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Opera Doctors – The 20th Century, Part I
The 20th century normalized doctors – we now see them in their more accustomed roles as healers or consultants to the ill. The occasional black magician / doctor still appears, but that role is increasingly rare. We open the century
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King and Composer: João IV of Portugal
João IV / John IV (1604-1656) of Portugal, got the nickname of ‘John the Restorer’ for his freeing of Portugal from Spanish rule. Beginning in 1580, Portugal and Spain were ruled together by the Habsburg Spanish court. Under João, the
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What’s Better Than One Violin, Viola, and Cello? TWO! String Sextets
The combination of two violins, two violas, and two cellos is a lush and almost orchestral sound. Most musicians I know relish the opportunity to play string sextets. Even so, these works are not played as often as other chamber
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Dance, Dance, Dance: The Pavan and Galliard
We saw in the Baroque dance suite that the dances were in pairs: Allemande–Courente and then Sarabande–Gigue. Those dances had tempos of slow/fast and this continues with our next pair, the Pavane and Galliard. The Pavan came from Italy and
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Food and Meals as the Cue in Operas
Meals and food in operas can be dramatic turning points – let’s look at how they can help us understand the character more deeply or provide the push for the action. At the very end of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, the
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Playing the Cello: The Best Icebreaker
You’ve probably heard the cello on numerous occasions either because you love its deep baritone sounds or because the cello is used whenever someone dies in a movie. The cello—its vibrant sounds so close to the human voice—is the perfect
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Opera Doctors – The 19th Century, Part II
As we progress further into the 19th century, doctors (be they medical or learned) become more than just figures of fun. In the last article, we saw doctors becoming major characters, if not the central character. In 1850 and beyond,
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Prince and Composer: Louis Ferdinand of Prussia
Berlin-born Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1772-1806) was a nephew of Frederick the Great. He was active in the Prussian military, serving as lieutenant general. He died in battle with French forces at the Battle of Saalfied, during the War of
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