Beatrice et Benedict. Par BERLIOZ HECTOR. New Edition Of The Complete Works (New Berlioz Edition). Urtext / Opéra-opérette / Répertoire / Chant

Par HAENDEL GEORG FRIEDRICH. 'Rodrigo” was premiered in autumn 1707 in Florence and is therefore one of Handel's early stage works. The composer, only 22 years old, wrote a densely-woven musical scenario for his first opera composed in Italy . It masterfully portrays the dramatic states of mind of the protagonists surrounding the Iberian tyrant Rodrigo and the plot full of deception, betrayal , adultery, war as well as the transformation wrought by Rodrigo's abdication. The work was not, as was long thought, a commission from the Prince of Medici. Despite this, ' Rodrigo” seems to have been so popular that Handel extended his stay in Italy and was able to compose several operas during the following period. In ' Rodrigo” , the mastery which made Handel's succeeding opera ' Agrippina” such a success, is already clearly evident . ' Agrippina” consequently made Handel's name famous throughout Europe and soon led to his first journey to London . The new vocal score is based on Volume II/2 of the 'Halle Handel Edition” (BA 4083). The appendix contains the surviving variants in the versions of the first performances from Handel's lifetime./ Répertoire / Chant

Romantische Opera in three acts. Par SCHUBERT FRANZ. Alfonso und Estrella D 732 Romatic Opera in 3 Acts In late September or early October 1821 Schubert and his close friend, Franz von Schober, vacationed in the countryside of Lower Austria. Their first stopover was at Ochsenburg Castle, which belonged to the Bishop of St. Pölten (a close relative of Schober’s), after which they moved on to St. Pölten itself. Roughly a year earlier, two stage works by Schubert had been performed in Vienna: the one-act singspiel Die Zwillingsbrüder and the melodrama Die Zauberharfe. The librettos were both written by the seasoned Viennese playwright Georg von Hofmann, who blamed the press for the indifferent reception the two works weregiven by the audience. Schubert and Schober now decided, it would seem, to write a grand romantic opera uninfluenced by the workaday world of the theatre and beholden solely to their own ideas of what an opera should be. Not until 24 June 1854 was the opera finally performed in Weimar, under the baton of Franz Liszt. It only achieved success, however, in an arrangement by Johann Nepomuk Fuchs that was staged on many German and Austrian stages in 1881–2, allegedly with 'brilliant acclaim'. Urtext of the New Schubert Edition Full score (BA5540) and vocal score (BA5540-90) available for sale Performance material (BA5540-72) available for hire/ Répertoire / Chant