# pairings



## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

When an opera company does shorter operas, they often pair two shorter operas to make a full program. Everybody knows Cav and Pag. I am a real fan of Bluebeards Castle. Other than Verkarte Nacht, what shorter operas would you pair with Bluebeard? What other short opera pairings would you suggest?


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Something by Shoenberg maybe... Erwartung? 

The best double bill EVER is Manuel de Falla's _Master Peter's Puppet Show_ and Elliott Carter's _What Next?_


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I read recently that the Old Met used to program _Gianni Schicchi_ as a curtain-raiser to_ Salome_. Which is, you know, completely understandable, or something ...

Also, the recent Glyndebourne double bill of Ravel's _L'heure Espagnole_ and _L'enfant et les Sortileges_ was very good.


----------



## dionisio (Jul 30, 2012)

Aksel said:


> I read recently that the Old Met used to program _Gianni Schicchi_ as a curtain-raiser to_ Salome_. Which is, you know, completely understandable, or something ...


Really? Well that's a twist.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

drpraetorus said:


> When an opera company does shorter operas, they often pair two shorter operas to make a full program. Everybody knows Cav and Pag. I am a real fan of Bluebeards Castle. Other than Verkarte Nacht, what shorter operas would you pair with Bluebeard? What other short opera pairings would you suggest?


Seattle Opera paired their Bluebeard with Erwartung.


----------



## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

The Canadian Opera Company also paired Bluebeard's Castle with Erwartung. Those are two operas that I'll be happy to never see again.

For a very interesting pairing this past season, the COC had _Gianni Schicchi_ with Alexander Zemlinsky's _Florentine Tragedy_. I went in there loving _Gianni Schicchi_ and left loving both of the operas.


----------



## Thomasjack (Sep 19, 2012)

I go through not long ago the Previous Attained helpful to system Gianni Schicchi like a curtain-raiser to help Salome. Which is, you already know, absolutely understandable, or even some thing.


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Concerning Bluebeard, other candidates are perhaps Blacher "Abstrakte Oper" or, in a much lighter mood, Stravinsky´s "Mavra".

(EDIT: Hindemith´s "Hin und Züruck" lasts 12 mins, and there are three such miniature/"minute" operas by Milhaud as well; this thread also made me notice Hindemith´s "Sancta Susanna" 




)


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Bluebeard has also been paired with Aleko.

>waldvogel - Bluebeard is one of my 'must see one day' operas :lol: Horses for courses!


----------



## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

sospiro said:


> Bluebeard has also been paired with Aleko.
> 
> >waldvogel - Bluebeard is one of my 'must see one day' operas :lol: Horses for courses!


I hope you like siren-alarm violins playing fortissimo at around 2 kHz - right at the maximum pain sensitivity area of the human ear - accompanied by a soprano screeching "SHOW ME THE ROOM!!!" over and over again.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

waldvogel said:


> I hope you like siren-alarm violins playing fortissimo at around 2 kHz - right at the maximum pain sensitivity area of the human ear - accompanied by a soprano screeching "SHOW ME THE ROOM!!!" over and over again.




You mean there's a soprano in this opera? I only have ears for Bluebeard.


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> You mean there's a soprano in this opera? I only have ears for Bluebeard.


A girl after my own heart. Sopranos only exist to give the baritone/bass/tenor time to rest before his next aria:lol:.


----------

