# What are the most spectacular opera choruses?



## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

Just I played on YouTube the ending from Puccini's Turandot. Oh God, this is so riveting, magnificent in the highest degree. I've never heard the whole opera, but with music such as it, I'm eager to listen to more operas from the most diverse composers.

So, I want to know the most astounding choruses you know, the loveliest ones, the most uplifting, the most heavenly, the most thunderous, the most imposing, the most touching ones.

In addition, please, mention the chorus as it appears in the work in order to find it easily (e.g. Wagner's The Flying Dutchman - Act II: Summ und brumm, du gutes Rädchen (Spinning chorus)).


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

The choruses in _Mefistofele _just blow me away!! Incredible.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

_Turandot _is easily my favourite Puccini. It actually took me a while to warm to Liù's arias, but I loved the choruses from the start - and, at one point, had "Gira la cote" as my ringtone!

Try these for starters...

_*I: 18TH CENTURY OPERA*_

*Rameau*
_Acante et Céphise_
Vive le race de nos rois (



)

*Mozart*
_Idomeneo_
Nettuno s'onori: 



Scenda Amor, scenda Imeneo : 




_Die Entführung aus dem Serail_
Janissary chorus: 




*Salieri*
_Les Danaïdes_
Finale:


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

_*II: GERMAN OPERA*_

*Beethoven*
_Fidelio_
Prisoners' Chorus: 



Finale: 




*Weber*
_Der Freischütz_
Hunter's Chorus (



)

*Marschner*
_Hans Heiling_
Aus der Klüfte Schund: 




*Lortzing*
_Der Waffenschmied_
Sprühe, Flamme! Glühe, Eisen!: 




*Wagner*
_Flying Dutchman_
Spinning chorus
Sailors' chorus: 




_Tannhäuser_
Entry of the guests: 



Pilgrims' chorus: 



Act 3 finale: 




_Lohengrin_
Most of Act I is made up of choruses - and fine ones, too!
The Bridal Chorus

_Parsifal_
Act I finale (Grail Scene)
Nur eine Waffe taugt, leading into that luminous finale: 




*Strauss*
_Die Frau ohne Schatten_
Act I finale :


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

*III: ITALIAN OPERA*

*Meyerbeer*
_Il crociato in Egitto_
Vedi il legno: 




*Bellini*
_Norma_
Guerra, Guerra!: 




_I puritani_
Introduzione: 




*Donizetti*
_Dom Sébastien_
Marche funèbre: 



(Called for 1,000 singers - and Mahler quoted the theme)

*Mercadante*
_Orazi e Curiazi_
Oath: 




*Verdi*
_Trovatore_
Anvil chorus: 




_Aida_
Gloria all'Egitto: 




_Otello_
Opening, with storm:


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

*IV: FRENCH OPERA*

*Meyerbeer*
_Les Huguenots_
Act II finale: 



Blessing of the Swords: 




_Le Prophète_
Prêche anabaptiste: 




*Berlioz*
_Benvenuto Cellini_
Chœur des ciseleurs
Act I finale: 




_Damnation de Faust_
Villes entourées: 



Course à l'Abîme & Pandaemonium : 




_Les Troyens_
Marche & hymne: 



Act 2 finale : 



Act 3 finale: 



Chasse royale & orage: 




*Gounod*
_Faust_
Kermesse: 



Soldiers' chorus: 




_Cinq-Mars_
Conjuration : 




*Bizet*
_Carmen_
March: 




*Reyer*
_Sigurd_
Dieux terribles:


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

*V: SLAVIC OPERA*

*Mussorgsky*
_Boris Godunov_
Coronation scene: 



)
Forest of Kromy scene: 



)

*Borodin*
_Prince Igor_
Boyars' chorus: 



Polovtsian dances: 




*Rimsky-Korsakov*
_Kashchei the Deathless_
Choral finale: 




*Moniuszko*
_Straszny dwór_
Opening chorus: 



Mazurka:


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

*VI: 20TH CENTURY OPERA*

*Glass*
_Satyagraha_
Confrontation and rescue: 




_Akhnaten_
Attack and fall: 




*Adams*
_Nixon in China_
The People Are the Heroes Now:


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

More...

*Nicolai*
_Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor_
Mondchor: 




*Nessler*
_Der Trompeter von Säkkingen_
Prologue chorus: 




*Mascagni*
_Cavalleria rusticana_
Easter Hymn:


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

Ino del sole from Mascagni´s Iris:


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## PlaySalieri (Jun 3, 2012)

The choruses at the end of Die Zauberflote acts both act 1 and 2 are uplifting.

Yes the Turandot chorus is great.


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## Thomyum2 (Apr 18, 2018)

I think the choral music in Britten's _Peter Grimes _ has always stood out for me and is worthy of mention here as it's used in a unique way. It's woven throughout the story so the music may not stand on its own as individual pieces, but it is intense and riveting, to use your word. I've heard it said that the chorus acts as one of the major characters in the opera, and I think that's really true - it almost takes on a whole personality of its own, acting as an antagonist to the main character.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I have a special fondness for the chorus in Act Three of Die Meistersinger, welcoming and acknowledging Hans Sachs' contributions to the Guild of Meistersingers. Spectacular and highly moving.


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## Lisztian (Oct 10, 2011)

I love this one:


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Lisztian said:


> I love this one:


That one crossed my mind, but I consider it more an ensemble. It's genius, whatever it is!


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

Many thanks for your suggestions. Plenty of scintillating choruses and operas wait for me!

And *NickFuller*, really many many thanks for your great effort sharing so many links and the names of the choruses! :tiphat: You look like a big opera fan, don't you?


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

MusicSybarite said:


> Many thanks for your suggestions. Plenty of scintillating choruses and operas wait for me!
> 
> And *NickFuller*, really many many thanks for your great effort sharing so many links and the names of the choruses! :tiphat: You look like a big opera fan, don't you?


My pleasure - hope you enjoy them!


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## sharkeysnight (Oct 19, 2017)

Not sure if this counts, but the ending of Bernstein's "Let Your Garden Grow", when the orchestra drops out and you're left with a soaring wall of voices, gives me absolute chills every time I hear it - it's such a great use of massed vocals.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

sharkeysnight said:


> Not sure if this counts, but the ending of Bernstein's "Let Your Garden Grow", when the orchestra drops out and you're left with a soaring wall of voices, gives me absolute chills every time I hear it - it's such a great use of massed vocals.


Yes! Sheer magic.

I also like "What a day, what a day, for an auto-da-fe!".


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## gellio (Nov 7, 2013)

NickFuller said:


> *Salieri*
> _Les Danaïdes_
> Finale:


Thank you! It is such a shame that Salieri is mostly known for the play/film that vilified him. _Danaïdes_ is amazing. Thank you for given a shout out.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

NickFuller said:


> _Tannhäuser_
> Entry of the guests:
> 
> 
> ...


Well there are a couple of A+ entries, based on my (entirely subjective) perspective! But how about the "Summoning of the Vassals" from _Götterdämmerung_?!

It's great musically. It's great dramaturgically. Finally, it's great because of the way in materializes... not just in the Opera, but in The Tetrology(!)


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## Fidelio101 (Sep 19, 2018)

Va pensiero from Nabucco


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