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_janacek_jenůfa_
Jenůfa Synopsis The principal figures in "Jenufa" represent three generations of one family. Grandmother Buryja had two sons, the elder of whom married the widow Klemen, who already had one son, Laca. They had one son Steva, who inherited the family mill. The second son, widowed, with a daughter, Jenufa, married the K...
_janacek_katja_kabanova_
Katja Kabanova Synopsis ACT I The Kabanov household is dominated by the quarrelsome old woman Kabanicha, whose weak-willed son, Tichon, is married to Kát'a. Another man, Boris, has his eyes on Kát'a. Varvara, an orphan adopted into the household, sees Kát'a's unhappiness and urges her to follow her impulses. Tichon ...
_joplin_treemonisha_
Treemonisha Synopsis Treemonisha takes place in a former slave plantation in an isolated forest between Joplin's childhood town Texarkana and the Red rivers in Arkansas in September 1884. The plot centers on an 18 year old woman Treemonisha who is taught to read by a white woman, and then leads her community against t...
_kalman_csardasfürstin_
Csardasfürstin Synopsis Place: Budapest and ViennaTime: shortly before the out-break of the First World WarMittel-European Aristocracy is decaying shortly before the outbreak of World War I. In Act I, Silva Varescu, a self-sufficient and professionally-successful cabaret performer from Budapest,is about to embark on a...
_kalman_die_zirkusprinzessin_
Die Zirkusprinzessin Synopsis
_kalman_gräfin_mariza_
Gräfin Mariza Synopsis Place: HungaryTime: Around 1924.Act IAt the castle of the countess MarizaAt the terrace of a castle with an adjacent park. Countess Mariza spends a long time of her life in the city, so she trusts her rural estate to her bailiff - Count Tassilo, who is operating under the name of Török. Tassilo ...
_kienzl_der_evangelimann_
Der Evangelimann Synopsis Act 1Place and time: the Benedictine monastery St. Othmar in Lower Austria, in the year 1820.Mathias, clerk in the monastery of St. Othmar, is in love with Martha, the foster daughter of the magistrate Friedrich Engel. Mathias's brother Johannes is jealous of Martha's affection and starts an ...
_korngold_die_tote_stadt_
Die Tote Stadt Synopsis Place: Bruges, BelgiumTime: End of 19th CenturyAct 1When the opera opens, Paul, a younger middle-class man whose young wife, Marie, has recently died, cannot come to terms with the sad reality of her death. He keeps a "Temple of Memories" in her honor, including paintings, photographs and a loc...
_künnecke_vetter_aus_dingsda_
Vetter aus Dingsda Synopsis
_lalo_le_roi_d_ys_
Le Roi d'Ys Synopsis Time: The Middle AgesPlace: The city of Ys on the coast of BrittanyAct 1As part of a peace agreement, Margared, the daughter of the King of Ys, is bethrothed to Prince Karnac, a former enemy of the city. During the celebrations she confesses to her sister Rozenn that she really loves Mylio, a chil...
_leoncavallo_chatterton_
Chatterton Synopsis Chatterton lives as a lodger in a wealthy home. Unable to live by his writing, he has to look for a job to support himself. Unfortunately, he can only get a job as a servant. The other aspect of the situation is his thwarted and concealed love for Jenny Clark (Kitty Bell in Vigny's play), the wife ...
_leoncavallo_edipo_re_
Edipo re Synopsis
_leoncavallo_gli_zingari_
Gli Zingari Synopsis
_leoncavallo_pagliacci_
Pagliacci Synopsis PROLOGUE The clown Tonio delivers a prologue promising the audience that what they will see is no mere play-acting, but real life. ACT I A village in Calabria A crowd gathers to await the arrival of the strolling players and Canio invites them to a performance at 11 o'clock that night. As he and ...
_leoncavallo_zaza_
Zaza Synopsis
_ligeti_le_grand_macabre_
Le Grand Macabre Synopsis Act 1Scene 1This opens with a choir of 12 jarring car horns, played with pitches and rhythms specified in the score. These suggest, very abstractly, a barren modern landscape and a traffic jam of sorts. As the overture ends, Piet the Pot, "by trade wine taster," in the country of Breughelland...
_lortzing_der_waffenschmied_
Der Waffenschmied Synopsis
_lortzing_der_wildschütz_
Der Wildschütz Synopsis The Poacher
_lortzing_die_opernprobe_
Die Opernprobe Synopsis
_lortzing_undine_
Undine Synopsis ACT I The marriage of Hugo and Undine (adoptive daughter of a fisherman) is attended (in disguise) by Undine's real father, the water prince Kühleborn. He knows that Hugo should not have married Undine, because he was promised to Berthalda, the daughter of Duke Heinrich. Concerned for his daughter's ...
_lortzing_zar_und_zimmermann_
Zar und Zimmermann Synopsis Tsar and Carpenter, or The Two Peters
_léhar_der_zarewitsch_
Der Zarewitsch Synopsis The plot of Der Zarewitsch is loosely based on a true story: the self imposed exile of the son of Peter the Great, Alexei, who shirked his father's command by running away to Naples with his Finnish mistress disguised as a page. The couple spent two years galavanting around until Alexei was com...
_léhar_die_lustige_witwe_
Die Lustige Witwe Synopsis The Merry Widow ACT I The Paris embassy of the Balkan kingdom of Pontevedro. Baron Mirko Zeta, the Pontevedrian envoy, is concerned that the fortune of Hanna Glawari, a young Pontevedrian widow, is going to be lost to the nation by her remarriage. He hatches a plot to marry her off to a y...
_léhar_friederike_
Friederike Synopsis
_léhar_giuditta_
Giuditta Synopsis The alluring Giuditta abandons her husband Manuele, and runs off with Octavio, an army officer, to North Africa. Military obligations intervene, and Octavio leaves Giuditta behind. She becomes a night club dancer, only to be discovered by Octavio, after he eventually deserts his unit. Giuditta is a s...
_léhar_graf_von_luxembourg_
Graf von Luxembourg Synopsis
_léhar_land_des_lächelns_
Land des Lächelns Synopsis The operetta is set in Vienna and China in 1912. In Act I, in Vienna, the heroine Lisa, a Countess, marries a Chinese prince and returns with him to his homeland despite the warnings of her friends and family. In Act II, in Beijing, she finds that she is unable to come to terms with his cult...
_léhar_paganini_
Paganini Synopsis Set in Lucca, the story concerns the love affair of Niccolò Paganini, the irresistibly charming violinist, with Élisa Bonaparte, the arts and theatre-loving younger sister of Napoleon.
_léhar_zigeunerliebe_
Zigeunerliebe Synopsis
_marschner_der_templer_und_die_jüdin_
Der Templer und die Jüdin Synopsis The opera is set in England at the end of the 12th century and the main characters include The Black Knight, King Richard 'the Lionheart', Saxons, Normans, Templars and Robin Hood (here called Lokslei, i.e., Locksley) and his band of outlaws.
_marschner_der_vampyr_
Der Vampyr Synopsis Place: ScotlandTime: the eighteenth century.Act 1Scene 1: After midnightAt a Witches' Sabbath, the Vampire Master tells Lord Ruthven that if he cannot sacrifice three virgin brides within the next 24 hours, he will die. If he can, he will be granted another year of life. The clock strikes one, and ...
_marschner_hans_heiling_
Hans Heiling Synopsis Place: Bohemian ore mountainsTime: 14th century.PrologueAfter falling in love with the mortal Anna, Hans Heiling plans to leave the underworld empire of Erdgeister to wed her. Ignoring the attempts of his mother the Queen to persuade him to stay, he takes some jewels and a magic book enabling him...
_martini_il_tedesco_
Il Tedesco Synopsis
_martin_y_soler_una_cosa_rara_
Una cosa rara Synopsis The town mayor and the Spanish prince Don Giovanni try to seduce the virtuous Lilla, who is engaged to Lubino. The queen finds out and resolves the state of affairs so Lilla is able to marry her beloved.
_mascagni_amica_
Amica Synopsis
_mascagni_amico_fritz_
Amico Fritz Synopsis Time: indefinite; sometime in the 19th centuryPlace: indefinite; probably somewhere in AlsaceAct 1The dining room of Fritz Kobus' houseFritz Kobus, a wealthy landowner is in discussion with his friend David, the local rabbi. Despite his disdain for marriage Fritz agrees to provide the dowry for a ...
_mascagni_cavalleria_rusticana_
Cavalleria Rusticana Synopsis ONE AND ONLY ACT A Square in a Sicilian village early on Easter Sunday Before the curtain rises Turiddu can be heard serenading Lola. Santuzza nervously approaches Turiddu's mother, Mamma Lucia, as she opens her wine shop, and asks where Turiddu is. When Mamma Lucia answers that Turiddu h...
_mascagni_gugliermo_ratcliff_
Gugliermo Ratcliff Synopsis Place: The North of ScotlandTime: Early 19th centuryAct 1Count Douglas, Maria's betrothed, arrives at the Castle of Maria and her father MacGregor. He tells them how he was attacked by bandits near the castle but saved by an unknown knight. Maria faints, and then recovers. MacGregor tells D...
_mascagni_iris_
Iris Synopsis
_mascagni_isabeau_
Isabeau Synopsis King Raimondo tries to find a husband for the princess Isabeau by holding a tournament, but she is unwilling to choose a husband. When the king forces her to ride naked through the city, the people refuse to look at her out of respect. Furthermore, they demand from the king an edict condemning to blin...
_mascagni_lodoletta_
Lodoletta Synopsis
_mascagni_zanetto_
Zanetto Synopsis Setting: the Tuscan countryside during the RenaissanceThe following synopsis was published in the souvenir libretto printed for the New York premiere of Zanetto in 1902:Silvia is the rich and beautiful hostess of a country hotel, who has been besieged by lovers of almost every description, she repulse...
_massenet_cherubin_
Cherubin Synopsis Act 1Chérubin, the young page of Count Almaviva, has just received a commission in the army. The Philosopher, Chérubin's teacher, announces to the servants that there will be celebrations to mark this event. The Duke and the Baron reveal that Chérubin has invited the famous Spanish dancer L'Ensoleill...
_massenet_don_quichote_
Don Quichote Synopsis
_massenet_esclarmonde_
Esclarmonde Synopsis The story is based on a medieval legend and revolves around Esclarmonde, an empress and sorceress of Byzantium. Sequestered by her emperor father, Phorcas, who has recently abdicated the throne to her, she bemoans her love for Roland, a knight and Count of Blois, believing she will never be allowe...
_massenet_hérodiade_
Hérodiade Synopsis Act 1In a courtyard outside Hérode's palace in Jerusalem. After a short introduction merchants are seen arguing; they are calmed by Phanuel who urges co-operation with the Romans.Salomé enters, desperately seeking her mother Hérodiade, who sent her away when she married King Hérode. Salomé is also l...
_massenet_la_navarraise_
La Navarraise Synopsis Place: SpainTime: Carlist War in 1874.A lowly-born girl from Navarre, Anita (La Navarraise), is in love with a soldier, Araquil. Araquil's father, Remigio, finds Anita unacceptable and insists she pay a sum of two-thousand duros as a dowry, knowing she will not be able to raise the money. Hearin...
_massenet_le_cid_
Le Cid Synopsis Problems listening to these files? See media help.
_massenet_le_jongleur_de_notre_dame_
Le Jongleur De Notre Dame Synopsis Place: FranceTime: Medieval periodJean, a juggler, is severely taken to task by the Prior for singing vulgar songs outside the local monastery. Seeing that Jean is filled with remorse, the Prior asks him to join the order of monks. Jean does so, and is befriended by the monastery's c...
_massenet_le_portrait_de_manon_
Le Portrait de Manon Synopsis The opera opens with a chorus of peasants singing outside the home of the Chevalier Des Grieux; they remind him of his own happier days and he looks at his miniature portrait of Manon. His nephew Jean arrives for a history lesson but tells Des Grieux that he is in love with Aurore. Des Gr...
_massenet_le_roi_de_lahore_
Le Roi de Lahore Synopsis Act 1The citizens of Lahore gather at the temple to pray for divine protection against the Moslem invaders, and receive encouragement from Timour, the high priest. Scindia, minister of King Alim is in love with Sita, his niece, who is also a priestess at the temple. Scindia asks Timour to rel...
_massenet_manon_
Manon Synopsis ACT I
_massenet_marie_magdalena_
Marie Magdalena Synopsis
_massenet_sappho_
Sappho Synopsis Place: ParisTime: late 19th centuryThe story concerns the beautiful Sapho, an artist's model of a certain age and notorious life, whose real name is Fanny Legrand. She begins an affair with a young man, Jean Gaussin, but the relationship, as is so often the case in opera, is ill-fated.Act 1A fancy ball...
_massenet_thais_
Thais Synopsis Act 1Scene 1A group of Cenobite monks go about their daily business. Athanaël, the most rigorous ascetic of them all, enters and confesses to the senior monk, Palémon, that he has lately been disturbed by visions of a courtesan and priestess of Venus named Thaïs, whom he had seen many years ago in his n...
_massenet_werther_
Werther Synopsis ACT I The magistrate's house, July The magistrate is supervising his children's practice of Christmas carols, exhorting them to better efforts by reminding them that their sister Charlotte can hear them. Johann and Schmidt, two of his cronies, call in on their way to the inn. He decides not to join...
_mendelssohn_sommernachtstraum_
Sommernachtstraum Synopsis
_menotti_amahl_and_the_nightvisitors_
Amahl and the Nightvisitors Synopsis Place: Near Bethlehem.Time: The first century, just after the birth of ChristAmahl, a disabled boy who can walk only with a crutch, has a problem with telling tall tales and, occasionally, lying. He is sitting outside playing his shepherd's pipe when his mother calls for him (Amahl...
_menotti_old_maid_and_thief_
Old maid and thief Synopsis This one-act opera, divided into 14 scenes, is about an old maid, Miss Todd, who is a busybody in her small town. Though she is of high standing in her community, her love life has been bare for over forty years. Her housemaid Laetitia is a young, catty eavesdropper who is wary of becoming ...
_menotti_saint_of_bleeckerstreet_
Saint of Bleeckerstreet Synopsis
_menotti_the_consul_
The Consul Synopsis Place: An unidentified European totalitarian country.Act 1Scene 1The political dissident John Sorel is on the run from the secret police. At his home, his wife Magda and his mother hide him. The police arrive and search, but cannot find him. John says that he will escape to the border, and tells Ma...
_menotti_the_medium_
The Medium Synopsis Act 1The medium's parlorMonica, Madame Flora's daughter, and Toby, a mute servant boy rescued from "the streets of Budapest" play dress-up. When Madame Flora, or "Baba" as they call her, arrives home drunk, she violently chastises them for not preparing for that night's seance. Soon the guests arri...
_menotti_the_telephone_
The Telephone Synopsis Ben, bearing a gift, comes to visit Lucy at her apartment; he wants to propose to her before he leaves on a trip. Despite his attempts to get her attention for sufficient time to ask his question, Lucy is occupied with interminable conversations on the telephone. Between her calls, when Lucy lea...
_mercadante_elena_da_feltre_
Elena da Feltre Synopsis
_mercadante_il_giuramento_
Il Giuramento Synopsis Setting: SyracuseTime: 14th centuryAct 1Bianca has been married against her will to Count Manfredo, although she is secretly in love with an unknown knight. Elaisa, a young woman in search of the daughter of her benefactor, and Viscardo arrive in the city. The disgraced courtier Brunoro discover...
_mercadante_virginia_
Virginia Synopsis Place: Ancient RomeVirginia, a plebeian, is the virgin daughter of Virginio, a Roman soldier. She and Icilio, a patrician, are in love and wish to marry. However Appio Claudio has declared that patricians and plebs can not marry one another, a fact which makes their marriage impossible. At the same t...
_meyerbeer_les_hugenots_
Les Hugenots Synopsis The story culminates in the historical St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572 in which thousands of French Huguenots (Protestants) were slaughtered by Catholics in an effort to rid France of Protestant influence. Although the massacre was a historical event, the rest of the action, which primaril...
_meyerbeer_le_pardon_de_ploërmel_
Le Pardon de Ploërmel (Dinorah) Synopsis Time: Nineteenth centuryPlace: BrittanyAct 1In the Breton village of PloërmelDuring the annual pilgrimage to the chapel of the Virgin, Dinorah has gone mad because her bridegroom Hoël disappeared following a storm that interrupted their wedding on the same day the previous year....
_meyerbeer_le_prophète_
Le Prophète Synopsis Time: The religious wars of 16th centuryPlace: Germany.(Jean de Leyde (based on the historical John of Leiden), whose beloved, Berthe, is coveted by Count Oberthal, ruler of Dordrecht, is persuaded by a trio of sinister Anabaptists to proclaim himself king in Münster)OvertureMeyerbeer originally w...
_meyerbeer_l__africaine_
L' Africaine Synopsis The opera depicts fictional events in the life of the explorer Vasco da Gama.Place: Lisbon, at sea, and in an exotic new land.Time: late 15th centuryAct 1The council chamber, LisbonThe beautiful Inèz is forced by her father, the Grand Admiral Don Diego, to marry Don Pédro instead of her true love...
_meyerbeer_nordstern_
Nordstern Synopsis
_meyerbeer_robert_le_diable_
Robert le Diable Synopsis Act 5The Cathedral of Palermo. Against a background of chanting monks, Bertram reveals to Robert that he is Robert's true father and is willing to renege on his obligation to deliver him to the devil. Enter Alice, with news that the Prince refuses to marry Isabelle. She also reads her mother'...
_meyerbeer_vielka_
Vielka Synopsis The opera is set during the Third Silesian War, a part of the larger Seven Years' War.
_millöcker_gasparone_
Gasparone Synopsis Place: Mediterranean coast near the town of Syracuse, SicilyTime: 1820
_moniuszko_halka_
Halka Synopsis Act 1Guests at an engagement party are happy to note that the wedding of Janusz, a wealthy young landowner, to Zofia, the daughter of an even wealthier landowner named Stolnik, will unite two huge estates. Sofia and Janusz celebrate a toast with Stolnik, and Stolnik calls Janusz the son he has always wa...
_monteverdi_ariane_
Ariane Synopsis The action is preceded by a brief prologue, delivered by Apollo. Venus and Cupid are then discovered, in conversation, on a desolate seashore. Venus informs Cupid that Ariadne and Theseus will soon be arriving on the island of Naxos on their way to Athens. They are fleeing from Crete, where the pair ha...
_monteverdi_arianna_
Arianna Synopsis
_monteverdi_combattimento_tancredi_
Combattimento Tancredi Synopsis
_monteverdi_il_ritorno_d_ulisse_in_patria_
Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in patria Synopsis The Return of Ulysses to his Homeland PROLOGUE Human Frailty recognizes its subservience to the power of Time, Fortune and Love. ACT I In the palace of Ulysses (Ulisse) on the island of Ithaca, Penelope, Ulysses' wife, awaits his return from the Trojan wars, lamenting his ab...
_monteverdi_l__incoronazione_di_poppea_
L' Incoronazione di Poppea Synopsis The Coronation of Poppea
_monteverdi_l__orfeo_
L' Orfeo Synopsis Orpheus PROLOGUE The spirit of music invites the audience to listen to the story of Orpheus (Orfeo), whose music could tame wild animals and conquer the underworld. ACT I In the fields of Thrace the marriage of Orpheus and Eurydice (Euridice) is being celebrated. Orpheus sings a song of love and...
_moore_the_ballad_of_baby_doe_
The Ballad of Baby Doe Synopsis
_moreno_torroba_luisa_fernanda_
Luisa Fernanda Synopsis
_mozart_apollo_et_hyacinthus_
Apollo et Hyacinthus Synopsis King Oebalus of Lacedaemonia and his son, Hyacinthus are preparing a sacrifice to Apollo when their altar is struck by a bolt of lightning. Apollo himself arrives to offer his friendship to young Hyacinthus and love to his sister, Melia. Melia's euphoria over the prospect of marrying a de...
_mozart_ascanio_in_alba_
Ascanio in Alba Synopsis Place: the site of the future city of Alba Longa, near RomeTime: mythical times.Act 1The opening scene introduces Venus and Ascanio, the son she had by Aeneas. (In most classical sources, Venus/Aphrodite is the mother of Aeneas.) The goddess vaunts the charms of Alba and invites her son to go ...
_mozart_bastien_und_bastienne_
Bastien und Bastienne Synopsis Place: A pastoral villageTime: IndeterminateBastienne, a shepherdess, fears that her "dearest friend", Bastien, has forsaken her for another pretty face, and decides to go into the pasture to be comforted by her flock of lambs.Before she can leave, however, she runs into Colas, the villa...
_mozart_cosi_fan_tutte_
Cosi Fan Tutte Synopsis Women Are Like That ACT I Ferrando and Guglielmo are convinced of the fidelity of Fiordiligi and Dorabella, the two sisters to whom they are betrothed. Don Alfonso, on the other hand, claims all women are fickle and wagers that he can prove it. The young men agree to take Alfonso's test, and...
_mozart_die_entführung_aus_dem_serail_
Die Entführung aus dem Serail Synopsis The Escape from the Harem ACT I Pedrillo, Constanze and her servant Blonde are being held captive by Pasha Selim. Belmonte, Pedrillo's master and Constanze's long-lost lover, comes looking for her. In the palace garden he meets Osmin, one of the pasha's stewards, who initially...
_mozart_die_zauberflote_
Die Zauberflöte Synopsis The Magic Flute ACT I
_mozart_don_giovanni_
Don Giovanni Synopsis ACT I Leporello waits outside a house where his master, Don Giovanni, is forcing himself upon Donna Anna. She cries for help and her father, the Commendatore, runs to her assistance. In the ensuing fight Don Giovanni kills the Commendatore. Donna Anna and her betrothed, Don Ottavio, vow revenge...
_mozart_idomeneo_
Idomeneo Synopsis Idomeneus, King of Crete ACT I King Idomeneus (ldomeneo) has sent prisoners from Troy back to Crete, including Ilia, King Priam's daughter. Unknown to Idomeneus, Ilia and Idamantes (Idamante), Idomeneus's son, are in love, and Idamantes is also loved by Elektra (Elettra). Idomeneus is set to retur...
_mozart_il_re_pastore_
Il Re Pastore Synopsis The king of Macedonia, Alessandro, has overthrown Stratone, the tyrant of Sidon, but aims to find the rightful king.Act 1In a meadow. The city of Sidon can be seen from a distance.Elisa is with her lover Aminta, the shepherd. She assures him that the war between King Alessandro and Stratone, the...
_mozart_il_sogno_di_scipione_
Il Sogno di Scipione Synopsis Place: North Africa, during the reign of Massinissa, King of Eastern NumidiaTime: 200 B.C.Fortuna and Constanza approach the sleeping Scipio and offer to accompany him through life. However, first he has to choose between Fortuna, the provider of the world's good things, and the reliable,...
_mozart_la_clemenza_di_tito_
La Clemenza di Tito Synopsis The Clemency of Titus
_mozart_la_finta_giardiniera_
La Finta giardiniera Synopsis Time: the 18th centuryPlace:the Podestà 's estate in LagoneroSummary: The story follows Count Belfiore and the Marchioness Violante Onesti, who were lovers before Belfiore stabbed Violante in a fit of rage. The story begins with the revived Violante and her servant Roberto disguised as "S...
_mozart_la_finta_semplice_
La Finta semplice Synopsis Place: Cassandro's estate near CremonaTime: mid-18th centuryAct 1Captain Fracasso and his Hungarian troops are stationed near Cremona. He lodges in the home of Don Cassandro. Captain Fracasso falls in love with Giacinta, and Simone with Ninetta. Fracasso and Giacinta want to marry, as do Sim...
_mozart_le_nozze_di_figaro_
Le Nozze di Figaro Synopsis The Marriage of Figaro ACT I Figaro and Susanna, Count Almaviva's servants, are preparing for their imminent wedding, when Susanna reveals that she is being pursued by the count.
_mozart_le_oca_del_cairo_
Le Oca del Cairo Synopsis
_mozart_lo_sposo_deluso_
Lo Sposo Deluso Synopsis
_mozart_lucio_silla_
Lucio Silla Synopsis The story concerns the Roman dictator Lucio Silla (Lucius Sulla) who lusts after Giunia, the daughter of his enemy Caius Marius. Giunia, on the other hand, loves the exiled senator Cecilio.