Best Opera Overture

**welldressedfellow** · February 7th, 2009 15:59

We've had "Best Opera" threads,but never to my knowledge a thread devoted to opera overtures.Well anyway,my personal favorite is Nabucco.What is yours?

**AMVanquish** · February 7th, 2009 22:29

Le Nozze de Figaro

**Franko** · February 7th, 2009 22:54

William Tell.

Not just because it was utilised for The Lone Ranger.
There is also the little matter that an overture should have some relation to the music that follows, William Tell does not quite do this in the then conventional sense, none of the tunes in it's overture feature in the opera itself, very contrary but landmark.

This reminds me that I miss Rossini posting and hope he pops back in from SF sometime soon.

F.

**anglophile23** · February 8th, 2009 15:17

Originally Posted by AMVanquish

Le Nozze de Figaro

Seconded

**Des Esseintes** · February 10th, 2009 23:59

Don Giovanni

**Carlton-Browne** · February 11th, 2009 01:51

Die Zauberflöte.

**upr_crust** · February 11th, 2009 06:46

. . . the Met Opera was playing it (for the Sat. afternoon broadcast) as I was leaving New York in 1976, at the end of my student internship - my first long-term exposure to NYC. (I remember hearing it in my parents' car as we were driving up the Major Deegan towards New England.)

My first long-term stay in NYC planted the seeds of the addiction to Manhattan from which I have suffered ever since . . .

**NZNorm** · February 11th, 2009 07:27

Verdi - La forza del destino. Listen to Toscanini's 1952 recording- amazing.

**Dhaller** · February 24th, 2009 12:52

How can this be ranked? I know my favorites vary like lunar phases...

I was just listning to Delibes' "Lakme" when I was cooking dinner last night (wife in Japan = comedy of me faring for myself), mostly because I adore the coloratura, but I was thinking how kind of surprising the overture is, sort of grand but with these startling rollbacks. I like it alot, even if it's not "the best" per se; it's surprising.

D.

**epicuresquire** · February 24th, 2009 21:26

Assuming such a thing should be ranked, I vote Carmen.

**DCLawyer68** · June 2nd, 2009 09:02

I'll join the Figaro chorus, but don't underestimate the overtures from a LOT of Rossini operas you'll probably never see (get the Giulini recording of Rossini overtures) nor Cosi.

**Lebewohl** · June 9th, 2009 21:32

Candide

**Serenus** · September 5th, 2009 10:33

The Car Horn prelude to Ligeti's "La Grande Macabre". Not "the best", but definitely brilliant.

Observant listeners may notice a little organizational technique right out of Schoenberg's "Der Mondfleck" from Pierrot Lunaire.

**WouldaShoulda** · September 8th, 2009 06:35

I'm a Rossini man myself!!

**turban1** · September 8th, 2009 08:47

Tannhauser.

**Luis-F-S** · September 20th, 2009 07:08

Originally Posted by AMVanquish

Le Nozze de Figaro

three +

**amplifiedheat** · September 20th, 2009 11:10

Originally Posted by epicuresquire

Assuming such a thing should be ranked, I vote Carmen.

+1. The world needs more cymbals.

**sko** · October 3rd, 2009 08:29

Originally Posted by Lebewohl

Candide

Should we include light opera in this discussion? Perhaps that could be a another thread?

Candide is pretty great as operetta overtures go. I would perhaps nominate Die Fledermaus too.

**stcolumba** · October 23rd, 2009 19:50

Originally Posted by NZNorm

Verdi - La forza del destino. Listen to Toscanini's 1952 recording- amazing.

In the middle of the overture, where the meter changes from triple to duple, you can hear Toscanini whisper, "Pizzicato!"

**Dr. NS** · October 25th, 2009 15:42

Haha.. I like how this thread is kept alive. I'll add a vote to Carmen!

**anglophile23** · October 25th, 2009 18:09

Barbiere
But how can one choose?

**Dr. NS** · October 25th, 2009 19:38

Originally Posted by anglophile23

Barbiere
But how can one choose?

Hahaha. Excellent point!

**stcolumba** · October 26th, 2009 13:00

I am fond of overtures to operas which are never, or rarely, performed. A favorite is Lalo's overture to Le Roi d'Ys. What a barnburner! French excess to the nth degree.

**The Wife** · November 7th, 2009 17:14

It depends on one's taste, and of course, there are different preferences depending upon mood. It's Saturday night, so "Libiamo!"

From La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZUonmbtVQo

**iclypso** · November 7th, 2009 17:34

I'll nominate another Verdi piece: Coro di zingari aka The Anvil Chorus from Il Travatore

Thread: Best Opera Overture

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Best Opera Overture

If not favourite, one that stands out.

Die Meistersinger, for a sentimental reason . . .

making rude overtures

Libiam'

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