# Light or not so depressing romantic era operas?



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

Could someone give me a starting point for romantic era operas that didn't end in some sort of tragedy?


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Much Bel Canto. :tiphat:


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## FSM (May 18, 2012)

Rossini's _The Barber of Seville_ ends happily.


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## powerbooks (Jun 30, 2012)

Well, opera is supposed to be serious. If not tragedy, it is not a laughing mater, right? JK!

How about: Don Pasquale, L'Elisir d'Amore? Or even Wagner himself: Meistersinger!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

powerbooks said:


> Well, opera is supposed to be serious. If not tragedy, it is not a laughing mater, right? JK!
> 
> How about: Don Pasquale, L'Elisir d'Amore? Or even Wagner himself: Meistersinger!


Serious? For around 200 years or more serious operas and tragedies were less common than comedies.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Beethoven, Weber, and Schubert were all Romantic era composers, and their operas with which I'm familiar -- _Fidelio_, _Oberon_, _Der Freischütz_, and _Fierrabras_ -- all have happy endings. Not sure about _Euryanthe_ (Weber) or _Alfonso und Estrella _(Schubert), but I suspect they may also have happy endings.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

Two of my personal favorites are _Mignon_ by Ambroise Thomas, and Smetana's _The Bartered Bride_.


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## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

Thank you I had forgotten about some of those.


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## sah (Feb 28, 2012)

powerbooks said:


> Well, opera is supposed to be serious.


Don't forget the "opera buffa". However, it`s importance diminished during the Romantic Period.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_buffa


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## powerbooks (Jun 30, 2012)

sah said:


> Don't forget the "opera buffa". However, it`s importance diminished during the Romantic Period.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_buffa


Yes, I listed couple of "buffa" operas in the reply.

But isn't that what Beethoven and Wagner thought about what an opera was supposed to be? The ultimate form of serious art?

True, the stories may be buffa, but the real great ones (like Mozart's Figaro") is more than some laughing stock for sure. And I guess that is why it is so rare to create a great comedy opera!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Light music: G&S operetta.


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## powerbooks (Jun 30, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Light music: G&S operetta.


Thank you Maestro!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

powerbooks said:


> Thank you Maestro!


I'm no Maestro, but I am glad if my suggestion helped.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Try _Der Rosenkavalier_ by Richard Strauss. If you enjoy it, the laughs continue with its prequel, _Elektra_.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Try Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss. If you enjoy it, the laughs continue with its prequel, Elektra.

And you'll laugh your head off at _Salome_.:lol:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Manok said:


> Could someone give me a starting point for romantic era operas that didn't end in some sort of tragedy?


Bellini's La Sonnambula

Mascagni's L'amico Fritz


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Offenbach - Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Donizetti - L'elisir d'amore
Mozart - Le Nozze di Figaro
Mozart - Così fan tutte
Puccini - La Fanciulla del West
For starters .


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