# Operatic Interludes



## itywltmt (May 29, 2011)

In past posts - here and elsewhere - we've looked at _overtures _and _choruses _from many stage works, and today's playlist comes at stage works from a not too dissimilar angle, focusing this time on _interludes _- intermezzi, entr'actes and other tension breaking (or tension making) musical inserts within operas.

In many cases, these are curtain risers in their own way - though mid-stream, to reset the stage as the action resumes after an intermission. However (like in the case of Massenet's moving _Meditation_), these works pop up in the middle of the action.

Just to be a tad contrarian, I inserted what a _YouTube _post called an "intermezzo" to Mozart's great opera seria _Idomeneo_, assorted with soloists and chorus, so not really a gap in the action... Also, in addition to some oft-heard interludes, I inserted a couple of discoveries I made while assembling this playlisr. I hope you'll find those enjoyable - in fact, I often wonder why some of these are overlooked simply because the opera isn't part of the standard repertoire.

Happy listening!

*DETAILS*​
*Richard WAGNER (1813 - 1883)*
Prelude to Act III of _Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg_, WWV 96
NBC Symphony Orchestra
Arturo Toscanini, conducting

*Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924)*
Intermezzo (Act III) of _Manon Lescaut _(1893)
Koninklijk Concertgebouw Orkest
Antonio Pappano, conducting

*Georges BIZET (1838-1875)*
Entr'acte (Act III) from _Carmen _(1873-74)
Emmanuel Pahud, flute-
Berliner Philharmoniker, Gustavo Dudamel

*Enrique GRANADOS (1867-1916)*
Intermezzo from the opera _Goyescas_, H. 65
Dariusz Skoraczewski - cello
Inna Faliks - piano

*Umberto GIORDANO (1867-1948)*
Intermezzo from _Fedora _(1898)
Uncredited

*Franz SCHMIDT (1874-1939)*
Intermezzo from _Notre Dame_ (1904)
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Dr. Ľudovít Rajter - conductor

*Eugen D`ALBERT (1864-1932)*
Intermezzo from _Tiefland_, op. 34
Uncredited

*Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901)*
Prelude to Act III from _La Traviata _(1853)
NBC Symphony Orchestra
Arturo Toscanini, conductor

*Domenico ALALEONA (1881 -1928)*
Intermezzo from _Mirra _(1912-13)
Fausto Bongelli, piano

*Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)*
Intermezzo from _Idomeneo, rè di Creta_, K. 366
Coro da Camera e Soli, Reale Corte Armonica - Asolo
Orchestra da Camera Lorenzo da Ponte
Roberto Zarpellonm conducting

*Jules MASSENET (1842-1912)*
"Meditation" from _Thais _(1892)
Sarah Chang, violin
Uncredited orchestra
Placido Domingo conducting

*Pietro MASCAGNI (1863-1945)*
Intermezzo Sinfonico from _Cavalleria Rusticana _(1890)
Wiener Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan, conducting

*Richard WAGNER (1813 - 1883)*
Prelude to Act III of _Lohengrin_, WWV 75
NBC Symphony Orchestra
Arturo Toscanini, conducting

Playlist URL: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6swnss9F7SE1JG6WWnPgiy2x6g6OfCqA

*June 13, 2014, "I Think You Will Love This Music Too" will feature a new podcast "Tone Poems" at its Pod-O-Matic Channel .Read more June 13 on our blogs in English  and in French.*


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