# your 'opera's most treasured moment'.....



## classidaho (May 5, 2009)

....for me, it's when Violetta, in deep, fearful lamenting, decides to shun Alfredo's true love, and live life for pleasure, ending in the vortex of dissipation...."Of joy I'll Die!"

Then enters Alfredo, singing happily, as from afar.......(approaching, beneath Violetta's balcany. 

And here's my magical moment

Violetta softly croons, "Oooohh."

I absolutely love this moment in 'La Triviata', and is just a part that makes this my favorite (next to Norma) opera:tiphat:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

You forgot that she says "ooohhh... amore!"
I also love that moment.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Act III of "The Marriage of Figaro" when Susanna walks in, thinks Figaro is marrying Marcellina, and decks him. Hilarious.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Goosebumping moments for me:

The "oooooh.... amore" above mentioned in La Traviata
The last line of Les Troyens - "Troy is over, now Rome!"
Lucia's mad scene
Montserrat Caballé singing Casta Diva in her Orange performance of Norma
Otello's first line, Esultate! - and also from Otello, Desdemona's last moments on this earth, when she prays, and when she sings the Willow song
The funeral march in The Twilight of the Gods
The Liebestod in Tristan und Isolde
Je crois entendre encore in Les pêcheurs de perles
The death scene in Pélleas et Mélisande
The death scene in War and Peace
Che gelida manina in La Bohème
The presentation of the rose in Der Rosenkavalier
Thais' Méditation
The line "I'll not forget" at the end of The Rake's Progress

This is what I can remember right now. I love opera so much that there are countless goosebumping moments for me.


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

I could go on and on here, but if I were to name one it would either be the Finale from Act IV of _Le Nozze di Figaro_ or the entire Act II of _Tristan und Isolde_ from "Isolde! Geliebte!" on.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Enescu's _Oedipe_ (come on, you make this sort of thread and expect my first contribution to not be about this?) has a part near the beginning of the fourth act, where just prior Antigone is helping Oedipus walk (being his eyes and the like, since the third act has him gouging his out; the fourth act is some time after). There follows a dialogue between Antigone and Oedipus during which Oedipus asks Antigone about various details of the scenery, and to each question Antigone answers "Yes." Then there's a lengthy pause, and Oedipus breaks the silence with "Nous sommes arrivés!" and right at the end of it the orchestra comes in with gorgeous music. To me it's one of the most beautiful moments of the score, a sort of culmination and resolution of all that went before.

Oh, and I'd love to include some scene from _L'amour de loin,_ but seeing as that whole opera is just plain gorgeous I can't think of one in particular (if pressed I might go for the heart-breaking final contribution from Jaufré; I don't know the French right now, but in English it goes something like "What more can I ask of life?").


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> Goosebumping moments for me:
> 
> The "oooooh.... amore" above mentioned in La Traviata
> The last line of Les Troyens - "Troy is over, now Rome!"
> ...


What have we got here? a stunning list for sure - a few last lines, a mad scene leading to death, a handful of death scenes, a funeral march, and a Liebestod... hmm... it's no wonder we say the human race is obsessed with death! :devil:

Which reminds me... a couple great damnation scenes... the Ride to the Abyss in _La Damnation de Faust_, the Commendatore scene from DG, etc. I'm feeling too cliché right now...

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the ending lament of _Dido_ though, which ranked #1 on a BBC 3's listener poll of favorite arias.


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

I do love the death scene in Mitridate....I also have a weak spot for La Cenerentola when she sings Una volta c'era un re.... Plus I recently saw L'Italiana in Algeri and the Act 1 finale made me giggle, it was so FAST and comical.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Air said:


> What have we got here? a stunning list for sure - a few last lines, a mad scene leading to death, a handful of death scenes, a funeral march, and a Liebestod... hmm... it's no wonder we say the human race is obsessed with death! :devil:


Well, I did include a hymn to love at first sight in Der Rosenkavalier, and Violetta's first encounter with true love in La Traviata. Eros and Thánatos... yep, the two great forces in play in the human condition. Opera is great, isn't it?



> Which reminds me... a couple great damnation scenes... the Ride to the Abyss in _La Damnation de Faust_, the Commendatore scene from DG, etc. I'm feeling too cliché right now...
> 
> I'm surprised no one has mentioned the ending lament of _Dido_ though, which ranked #1 on a BBC 3's listener poll of favorite arias.


All three above could have made my list. Like I said, I just listed the ones I could remember at that moment, it wasn't an all inclusive list. The Ride to the Abyss is part of why I was advocating for La Damnation de Faust so much in our top 100 thread. It's one of my favorites.


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

Mine happens to be in La Traviata, too, but it's a different moment. When Violetta has been visited by Alfredo's father and has decided to make the sacrifice (and Alfredo knows nothing about it) and embraces Alfredo for the last time, her "Amami, Alfredo! Amami, quant'io t'amo!", the Niagara begins - I just have to think of it without the music and get tears in my eyes. Still, I am not sure if I answered to the question you asked. This for me is the most touching moment in opera. I have to think if the the most treasured moment would be different!


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## danslenoir (Nov 24, 2010)

For me it's got to be "Contessa perdono" from Figaro.

I can't come close to putting it as well as this author from a blog:

_Then, over this seething mass of menacing voices, a single soprano is heard, soaring like the wing of a seagull over a raging sea. The Countess comes forward, revealing herself. The courtiers are amazed - how can this be? The Count stands dumbstruck, realising the trick that has been played on him. The music falls away in bewilderment, dwindling into hushed confusion, then coming to a stop.

There, at that most dramatic of moments, there is an instant of absolute silence. The fate of the world hangs in balance. The audience, like the characters on stage, wait with bated breath. What will the Count do now?

The song, when it returns, shatters the spell of the last four acts completely. It's as though you had broken through the laughter and merriment of everything that had passed, and stepped suddenly into a different, more serious opera. The Count's voice, half moan, half cry, echoes through the silenced auditorium with all the remorse and yearning that the human soul is capable of. "Contessa, perdono", he sings, and the music soars like a wounded bird, then, ashamed of its own presumption, sinks wearily, guiltily back to earth.

It is the Countess who rescues it. It is her purer soprano that lifts the entire audience beyond the reach of gravity, her rising cadences that finally achieve that perfection we have all been waiting for. As the others slowly join in, drawn by the tranquility of her theme, the song becomes more than just a closing chorus for the opera, it becomes a hymn of peace, an anthem of soft contentment. The Contessa's voice shall rise above these liquid voices, her song clearer and sharper than that of the others, but it is in their gentleness that you lie floating, the tears coming unbidden to your eyes.

If there is beauty in the world, if there is forgiveness, then surely this is what it sounds like. This is what we have all hoped for - that at the end of all the playfulness and confusion, at the end of all the loves and deceits and jests, there shall be a judgement gentle enough to harm no one. It is the most the human spirit can dream of. It is more than we could ever deserve._


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## jflatter (Mar 31, 2010)

Wotan's farewell to Brunnhilde in Act three of Die Walkure


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

To add a few more:

Sieglinde's outburst: "O hehrstes Wunder!", when she learns that she is expecting Siegmund's child. Never mind the incestuous liaison.

The final trio of Der Rosenkavalier, and the final duo.

Abigail's "Salgo già del tron aurato" from Nabucco.

"Wie schön ist doch die Musik" from the end of Die schweigsame Frau.


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

danslenoir said:


> For me it's got to be "Contessa perdono" from Figaro.
> 
> I can't come close to putting it as well as this author from a blog:
> 
> ...


This is beautiful. I agree with every word.

I also agree with Herkku about the trio near the end of _Der Rosenkavalier_.


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## ScipioAfricanus (Jan 7, 2010)

Siegfried forges Nothung while Mime conspires


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

_Simon Boccanegra_

The very last few seconds of the 'recognition' scene. Amelia exits, Simon remains on stage and very quietly sings to her departing figure 'fi..glia…'

25 years of longing distilled into one word.


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## classidaho (May 5, 2009)

I love you guys! You not only have class intellect and awareness, but also cuddly emotions!


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## Poppin' Fresh (Oct 24, 2009)

Act III of _Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg_. Eva has come into Sachs' shop, complaining that her new shoes pinch -- but what she really wants is not a well-made pair of shoes but a well-made song for her Walther to sing. As Sachs is busy pretending to tend to her shoe, Walther appears at the doorway...the orchestra swells, Eva lets out a gasp, and Walther sings the conclusion to his dream song. Gives me chills every time.


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## Il Pirata (Nov 26, 2010)

Act 2 of Norma..... as Norma, pressured by the crowd, contemplates condemning Adalgisa, but pricked by her conscience, finally said 'son io'.... the resulting silence as the stunned crowd reacted in shock! When well sung, never fails to bring tears to my eyes.... in the 1955 performance by Callas in La Scala, the audience went berserk!


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Il Pirata said:


> Act 2 of Norma..... as Norma, pressured by the crowd, contemplates condemning Adalgisa, but pricked by her conscience, finally said 'son io'.... the resulting silence as the stunned crowd reacted in shock! When well sung, never fails to bring tears to my eyes.... in the *1955 performance by Callas in La Scala*, the audience went berserk!


If you don't already have this enhanced CD version from Divina label please do so
The sound is better than any other version and the huge file of rare photos and printed material is priceless!

Divina


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## curzon (Dec 1, 2010)

The last minutes of Tristan most especially the climax of the Liebestod and the moment when the Tristan chord finally resolves.

Sebastian


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> If you don't already have this enhanced CD version from Divina label please do so
> The sound is better than any other version and the huge file of rare photos and printed material is priceless!
> 
> Divina


Priceless... I'm sure it comes with a hefty price tag, you... you... you spending seducer!


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

I won't write about all of my favourite moments because it's almost equal to threads like "favourite arias" and stuff.

But there is one moment which rarely gets mentioned and I really love it - Salome of Strauss, scene with Salome and Jokanaan, Salome explodes with _JOKAAANAAAAN Ich bin verliebt in deine ***_ and just in couple of seconds after we have one of most awesome motives that ever came from Richard Strauss, that is (favourite part bolded) _Dein Leib ist weiß wie der Schnee auf den Bergen Judäas. Die Rosen im Garten von Arabiens Königin *sind nicht so weiß wie dein Leib*_

I also love the words. Rosen im Garten von Arabiens Königin... WEISSE ROSEN!

Evocative. Extremely.


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## LindenLea (Feb 4, 2007)

For me (though not until 1:35 on this performance)...






"Tutti﻿ contenti" is so beautiful that the singing becomes a minor detail...I will listen to this all my life and always love it_...." I am more kind than you, and so I shall forgive you, so that all may become content"_

Marvellous.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Lulu....is terrific....(Alban Berg)

Martin the terrible


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## PianoCoach (Nov 28, 2010)

When the commendatore's spirit drags Don Giovani to hell. "Those who live wickedly, die wickedly"


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Many of those mentioned by Alma also strike a chord with me, and also "Contessa Perdono".

I'd add another warm fuzzy: The scene in Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria when father and son meet for the first time and recognise each other.

And a not so warm fuzzy: "Pur ti Miro" at the end of L' Incoronazione di Poppea, which has extra spice added because you know that despite the current love-in, one of the protagonists is going to kick the other one to death in under a year.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*Lulu, Wozzeck*

I hesitate:

- when Lulu kills Dr. Schön or
- when Jack the ripper kills Lulu.





or

When Marie and Wozzeck die in *Wozzeck...*






I hate Violeta.


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