Drinking song by Verdi

This tune if from an opera by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)called La traviata.It is now one of the most popular operas ever written.





But the first performance in 1853 was not a success.This is partly because it used modern costumes like the one on the left.


This made the sad story too realistic.At the time,people thought that operas should be like fantasies,and not like real lift.
In some later performances,the singers had 17th-century costomes like the one shown here.This helped the opera became much more popular.

The Barber of Seville overture

Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) was a very famous and successful composer.He wrote The barber of Seville in 1816 for a theatre in Rome.


It was performed less than a month after he started to write it.Many people think it is one of the best comic operas ever written.

Imformation :Book name,Learn to Play more easy piano classics by caroline phipps

(ISBN 0-7460-1698-0)

Fidelio by Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven wrote many kinds of music.But although he was interested in theatre music,Fidelio was his only opera.


At first,audiences disliked the opera.Beethoven rewrote it several times before it was a success.On the left you can see a scene from the opera.

Imformation :Book name,Learn to Play more easy piano classics by caroline phipps

(ISBN 0-7460-1698-0)

Terzettino by Mozart

This tune is from a light-hearted opera called Cosi fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791).It was written in 1790.
Terzettino means "a little trio".It is a song for three people.

This is a page of music from the opera in mozart's handwriting.

Scene from a performance of "Cose fan tutte"

It took place in 1969 at a festival in Salzburg,the city where Mozart was born.

The words of the opera (the libretto ) were written by Lorenzo da Ponte.He also wrote the words for two of MoZart's other operas.--

Imformation :Book name,Learn to Play more easy piano classics by caroline phipps

(ISBN 0-7460-1698-0)