# Favourite moments in opera



## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

What are you absolute favourite moments in this wonderful artform? 

For me the most heartbreaking moment in all of opera is Violetta's "amami Alfredo" (love me Alfredo) from act 2

Other favourites include

Tosca - from vissi darte until the end of act 2

The finale of Norma just as she is about to ascend the pyre

The end of act one of traviata 

The love duet from Madama Butterfly


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I'd go along with the Finale of *Norma*, much admired by both Verdi and Wagner, with its two duets (one in public and one in private) leading into the final trio with chorus.

Also the thrilling finale to Act I.

Violetta's _Amami Alfredo_ is always affecting, but especially when sung by Callas. When she sings it at La Scala in 1955 in the Giulini production, near pandemonium breaks out in the auditorium, the audience bursting into a totally spontaneous round of applause and cheers. Of course it's not the phrase itself, but the build up to it that creates the effect.

I love the great quintet and the love duet in Berlioz's *Les Troyens*, both absolutely sublime.

The trio in *Der Rosenkavalier* rarely fails. I remember its impact the first time I ever heard it; in the opera house, with Helga Dernesch, Anne Howells and Teresa Cahill. Wave upon wave of emotion that were almost unbearable.

The Prisoners' Chorus in *Fidelio*. I also love the joyful finale, but especially the moment, almost suspended in time, when Leonore releases Florestan from his shackles.

Amina's _Oh se una volta sola_ and _Ah non credea_ from *La Sonnambula*, but again it's only Callas who really moves me here. Even towards the end of her career, when she sings it in a TV studio in Paris, treading very carefully so as not to put to much pressure on her voice, she is heart-breakingly poignant. Only the aria here unfortunately. The complete performance including the recit keeps being deleted from youtube.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

I agree with amami Alfredo being best with Callas however I prefer her Covent Garden amami Alfredo to any of her others. No idea why there was no applause after


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Burroughs said:


> I agree with amami Alfredo being best with Callas however I prefer her Covent Garden amami Alfredo to any of her others. No idea why there was no applause after


Well yes I do too actually. It's just that it's so goddamn exciting when the audience erupt like that at La Scala.

I always expect them to do the same at Covent Garden, but perhaps 1950s British audiences were just too polite for their own good.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

After printing this, I know I will be saying, "oh no, I forgot __________" but here goes:
1. Last scene of _Dialogues des Carmelites_
2. Last scene of _Otello_
3. _Mefistofele_ Prologue
4. The Poker Scene in_ La Fanciulla del West_
5. The entire 3rd (or 4th depending) act of _Don Carlo_ 
6. Letter scene in _Butterfly_
7. "To This We've Come" and last scene from _The Consul_
8. Rodrigo's "Io morro" from _Don Carlo_
9. Neil Shicoff's rendering of "Kuda, kuda" from _Eugene Onegin_
10. Radvanovsky's "D'amor sull ali rosee" from _Trovatore_

See? I told you so! 
11. Vissi d'arte to end of 2nd act of _Tosca_.
12. Death scene from_ La Boheme _(grabs me every time)


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

For starters:

Last act act of *Don Carlo:* Tu che le vanita and onwards trough the end.
*La Traviata* : the moment Violetta realises even Alfredo can't help her: Gran Dio! morir sì giovane and so on.

*Donizetti*: Lucia di Lammermoor: "Lucia perdonna 
Same opera: The mad scene.
*Puccini*; Madama Butterfly; the love duet : Vogliatemi bene


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

*


GregMitchell said:



Well yes I do too actually. It's just that it's so goddamn exciting when the audience erupt like that at La Scala.

Click to expand...

*


GregMitchell said:


> I always expect them to do the same at Covent Garden, but perhaps 1950s British audiences were just too polite for their own good.












I don't believe in reincarnation but in this instance I do.

Not even 'close' to even being 'born' yet- I was still nonetheless 'there' at the La Scala _Norma_- ripping up the seats and throwing them on stage.

_Un-BELIEVEABLE_ electricity to that performance.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

1) 'Vissi d'arte' from *Tosca *Act II (with Callas of course, Covent Garden video)
2) 'Che gelida manina' onward till the end of Act I of *La Bohème* (most beautiful love scene ever composed)
3) Finale of Act I of *Francesca da Rimini* (Zandonai; when two lovers meet each other for the first time - video with Domingo/Scotto)
4) Finale of Act III of *La Fanciulla del West*, starting from 'Ch'ella mi creda' onward
5) 'Deh! Tu di un umile preghiera' from *Maria Stuarda* (with Sills of course, gets me every time, plus, oh, those endless high floating notes!)
6) 'Giusto ciel' from *L'Assedio di Corinto* (with Sills of course, gets me every time as well, heartbreakingly beautiful)
7) The whole conspiracy/sword benediction scene starting from 'Oui, l'ordre de la reine' onward from Act IV of *Les Huguenots* (I am so old-fashioned)
8) 'Il di giа cade' till the end of that non-stop marathon for bass in Act II of *Semiramide *(with Ramey of course! hell of a scene to perform, easily one of the most demanding and difficult scenes for any bass)
9) Act II Grand Finale of *Aida *(how easy! dramatically and musically perfect scene!)
10) The whole of *Don Carlo* (both King/Inquisitor duet and 'Tu che le vanita' if I really have to choose!)
11) 'Mild und leise' from *Tristan und Isolde* (you deserve some resolution after waiting for 4 1/2 hours, don't you?)


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Nina Foresti mentions the closing scene of *Dialogues des Carmelites*, How could I forget? Absolutely devastating.

And Azol reminds me of *Don Carlo*. I'd single out Act IV scene i, from Philip's superb monologue *Ella giammai m'amo* through to Eboli's thrilling _O don fatale_, perhaps the most perfect scene in all Verdi.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

*


GregMitchell said:



Nina Foresti mentions the closing scene of Dialogues des Carmelites, How could I forget? Absolutely devastating.

And Azol reminds me of Don Carlo. I'd single out Act IV scene i, from Philip's superb monologue Ella giammai m'amo through to Eboli's thrilling O don fatale, perhaps the most perfect scene in all Verdi. 

Click to expand...

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Oh, its Princess Eboli all the _'WAY' _for me!!!

Verrett 'and' Baltsa!


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Definitely right up there with greatest opera moments!


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

nina foresti said:


> 11. Vissi d'arte to end of 2nd act of _Tosca_.
> 12. Death scene from_ La Boheme _(grabs me every time)


^these

also, Liu's death scene from Turandot


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

In no particular order:

Copland: _Laurie's Song_ from *The Tender Land*
Barber: _Must the Winter Come So Soon?_ from *Vanessa*
Menotti: _Steal Me_ from *The Old Maid and the Thief*
Previn: _I Can Smell the Sea Air_ from *A Streetcar Named Desire*
Moore: _Willow Song_ from *The Ballad of Baby Doe*
Floyd: _Ain't It a Pretty Night?_ from *Susannah*

Edit: One more: Aldridge: _Oh Had I Wings_ from *Elmer Gantry*
Great stuff, all of it!


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## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

I would add some moments have not been mentioned:

The Empress sees her husband turned into stone (Die Frau Ohne Schatten), still she makes the final decision to say no _"Ich will nicht!"_






Kostelnička about to kill Jenufa's baby (Jenufa)






The Death of Emilia Marty (Vec Makropulos)






La Gioconda on her decision to save Laura, for Enzo (La Gioconda)






And finally, the Countess forgives the Count (Figaro)


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

silentio said:


> And finally, the Countess forgives the Count (Figaro)


How could I have forgotten that scene? And when Schwarzkopf sings in on the Giulini recording, you just know that she knows this is a pattern that will be repeated many times.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

One of my favorite moments is Paul's monologue from Act1 of Korngold's "Die Tote Stadt". Paul revises his life in Bruges with Marie, their walks by the waters of the small Minnerwasser lake, with his wife and later with the ghost of his wife. Korngold is marking slower and slower tempi, reaching the climax in a sweet evocation of Marie's name, sung by the tenor in pianissimo. This is a touching moment, full of an ineffable sadness.

We can hear Torsten Kerl:


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

the Triumphal March from Aida with the high Eb! <3


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

A favourite live experience is not necessarily about the most beautiful moments as it might be with home listening. It's all about the drama. This duet at the end of Otello Act II is literally spine tingling.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

Way, way too many to list (isn't opera excellent value for money? ), but here are a few I can think of:

The closing bars of _Wozzeck_. Chilling stuff.

_Meistersinger_, Act II. the climax of the street brawl ("He, Lene! Wo bist du?") and the entry of the Nightwatchman. You won't hear a more radical gear-change in all music; as an added bonus, the brief orchestral postlude that then closes the act is utterly gorgeous.

_La Bohème_, Act II. Musetta's aria, around the point when Marcello takes over the melody ("Gioventu mia"). What an outpouring of emotion!

_King Priam_. When Achilles' war-cry first cuts in and the Trojans recognise what it is... and what it portends.

_Rinaldo_. The sharp contrast between Eustazio's perky aria "Sulla ruota di fortuna" and Argante's stirring "Sibilar gli angui d'Aletto" that abruptly follows it.


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## Balthazar (Aug 30, 2014)

Too many to count but some that immediately come to mind:

_Don Giovanni_ ~ The Commendatore scene
_Così fan tutte_ ~ The farewell trio posted above by DavidA 
_La forza del destino_ ~ Final scene (particularly Leontyne Price)
_Tristan und Isolde_ ~ _Liebestod_ (particularly Jessye Norman)

And a big thumbs up for these excellent moments posted by QuietGuy:



QuietGuy said:


> Menotti: _Steal Me_ from *The Old Maid and the Thief*
> Previn: _I Can Smell the Sea Air_ from *A Streetcar Named Desire*
> Aldridge: _Oh Had I Wings_ from *Elmer Gantry*


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Maria Stuarda confrontation scene:


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

What is it with Verdi's Act II endings? I was lucky enough to be at La Scala for Rigoletto in January. So thrilling they had to sing it again in front of the curtain. Notice how Sierra wipes away a tear as Nucci starts singing. She wasn't the only one.





This was the third performance in a row they'd done this 'bis', hence the lack of surprise, and the ready camera.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

The sextet, septet & duet from the end of act 4 of _Les Troyens_
The last scene of act 2 of _Marriage of Figaro_
The final scene of act 4 of _Marriage of Figaro_
All of act 1 of _Die Walkure_
The final scene of Janacek's _Cunning Little Vixen_
All of act 3 of RVW's _Sir John in Love_


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## Loge (Oct 30, 2014)

The Liebesnacht from Tristan und Isolde, especially Brangane's warning.


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## Classical Performances (Mar 8, 2016)

The high notes in Verdi's Rigoletto - "Gualtier Malde...Caro nome". I believe the highest is a high E. While in the crowd I found myself very nervous for the soprano leading up to the phrase. But, she hit the notes just fine! Beautiful.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Siegfried, Act 2 ending. Woodbird


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## StDior (May 28, 2015)

A lot of my favourites are already mentioned above.
Some additions:

Verdi - Aida Consecration scene (Possente Ftha... Nume, custode e vindice) 




Puccini - Suor Angelica: From Senza Mamma to the Finale 




And 2 baroque gems:

Monteverdi - L' Incoronazione di Poppea : Poppea's Aria: "Or Che Seneca è Morto" from Act II 




Cavalli - La Calisto: Jupiter and Calisto duett: "Mio foco fatale"


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Don Fatale said:


> What is it with Verdi's Act II endings? I was lucky enough to be at La Scala for Rigoletto in January. So thrilling they had to sing it again in front of the curtain. Notice how Sierra wipes away a tear as Nucci starts singing. She wasn't the only one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Excellent singing, pure magic, you were so fortunate to be there ! Sierra is a very promising singer.


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## perempe (Feb 27, 2014)

I saw Die Walküre today for the 2nd time. Brünnhilde's first notes are fantastic in the beginning of Act 2.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Finals scene from The Tudor Queens from Donizetti.
Fine works for sopranos:tiphat:


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> Way, way too many to list (isn't opera excellent value for money? ), but here are a few I can think of:
> 
> The closing bars of _Wozzeck_. Chilling stuff.
> 
> ...


Yes. The closing bars of Wozzeck always make me want to go Hop! Hop!


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> Way, way too many to list (isn't opera excellent value for money? ), but here are a few I can think of:
> 
> The closing bars of _Wozzeck_. Chilling stuff.
> 
> ...


My favorite act of Die Meistersinger happens to be all of Act 2 from the bubbly, sparkling wine tickling one's nose prelude, to Hans Sachs poignantly discovering that Eva was lost to him, but decided to help the young lovers along by sabotaging Beckmesser's song and yes, the virtuoso composing of the music for the tumultuous crowd complaining of all the noise, making much more noise than the noise they were complaining about and finally the gentle dissolution of the noise, spoiled only by the fortissimo chord that ends this magnificent act.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

hpowders said:


> the bubbly, sparkling wine tickling one's nose prelude


Nice description


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

The Rigoletto quartet in the last act......:tiphat:


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## graziesignore (Mar 13, 2015)

Call me a groundling with no taste, but I always get choked up when Andrea Chenier and Maddalena go off to the guillotine together.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

graziesignore said:


> Call me a groundling with no taste, but I always get choked up when Andrea Chenier and Maddalena go off to the guillotine together.


On the contrary, that's one off the highlights in this opera, musical wise I mean:tiphat:


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## Donata (Dec 28, 2013)

The Willow Song in _Otello_, so sad! Desdemona already knows she's not going to live through the night. "Vissi d'arte" from _Tosca_, because it just sums up the turmoil Tosca is experiencing, and finally when Scarpia meets his end, because well he had it coming.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Donata said:


> The Willow Song in _Otello_, so sad! Desdemona already knows she's not going to live through the night. "Vissi d'arte" from _Tosca_, because it just sums up the turmoil Tosca is experiencing, and finally when Scarpia meets his end, because well he had it coming.


Those are classic choices, although I find the Willow Song merely the prequel to the more elegant tune of Ave Maria.


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## dieter (Feb 26, 2016)

I'm a Groucho Marxist: his favorite part of the opera was The End.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I love the awakening of Brünnhilde by Siegfried with the soaring, "Heil dir, Sonne!" from there to the end of the opera, which is of course, "Siegfried".

Wagner's most ecstatic music. A long time to wait for it, but worth it!


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## dieter (Feb 26, 2016)

hpowders said:


> I love the awakening of Brünnhilde by Siegfried with the soaring, "Heil dir, Sonne!" from there to the end of the opera, which is of course, "Siegfried".
> 
> Wagner's most ecstatic music. A long time to wait for it, but worth it!


Just about all of the first act of Die Walkure, especially 'Ein Schwert verheiss mir der fater' . I love the Janowski recording where Jerusalem sits on 'Wilse, Wilse' for eternity. That whole aria is magnificent and what turned me back to Wagner who I despised for ideological reasons during my youth. It was the Klemperer recording that stopped me in my tracks. I looked up from what I was doing and just said, F..k, how great is that.


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## dieter (Feb 26, 2016)

hpowders said:


> My favorite act of Die Meistersinger happens to be all of Act 2 from the bubbly, sparkling wine tickling one's nose prelude, to Hans Sachs poignantly discovering that Eva was lost to him, but decided to help the young lovers along by sabotaging Beckmesser's song and yes, the virtuoso composing of the music for the tumultuous crowd complaining of all the noise, making much more noise than the noise they were complaining about and finally the gentle dissolution of the noise, spoiled only by the fortissimo chord that ends this magnificent act.


Perhaps, perhaps, Meistersinger is my favourite opera.


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## dieter (Feb 26, 2016)

dieter said:


> Just about all of the first act of Die Walkure, especially 'Ein Schwert verheiss mir der fater' . I love the Janowski recording where Jerusalem sits on 'Wilse, Wilse' for eternity. That whole aria is magnificent and what turned me back to Wagner who I despised for ideological reasons during my youth. It was the Klemperer recording that stopped me in my tracks. I looked up from what I was doing and just said, F..k, how great is that.


Then there's 'Wintersturme wishen dem...' It brings tears every time I hear it.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Tristan and Isolde "Love duet".
Peter Hoffman and Hildegard Behrends please :tiphat:


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

dieter said:


> Perhaps, perhaps, Meistersinger is my favourite opera.


It is a special opera, no doubt about it.


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## znapschatz (Feb 28, 2016)

Although I enjoy many, I can't think of a particular moment in any opera that lights me up. Usually, it's the entire work that does the job. Boris Godunov wrings me out from beginning to end. I start weeping during the prologue and frequently through the entire opera every time, even once when I was a supernumerary boyar during a local production with Jerome Hines as Boris (I thought my blubbering well hidden, but my wife, in the audience, informed me otherwise  .) I also get emotional during Khovanschina (Shostakovich version preferred,) La Traviata, Turandot, La Boheme, Wozzeck, Peter Grimes, Ring cycle, others TBA, but in it's artistic form, the sweep of Russian history and culture grabs me on the deepest level.


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## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

^The coronation scene from Boris Godunov is one of my favorite opera moments. Can't tell you how many versions of it I've watched on YouTube. lol

I also really like the entire Act II of La Boheme, from start to finish. I have many of the lyrics memorized and sometimes sing it to myself in my head (or whistle it out loud).


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Azol said:


> 7) The whole conspiracy/sword benediction scene starting from 'Oui, l'ordre de la reine' onward from Act IV of *Les Huguenots* (I am so old-fashioned)


I salute your taste!

Mine:
I realised as I wrote this list that I have a lot of absolute favorites. And a lot of them are a) exciting and b) LOUD. Imaginative instrumentation, unusual textures and rhythms, are also cool.

*Giacomo Meyerbeer*
_Les Huguenots_
The Conjuration & Blessing of the Swords - and I'd love to have heard Berlioz's version with the multiplied soli!
The ensembles from the duel septet to the end of Act III (especially in the Brussels version)
The Marcel / Valentine duet - he realises that a Catholic and a woman, the two groups he's bigoted against, is a good person
The Act I and II finales
The grand trio in Act V, accompanied by the off-stage chorus; this is really powerful in the Sydney production

_Le Prophète_
The Cathedral Scene
The prêche anabaptiste
Jean's Songe, with the foreshadowing of the Marche du sacre
The Fidès / Berthe duet in Act IV
The beautiful trio in Act V

_Vasco da Gama_
The Council scene
The whole of Act II - the Air du Sommeil; Nélusko's "Fille des rois"; the duet; and the glorious ensembles
The start of Act III, with the choruses of sailors and ladies
The end of Act III - the moment when Don Pédro orders Nélusko to punish Sélika is one of the strongest moments in opera - and then the storm hits
The beautiful duet that closes Act IV (and, earlier, the way the music changes between Nélusko and the chorus, so it seems they're breaking in on his thoughts)

_Robert le Diable_: the Air de Grâce
_Margherita d'Anjou_: the Act I finale; the buffo trio that becomes a sextet with chorus
_Il crociato in Egitto_: Act I finale; sextet

*French opera*
_La Juive_: The terrifying Act III finale; "Rachel, quand du seigneur"; the Eléazar / Brogni duet

_Benvenuto Cellini_: Act I finale; the Choeur des ciseleurs

_Béatrice & Bénédict_: duo nocturne

_La damnation de Faust_: "Villes entourées... Jam nox stellata"; La course à l'abîme & Pandemonium

_Les Troyens_: Act III finale (esp. with Vickers - "Exterminons!"); the Ottetto & double choeur - "Châtiment effroyable"

_Esclarmonde_: "Esprits de l'air, esprits de l'onde! Obéissez-moi!"
_Thais_: "Voilà donc la terrible cité!"
_Grisèlidis_: the Prologue, with Alain's beautiful "Ouvrez-vous sur mon front"; later, "Il partit au printemps"

_Les contes d'Hoffmann_ : "Des cendres de ton cœur" (one of the few bits in opera that makes me cry)

_La dame blanche_: The auction scene

_La muette de Portici_: The patriotic duo that was the signal for the Belgian revolution
_Le domino noir_: Act I finale

_Henry VIII_: the Synod scene - Henry VIII establishes the C of E

_Patrie!_: "C'est ici le berceau" and "Pauvre martyr obscur"

*Italian opera*

Lots of Rossini
_Tancredi _ Act I finale
_L'italana in Algeri_ Act I finale
_Ricciardo e Zoraide_ "Cruda sorte!" (trio); "Contro cento" (quartet)
_Donna del lago_ Act I finale
_Viaggio a Reims_ Gran pezzo concertato
_La Cenerentola_ sextet
_Bianca e Falliero_ quartet
_Armida_ mirror trio; Act I finale
_Guillaume Tell_ "Anathème à Gessler!"
_Matilde di Shabran_ sextet
The middle of Act II of _Otello_, from "L'ira d'avveso fato" to the terzetto - exciting stuff!

_Orazi & Curiazi_: The monumental Oath Scene
_Virginia_: Act I finale trio: "Calcande il mio cadavare"

_I puritani_: The opening scene, with the brass and the chorus, and the explosion of joy; the Act I finale, which always seems far more modern than bel canto; "Suoni la tromba intrepido"

_Imelda de' Lambertazzi_: the prelude; the Act I finale
_Lucrezia de Borgia_: the prelude, where Lucrezia is unmasked - "Maffeo Orsini, signora, son io"
_Anna Bolena_: Act I finale - "Giudici ad Anna?" "Scostati!"
_Maria Stuarda_: the meeting of the two queens; the prayer
_La favorite_: Act II finale

*Germans*

_Die Entführung aus dem Serail_: the joyous quartet "Ach, Belmonte!"
_Don Giovanni_: "Finch'an al vino"; the Act I finale - "Trema, trema, o scellerato!"; the sextet "Mille torbidi pensieri"
_La clemenza di Tito_: "Se'all impero"; the sublime finale "Tu, è ver, m'assolvi, Augusto"

_Fidelio_: the ensemble at the end

_Der Freischütz_: "Viktoria! Viktoria! der Meister soll leben"; the Hunters' Chorus
_Euryanthe_: Act II finale - cool instrumentation with the drums and brass

_Der fliegende Holländer_: "Steuermann, laß die Wacht!"
_Tannhäuser_: Act II finale; end of opera - "Heil! Heil! Der Gnade Wunder Heil!"
_Lohengrin_: arrival of Lohengrin; Act I finale; the Morgenröte; "In fernem Land"

*Slavic opera*
_Boris Godunov_: The Forest of Kromy scene! The Coronation Scene! Boris's aria
_Ruslan & Lyudmila_: Farlaf's rondo; Chernomor's march; the Act I finale
_A Life for the Tsar_: quartet
_Prince Igor_: The glorious opening chorus; Igor's aria "Ni sna, ni otdykha izmuchennoi dushe"
_Straszny dwór_: the opening ensemble; Act II finale; "Ten zegar stary"; the mazurka

*20th century opera*
_Turandot_ (a warhorse!): the big choruses - "Gira la cote, gira, gira!"; Turandot appears on the battlements; riddle scene; Zeffirelli's scenery

_Akhnaten_: The Window of Appearances; Attack and Fall
_Satyagraha_: Tagore - Confrontation & Rescue

Overtures!
_ZAMPA!!!_
_La dame blanche_ - wonderfully clean and lively
_Ruslan & Lyudmila_
_Maria Stuarda_
_Roberto Devereux_
_Rosmonda d'Inghilterra_ - Donizetti pulls out all the stops
_The Poet and the Peasant_
_Dinorah_
_Prince Igor_
_The Tsar's Bride_
_Le roi de Lahore_
_Le Cid_
_Sigurd_
_Benvenuto Cellini_
_Fra Diavolo_
_Le cheval de bronze_ (whose main theme comes from the terrific Act I finale)
_Das Liebesverbot_ (lookee, lookee, a Wagner!)
_Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor_
_The Makroupulous Case_

-- and Rossini, of course!


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

^ Brilliant post, Simon Templar! Is there a complete recording of Patrie!? I only know the aria 'Pauvre martyr obscur'.


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## Ivanbeeth (Nov 30, 2015)

Final scenes of act I and III of Die Walküre ("Dieser Augen strahlendes Paar..." :') ). The finales of Olympia's and Antonia's act in Les contes d'Hoffmann. Das Rheingold, from "He da he do" onwards. And, of course, Tannhäuser Dresden overture.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Figleaf said:


> ^ Brilliant post, Simon Templar! Is there a complete recording of Patrie!? I only know the aria 'Pauvre martyr obscur'.


Unfortunately not! It's at the top of works I most want recorded, followed closely by the complete works of Halévy.

There are recordings of "C'est ici le berceau" and a duet on YouTube.











The two arias are beautiful - noble and sonorous - and the duet strongly dramatic.

Arthur Pougin raved about the opera in the supplement to Clément's _Dictionnaire des opéras_, and David LeMarrec at Carnets sur Sol admires it a lot.


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

The moment in I PURITANI when you hear Elvira's voice offstage singing "O rendetemi la speme..." And later, the orchestral introduction to the long duet between Riccardo and Giorgio.

The recitative (or whatever you want to call it) right after "Casta diva" in NORMA, just before the cabaletta begins. It just sounds so typical of Bellini.

In Act II of TANNHAUSER, I love the solos of all the minstrels in the song contest. My favorite is probably Tannhauser's response to Wolfram's aria. I love the melody, the way it starts out slow and measured and then speeds up.

The part in SALOME when Salome is waiting for John the Baptist's head to be brought up. There's a great sense of tension there -- almost more like in a play than like in an opera.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Bellinilover said:


> The recitative (or whatever you want to call it) right after "Casta diva" in NORMA, just before the cabaletta begins. It just sounds so typical of Bellini.


The technical name for this element of 19th century Italian opera is "tempo di mezzo".


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