Verona Opera 2005 Season Summer Opera Program. Opera - La Gioconda. Composer - Amilcare Ponchielli. The Original & Best Tours

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1 The Original & Best Tours Verona Opera 2005 Season Opera in Verona, Italy Summer Opera Program Opera - La Gioconda Composer - Amilcare Ponchielli Born in 1834 in Northern Italy, Ponchielli began his musical studies at a precocious age rising to fame with his first two operas, I Promessi Sposi and Le Due Gemelle. The opera to which he owes his widely acclaimed fame is La Gioconda. Performed for the first time at La Scala in Milan in 1876, it received high acclaim from the public and marked a turning point for Ponchielli who is considered to be the second most famous of all Italian opera composers.

2 History of La Gioconda and Synopsis This melodramatic story is loosely based upon French author Victor Hugo s play, Angelo. Set in 17 th century Venice La Gioconda tells the story of a fortuitous Venetian singer, La Gioconda, and her profound love for the indecisive and womanizing Enzo Grimaldo, a Genoese nobleman. When she finds that Enzo has been unfaithful and realizes that he and his mistress are in grave danger of the mistress s jealous husband, she rushes to aid them, but at a high cost of eventually taking her own life to avoid being killed by Barnaba, the Inquisition spy. Arena di Verona June 17, June 25, July 2, July 12, July 16, July 21, July 30 Opera - Nabucco Composer - Giuseppe Verdi

3 Born of humble origins as the son of an innkeeper, Verdi is the most famous of the great Italian opera composers. His genius as a dramatic composer with a unique style brought him a great deal of fame even during his lifetime. He was elected a senator and even offered the honorary title of Marquis, which he did not accept. Among Verdi s most famous works are La Traviata, Rigoletto and Aida History of Nabucco and Synopsis An opera in four acts, Verdi s Nabucco is set in 586 B.C. and recounts the intriguing tale of love, jealousy between family members, and religious tension in Jerusalem and Babylon. This beautiful biblical tale ends with resolution amongst the characters all wrongs are righted. Arena di Verona June 18, June 24, July 1, July 8, July 15, July 19, July 22, July 29, August 5, August 16, August 19, August 23, Friday August 26 Opera - Aida

4 Composer - Giuseppe Verdi Born of humble origins as the son of an innkeeper, Verdi is the most famous of the great Italian opera composers. His genius as a dramatic composer with a unique style brought him a great deal of fame even during his lifetime. He was elected a senator and even offered the honorary title of Marquis, which he did not accept. Among Verdi s most famous works are La Traviata, Rigoletto and Aida History of Aida and Synopsis Commissioned by the Khedive of Egypt and based upon a sketch by Mariette Bey, Aida is one of Puccini s most famous works. The opera tells a tragic tale of the delicate relationships between the warring Egyptians and the Ethiopians characters. The romantic intrigue involves characters on both sides of the conflict and ends with the sorrowful death of the furtive couple. Arena di Verona June 23, June 26, July 3, July 10, July 14, July 17, July 20, July 24, July 27, July 31, August 4, August 7, August 14, August 18, August 21, August 25, August 28, August 31

5 Opera - La Bohème Composer - Giacomo Puccini Born in Lucca in 1858, Puccini has composed some of the most well known (and loved) operas of all time, among them La Boheme, Tosca and Madame Butterfly. He inherited his family s musical legacy and began studying music quite early on. Undoubtedly among the greatest of the masters of operatic composition, orchestration and dramatic lyrical style are his trademarks. History of La Bohème and Synopsis Giacomo Puccini s La Bohème is a tragic love story set in mid 1800 s bohemian Paris. The perfectly balanced comic and tragic lyrical performance is perhaps one of history s most famous love stories between lovers Rodolfo and Mimi. Arena di Verona, July 9, July 13, July 23, July 28, August 6, August 12, August 20

6 Opera - Turandot Composer - Giacomo Puccini Born in Lucca in 1858, Puccini has composed some of the most well known (and loved) operas of all time, among them La Boheme, Tosca and Madame Butterfly. He inherited his family s musical legacy and began studying music quite early on. Undoubtedly among the greatest of the masters of operatic composition, orchestration and dramatic lyrical style are his trademarks. History of Turandot and Synopsis This heart-warming opera is another masterpiece by Puccini. Princess Turandot is a heartless ruler of ancient Peking who executes any suitor who cannot answer her infamous three riddles. When Calàf, an ingenious young man sets eyes upon Princess Turandot, his desire to conquer the Princess is inexhaustible. He properly answers all of Turandot s riddles and justly wins her heart, but challenges the Princess to answer a riddle of his own thus forcing Turandot to change her cruel ways. Arena di Verona, August 13, August 17, August 24, August 27, August 30

7 NOTE: Jacket and tie required for men, evening wear for women. Please arrive at the theatre at least 20 minutes before the opera begins. Late comers will be admitted at intervals, no refunds will be given for late arrivals.