10 Operas You Need To Know From World Of Opera
The scheming Count Almaviva (Erwin Schrott, left) and Basilio the music master (Benjamin Bruns) prop up a swooning Susanna (Slyvia Schwartz), the object of the Count's nefarious affections.
Mozart's premier creative partnership with Lorenzo Da Ponte produced a masterpiece for the ages, and one of the only successful sequels to an existing plot. This comic opera continues where playwrite Beaumarchais' The Barber Of Seville leaves off.
About The Show
Opera may be more than 400 years old but the passions and predicaments of characters from Monterverdi's Orfeo to Turnage's Anna Nicole are meaningful today. Step inside the world of opera and discover the same human foibles, joys and possibilities of our everyday lives, all set to some of the most compelling stories and most beautiful voices.
Hear introductions and excerpts from the world's best known operas and from neglected masterworks.
For current World of Opera listings please visit WDAV Classical, and for older editions of the program visit our World of Opera archive.
For a selection of opera's most popular tunes, visit our hit singles page.
Recent 10 Operas You Need To Know From World Of Opera
April 1, 2011 Georges Bizet is only known for one opera — but he packs more hummable tunes than usual into it.
April 23, 2010 Verdi's opera is a tightly wound swirl of sentiment, appalling violence and unspeakable tragedy.
August 20, 2010 The opera's realistic approach to the passage of dramatic time includes scenes of emotional agony.
July 9, 2010 Debussy's dreamy, cerebral thriller proves that opera needn't be loud to be intense.
January 7, 2011 In Beethoven's only opera, a daring hero risks all to save her imprisoned husband.
August 6, 2010 Although populated with barnyard animals, the opera speaks volumes about human nature.
September 3, 2010 The disturbed title character struggles with jealously and poverty in Berg's powerful tragedy.
December 3, 2010 Tchaikovsky felt Eugene Onegin so deeply that it led him to an ill-fated marriage — and an opera.
April 29, 2011 Forget Metallica and Megadeth: here's Massenet on fading to black, in his opera 'Werther.'
