Stormy Weather #2: Smart techniques for bringing a storm to the stage from history's great composers
23 January 2015
Beethoven inspired a host of operatic composers including Rossini, Verdi and Weill in musical methods for creating an operatic storm.
5 January 2015
Composers have often looked to the real world for operatic inspiration – though their real-life subjects often undergo some operatization on their way to the stage.
18 December 2014
Verdi uses traditional Italian form to create a duet of drama and soaring romance that celebrates the power of the human voice.
15 December 2014
Our quick guide to Verdi's thrilling tragedy of love, politics and betrayal.
9 December 2014
Verdi’s music for the chorus ‘Ve’, se di notte’ shows how laughter can be used to heighten tragedy.
5 December 2014
Curses, seduction and murder – why are operatic parties always doomed to end in tears?
24 November 2014
19th-century opera is renowned for its depiction of intense love affairs.
27 October 2014
Backstage films from the live relay of I due Foscari, including Antonio Pappano introducing Verdi's music and Plácido Domingo on his transition from tenor to baritone.
12 October 2014
The composer thought his early tragedy too bleak – but look closer and Verdi the dramatist begins to emerge from the shadows in this crucial work.
6 October 2014
Our quick guide to Verdi's early tragedy.