World of Opera http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=36&ft=1&f=36 Weekly performances by top American and international opera companies. Host Lisa Simeone explores the World of Opera. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:27:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif World of Opera http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=36&ft=1&f=36 History With A Toxic Twist: 'Lucrezia Borgia' Renee Fleming leads the cast as opera's most poisonous mother. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:27:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/11/04/141991927/history-with-a-toxic-twist-lucrezia-borgia?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/11/04/141991927/history-with-a-toxic-twist-lucrezia-borgia?ft=1&f=36 Renee Fleming leads the cast as opera's most poisonous mother.

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]]> The Bloodiest Opera Ever? Maybe Strauss' 'Elektra' A gruesome tale of one very dysfunctional family, courtesy of Richard Strauss' intense one-act opera. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:27:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/10/28/141794155/the-bloodiest-opera-ever-maybe-strauss-elektra?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/10/28/141794155/the-bloodiest-opera-ever-maybe-strauss-elektra?ft=1&f=36 A gruesome tale of one very dysfunctional family, courtesy of Richard Strauss' intense one-act opera.

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]]> An All-Consuming Parental Love: Verdi's 'Rigoletto' The tragedies of Verdi's own life spurred some of his most extraordinary work, including this tale of a daughter inadvertently destroyed by her father's anger and bitterness. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:48:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/10/21/141586963/an-all-consuming-parental-love-verdis-rigoletto?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/10/21/141586963/an-all-consuming-parental-love-verdis-rigoletto?ft=1&f=36 The tragedies of Verdi's own life spurred some of his most extraordinary work, including this tale of a daughter inadvertently destroyed by her father's anger and bitterness.

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]]> A View From The Bridge: Great Sorrows In Little Souls, American-Style Brooklyn <em>verismo</em>, courtesy of American composer William Bolcom: the trials of Italian immigrants — some of them illegal — in 1950s Red Hook. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:34:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/10/14/141351172/a-view-from-the-bridge-great-sorrows-in-little-souls-american-style?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/10/14/141351172/a-view-from-the-bridge-great-sorrows-in-little-souls-american-style?ft=1&f=36 Brooklyn verismo, courtesy of American composer William Bolcom: the trials of Italian immigrants — some of them illegal — in 1950s Red Hook.

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]]> Storms And Salvation: 'The Flying Dutchman' Wagner's lonely wanderer anticipates a generation of Westerns — in a vivid, dramatic and compellingly told story. Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:33:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/10/07/141124159/storms-and-salvation-the-flying-dutchman?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/10/07/141124159/storms-and-salvation-the-flying-dutchman?ft=1&f=36 Wagner's lonely wanderer anticipates a generation of Westerns — in a vivid, dramatic and compellingly told story.

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]]> 'La Boheme': 19th-Century 'Reality Opera' Puccini's genius: making an indelible opera out of ordinary people's stories. Vittorio Grigolo stars in this performance. Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:16:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/09/30/140929024/la-boheme-19th-century-reality-opera?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/09/30/140929024/la-boheme-19th-century-reality-opera?ft=1&f=36 Puccini's genius: making an indelible opera out of ordinary people's stories. Vittorio Grigolo stars in this performance.

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]]> Placido Domingo Conducts 'Don Giovanni' Is <em>Don Giovanni</em> the greatest opera of them all, as some have suggested? That's hard to say, but Mozart's brilliant combination of stark human tragedy and realistic comedy features music of limitless genius, and a drama that lives up to the score. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:12:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/09/23/140738248/placido-domingo-conducts-don-giovanni?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/09/23/140738248/placido-domingo-conducts-don-giovanni?ft=1&f=36 Is Don Giovanni the greatest opera of them all, as some have suggested? That's hard to say, but Mozart's brilliant combination of stark human tragedy and realistic comedy features music of limitless genius, and a drama that lives up to the score.

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]]> Domingo Goes For Baroque In Handel's 'Tamerlano' Placido Domingo takes on his 126th role: as Bajazet in Handel's taut drama <em>Tamerlano</em>.. Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/09/16/140516291/domingo-goes-for-baroque-in-handels-tamerlano?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/09/16/140516291/domingo-goes-for-baroque-in-handels-tamerlano?ft=1&f=36 Placido Domingo takes on his 126th role: as Bajazet in Handel's taut drama Tamerlano..

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]]> A Romantic Sensation: 'Lucia Di Lammermoor' An opera that's wound its way into a host of other works, from <em>Anna Karenina</em> to Martin Scorsese's <em>The Departed</em>. Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:06:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/09/09/140333090/a-romantic-sensation-lucia-di-lammermoor?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/09/09/140333090/a-romantic-sensation-lucia-di-lammermoor?ft=1&f=36 An opera that's wound its way into a host of other works, from Anna Karenina to Martin Scorsese's The Departed.

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]]> Mortals, Beware: Lully's 'Atys' Lully shows us what happens when mere mortals get involved with the gods. Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:18:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/09/02/140121639/mortals-beware-lullys-atys?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/09/02/140121639/mortals-beware-lullys-atys?ft=1&f=36 Lully shows us what happens when mere mortals get involved with the gods.

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]]> Love At Any Cost: Mozart's 'La Clemenza Di Tito' The story of a man so in love that he's willing to burn down Rome — and the emperor who is able to forgive him. Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:37:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/08/26/139949539/love-at-any-cost-mozarts-la-clemenza-di-tito?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/08/26/139949539/love-at-any-cost-mozarts-la-clemenza-di-tito?ft=1&f=36 The story of a man so in love that he's willing to burn down Rome — and the emperor who is able to forgive him.

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]]> Subtle Villainy: Janacek's 'Katya Kabanova' An opera with a most unusual — and very disturbing — 'bad guy': a little old lady who believes that anyone who doesn't agree with her moral code must pay a terrible price. Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:22:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/08/19/139744837/subtle-villainy-janaceks-katya-kabanova?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/08/19/139744837/subtle-villainy-janaceks-katya-kabanova?ft=1&f=36 An opera with a most unusual — and very disturbing — 'bad guy': a little old lady who believes that anyone who doesn't agree with her moral code must pay a terrible price.

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]]> More Than Just A Pretty Overture: Rossini's 'William Tell' It's not just "Hi-ho, Silver!" — there are four whole acts, not to mention that apple and bow. Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:41:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/08/12/139556592/more-than-just-a-pretty-overture-rossinis-william-tell?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/08/12/139556592/more-than-just-a-pretty-overture-rossinis-william-tell?ft=1&f=36 It's not just "Hi-ho, Silver!" — there are four whole acts, not to mention that apple and bow.

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]]> Fruit From A Brief Life: Pergolesi's 'L'Olimpiade' An opera inspired by ancient Greece that gives a glimpse of what might have been — had its composer only lived past the age of 26. Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:05:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/08/05/138994854/fruit-from-a-brief-life-pergolesis-lolimpiade?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/08/05/138994854/fruit-from-a-brief-life-pergolesis-lolimpiade?ft=1&f=36 An opera inspired by ancient Greece that gives a glimpse of what might have been — had its composer only lived past the age of 26.

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]]> Bellini's Rare Bird: 'The Capulets And The Montagues' There are many failed operas based on Romeo and Juliet — Bellini created one of the rare successes. Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:42:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2011/07/29/138818951/bellinis-rare-bird-the-capulets-and-the-montagues?ft=1&f=36 http://www.npr.org/2011/07/29/138818951/bellinis-rare-bird-the-capulets-and-the-montagues?ft=1&f=36 There are many failed operas based on Romeo and Juliet — Bellini created one of the rare successes.

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