Antonio Pappano says: Guess this tune
mainA message from the music director of the Royal Opera House, with a riddle attached:
Comments
MOST READ TODAY:
-
Orchestras
Andris Nelsons falls sick mid-concert
Boston Symphony pulled one out of the fire…
-
Orchestras
Barenboim quits Berlin concerts
The Berlin State Opera communicated tonight that its…
-
Opera
Opera company devotes whole season to ‘pioneering queer composer’
From NPR LA: The Long Beach Opera has…
-
Opera
Guess what? New operagoers prefer old operas
Memo to Peter Gelb: Don’t read the Opera…
I am sure it is from the Puccini opera La Fanciulla Del West which I was hoping to see in Stockholm this year. That last theme is unmistakably borrowed by Julian Lloyd Webber in I think the Phantom of the Opera. I love Puccini, and I am sure that Lloyd Webber comes from a distinguished musical family, but his music is unbearable to me.
Andrew LW, surely?
So happy to read that another musical person instantly recognized this most beautiful melody from Puccini’s most beautifully orchestrated, but under-appreciated opera. Also pleased that you noticed the striking similarity between Puccini’s melody, and Webber’s “The Music of the Night”.
Fanciulla. (wir sind doch nicht blöd)
See you next season at the Staatsoper.
It’s Rondine!
Yes, I believe so – but actually there IS music in Act 2 of “Franciulla” which is remarkably similar (which had never occurred to me); I’m rather at sea!
No, it’s a definitely Fanciulla.
Obviously I meant Andrew Llloyd Webber rather than his cellist brother, who is much more to my taste.
Grazie mille Maestro. E di Turandot, non?
Fanciulla del West, Act 2.
== Andrew Llloyd Webber
The UK magazine Private Eye had an amusing series several years ago comparing ALW tunes with originals blatantly ripped off . eg
‘I don’t know how to love him’ vs
Slow mov of Mendelssohn Violin Cto
Grande Pappano
It’s the love theme from “La Fanciulla del West.” It starts out as the waltz between Minnie and Dick Johnson in Act I and reappears various times, for me most movingly in Act III after Minnie has won the miners over and saved Johnson/Ramerrez from hanging.
He’s from New England, I detect Madonna Accent Syndrome.
Thank you Maestro
A wonderful pianist , conductor and musician and also a very nice guy. He is Italian and deeply understands Puccini and the nostalgia of La Fanciulla del West. Bravo Pappano!
Born in Epping, raised in the UK and US.
Quello che tacete
“La Fanciulla del West”, easily my favorite Puccini opera for both personal and musical reasons.