The Closing Moments From Puccini's Turandot

Puccini's popular three act Opera Turandot was something the composer never actually

got to see completed as he died in in 1924 while his work was incomplete. Thankfully Franco Alfano

stepped in and completed the opera which was eventually premiered in 1926.

Set in ancient China it is a tale of love and sacrifice. And wherever it is performed you can

be sure of big stage sets as well as spectacular costumes.

And if the closing music is familiar to many that's because it closes out with a choral and

orchestral rendition of Nessun Dorma, a popular and much loved Aria by Luciano Pavarotti.

Turandot by Giacomo Puccini - Teatro Colon de Buenos Aires (2024).

Kindly uploaded to Youtube by Marcelo Monzani 

Raimondi Returns as Scarpia in Tosca

I can never get enough of Italian bass-baritone Opera performer Ruggero Raimondi,

especially when he's cast in the role of the evil Scarpia in Puccini's three act opera Tosca.

This performance above is from 1992 when it was beamed live around the world in a

special television event that was performed at the time and location prescribed by the composer

Puccini. It also featured Placido Domingo.

In the closing moments Raimondi as Scarpia can be seen kissing the cloak of the passing Pope

as if wanting forgiveness after practically denouncing his love of God, for his love of  Tosca

played by Katherine Malfitano.

And in that final closing moment, The Pope holds up high the golden starlike Monstrance, which

according to Catholics represents the very presence of Christ.

VIDEO KINDLY UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE BY

CLASSICAL MUSIC WORLD

The Power of Hvorostovsky

Russian operatic Baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky may not be a household name to many,

but I can't help thinking that he might have been better know had his life not been sadly

cut short at only the age of 55 in 2017.

Here he is in the climax of Giuseppe Verdi's three act opera Rigoletto written in 1851.

And it's these big finishes that gets my blood pumping and my heart racing, especially

those rolling drums at the end that always remind me of those night time Summer

thunderstorms that terrified me as a child. Imagine having a front row seat for this

performance with the orchestra pit right in front of you.

And I particularly like how at the end, during the death of Gilda played by Laura Claycomb,

there's a sudden eerie silence before the storm. And that's when the power of Hvorostovsky

is let loose in a moment of grand finality.

Video kindly uploaded to Youtube HERE.

Raimondi is Spectacular as Scarpia.

It's often been said that operatic baritone Tito Gobbi was the ultimate anti hero in Puccini's

famous opera Tosca, playing the role of Baron Scarpia, Chief of Police. But for me it

would have to be Italian bass baritone Ruggero Raimondi. It was a role that he was born to play.

In this short clip above in a powerful climax at the end of Act 1 we see Raimondi contorting

his face with anger, passion, jealousy and revenge. It's clear now that Raimondi as Scarpia

is going to have Floria Tosca's lover Mario executed so that he can have Tosca for himself,

crying out his final words at the end of Act 1, 'Tosca you make me forget my God.'

Raimondi is spectacular in this closing scene.

Video kindly uploaded to youtube by

melmoth

Verdi's Climatic Tragedy......Rigoletto

 

Written and composed in 1851, Rigoletto is a three part opera by the master of Grand

Italian Opera Giuseppe Verdi.

Set in the times of Renaissance Italy, it's a dramatic tale of love, betrayal and revenge.

And in the closing moments of the final act we see the Duke of Mantua's court jester

Rigoletto suffer the consequences of a failed cunning plan that not only affects himself,

but also brings about the loss of his innocent daughter Gilda.

In the short closing video clip above we see Italian Baritone Leo Nucci reacting to the

demise of his daughter in a barnstorming finish, and a typical climax that became Verdi's

trademark.

VIDEO KINDLY UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE BY

Giorgio Brenna

The Palais Garnier Paris France

Earlier this month Classic FM compiled a list of 10 of the world's most breathtakingly beautiful

opera houses. Of course most of the venues were obvious choices with one or two surprises thrown

in like choice No 2, The Teatro Amazonas, a grand opera house set in the heart of the Amazon

rainforest. Although surprisingly there's no mention of La Scala theatre in Milan, seen as the home of   Grand Italian Opera.

The top choice of the Palais Garnier in Paris is certainly a spectacular looking venue, although that top image here is actually the main Gold Auditorium where they sometimes put on fashion shows.

And the actual Palais Garnier theatre is also home to Ballet performances.

CLASSIC FM's LIST OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OPERA HOUSES.

1.  Palais Garnier, Paris.   2. Teatro Amazonas, Manaus.  3.  National Centre for The Performing Arts, Beijing.   4. Royal Opera House, London.  5. Sydney Opera House.  6.  Teatro San Carlo, Napoli.

7. Teatro La Fenice, Venice.  8. Cairo Opera House.  9. Oslo Opera House.

No 10.  Copenhagen Opera House.

_______________________________________________________

When I first heard the climax and finale of Verdi's La Traviata I knew I had stumbled onto

music that was on a higher plane. I think it was something I was always looking for, something 

that went just that little bit further.

I think we live in a world where most people are happy to listen to the music that they know best,

never experimenting or seeking out new genres. But the climax of this mid 19th century drama

with it's sheer power, tragedy and finality becomes an assault on the senses and I'm often left

with my ears buzzing after enjoying a listen on the headphones at the highest bearable volume.

It makes me feel like I'm right down there in the orchestra pit listening to it the way it should

be heard.

Interestingly La Traviata was first premiered in 1853 at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice,

Classic FM's number seven choice of best opera houses around the world.

Of course La Traviata was set in Paris in the mid 1800's but this production here features

the players wearing modern costume.

The leading soprano playing the role of the dying Violetta is played by Patrizia Ciofi.

Video kindly uploaded to youtube by Federico Vazzola.

 

Below:  My acrylic painting of the Maestro which does seem to move about a lot. It now sits

out in my private hallway outside my main room.

Rossini's Spectacular Swansong Finale..... Not Forgetting Mahler.

I imagine that even non music fans would have heard at some point in
their lives the ever popular William Tell Overture by the great Italian
composer Gioachino Rossini. But it was only a few years ago that I
heard the climax of this opera, also known as Guillaume Tell. Well it is
quite simply spectacular and a tour de force.
In the video above we see the great Riccardo Muti at the helm and
conducting this performance at La Scala back in 1987.

Surprisingly Conductor Muti seems somewhat reserved in this climatic
performance. Now aged 87, but back then at his physical peak he was
prone to throw himself about a lot and audiences certainly got their moneys worth
when he was in charge, as you can see in a couple of gifs I made below.

And how surprising that Rossini having composed at least 34 operas
simply walked away after producing this last offering Guillaume Tell
in 1829. And he was still only young in his late 30's. Perhaps it was due
to health problems. It's still not really known why.

And when you watch the climax of this work (above) with Muti as
conductor, you can only say to yourself about Rossini, well, what
a way to go out.

Further down below  is also another staggering piece of music,
the climax of Mahler's 8th Symphony.
On both videos I have slightly pushed them forward so you
can enjoy the climax.


ABOVE VIDEO UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE BY PROMETHEUS 1889

Above is the new young pretender American Conductor Robert Trevino
who is about to take up his new post as Chief Conductor for the Malmo
Symphony Orchestra for the 2019-2020 season.
And like Riccardo Muti he is a real showman. Here (above) we see him
in a gif I made conducting the Finale of Act III of Verdi's Don Carlo.
Having practiced Conducting from the age of 16, it was actually in this
above performance of Don Carlo that he suddenly became noticed
internationally.

Below: The great Italian showman and Conductor Riccardo Muti
conducting in one of his favourite pieces The Overture to Verdi's
Nabucco.

"THE GREATEST AND MOST POWERFUL FINALE EVER WRITTEN IN THE
HISTORY OF MUSIC."     arrup3 - Youtube uploader.

"EPIC.  SIMPLY THE GREATEST FINALE EVER WRITTEN."   Greg Raines.

"I FEEL SAD WHEN I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE BORN AND DIE
WITHOUT EVER HEARING THIS."   Pedro Teixeira.

"MAHLER'S 8th SYMPHONY FINALE HAS JUST TAKEN MY MIND TO
ANOTHER LEVEL..... OUTSTANDING."      Allpress inc.

"THIS IS EASILY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL 5 MINUTES OF MUSIC I HAVE EVER
HEARD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. THANK YOU GUSTAV MAHLER FOR SHOWING
ME LIFE'S UTTER BEAUTY."   Charlie Zandieh.


Well, who can argue with any of the above appraisals. All I can say is
that if there really is a Heaven and that our dying brain takes our souls
through a long bright tunnel, then this is the music to take us through that
supposed journey.

(Strictly headphones for the full on experience).