist

Opera's origins lie at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. Several works compete for the honour of being the 'first' opera, but the earliest opera still performed today is Claudio Monteverdi's 'L'Orfeo' from 1607. Developed over the centuries by greats like Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Verdi and Wagner, it is today a diverse and exciting artform.

Curated by

Thomas Steffens

Primephonic CEO

Done