The history of twentieth century opera.#15. 1914. The start of the First World War may not slow down the number of opera productions, but its evolution fossilized.
Composers return to known themes and subject. Late Romanticism has his last convulsions. The limits are pushed which leads to bizarrely large orchestras, immensely long compositions and weird harmonies that let go of traditional harmonic functions like tonics and dominants. On the other hand, composers also fall back on old configurations from periods past. Opposite from the romantic fleeing from reality, is wanting to shape reality. All beautiful productions, but not really convincing. But please, listen and decide what you think.
In this episode, parts of:
• Jules Massenet- Cléopâtre
• Franz Léhar- Endlich Allein
• Riccardo Zandonai- Francesca di Rimini
• Victor Herbert- Madeleine
• Joaquín Turina- Margot
• Henri Rabaud- Mârouf, savetier du Caire
Other opera and operetta productions from 1914 are:
• Emmerich Kálmán- Az obsitos
• André Messager- Béatrice
• Ethyl Smyth- The Boatswain’s mate
• Rutland Boughton- The Immortal Hour
• Amilcare Ponchielli- I mori di Valenza
• Igor Stravinsky- The Nightingale (Соловей – Solovyei)
• Victor Jacobi- Szibill
• Ildebrando Pizzetti- Gigliola
• Victor Herbert- The only girl
• Victor Herbert- The Debutante
• Siegfried Wagner- Der Friendensengel
• Xavier Leroux- La fille de Figaro
• José Maria Usandizaga- Las Golondrinas (The Swallows)
• Enrique Granados- La Cieguecita de Betania
• Manuel Penella- Gallop of Love
• Manuel Pennela- The Love Doll
• Manuel Penella- Spain Tambourine
• Albert Wolff- Le marchand de masques
• Oscar Straus- Rund um die Liebe
• Franco Alfano- L’ombra di Don Giovanni
• Amadeu Vives- Maruxa
• Albert Szirmai- Ezüstpille
• Leo Fall- Der Frau Ministerpräsident
• Reynaldo Hahn- Miousic
• José Serrano Simeón- El amigo Melquíades
