Georges Bizet (1838-1875)
<p>The composer of the classic opera "Carmen" was born in 1838 near Paris.
Bizet's first teacher was his father, a noted voice teacher and pianist.
Later he studied at the Paris Conservatory, where one of his instructors
was Gounod. At 19, Bizet won the prestigious Prix de Rome.</p>
<p>Bizet's first opera, "La Maison du Docteur," was written when he was only
14. He wrote "Le Docteur Miracle" in 1857, winning the Prix de Rome. This
piece was later performed at the Bouffes-Parisiens. Bizet used the prize
money from the award to subsidize his stay in Paris. From 1858 to 1860,
Bizet started several operas, but managed to only finish one, "Don
Procopio." This opera, written in 1859, was not put on stage until 1906.
Lacking commercial success, Bizet made his living from teaching the
piano, and as a accompanist for other people's work.</p>
<p>Yet, he still wrote. The 1863 opera, "Les Pêcheurs de Perles," takes place
in the Orient, and probably contains material from his earlier, unfinished
operas. The opera did not meet with either commercial or critical success.
Hector Berlioz, who praised the opera, was one notable exception.
Nevertheless, Bizet received a commission for another work, the
five-act "Ivan IV" in 1865. Sadly, production on this opera had to be
abandoned after many delays and problems. "Ivan IV" had to wait until 1946
before being received on stage.</p>
<p>Other operas followed, by none of them were commercial or critical
successes. The production of "La Jolie Fille de Perth" was met with
better reviews, but not commercial acclaim. The same was true of "Djamileh,"
written in 1871.</p>
<p>Despite his failures, Bizet was asked to write an opera based on
Merimee's "Carmen." Controversy surrounded the piece because of its subject
matter. Bizet refused to water-down the material, despite the fear that
the opera would alienate the public. The public was alienated. The opera
closed after only 48 performances. Yet, a year after Bizet's death, the
piece was revived with a series of triumphant performances in Vienna.
"Carmen" is recognized as Bizet's masterpiece, and a classic.</p>
<p>Bizet died in 1875 at the age of 42.</p>
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
<p>Born in Salzburg, the son of a composer, Mozart was a musical
prodigy. From a very early age, his father exhibited him in Paris,
Munich, London, and Vienna. From his travels with his father, Mozart was
exposed to a wide variety of musical styles. From a very early age,
Mozart showed a mastery of the operatic style. At the age of 12, he
composed the singspiel, "Bastien and Bastienne," and a year later, the
opera buffe, "La Finta Semplice."</p>
<p>In 1775, Mozart held an unrewarding position in the Salzburg court. Mozart
traveled widely with his mother, searching for a more prestigious position,
but none materialized. While in Munich in 1781, he composed the opera,
"Idomeneo." He later resigned from his post in Salzburg, taking up
permanent residence in Vienna in the hopes of becoming a court composer.
There he married Constanze Weber.</p>
<p>Mozart met with moderate success in Vienna. It was there that he composed
the singspiel, "Die Entführung aus dem Serail," and the popular "Marriage
of Figaro." The success of "Figaro" resulted in a commission for "Don
Giovanni," composed in 1787. Also in that year, Mozart received an
appointment to the Vienna court. The prestigious appointment did not solve
Mozart's chronic financial problems. His prospects did not improve either,
when the unsympathetic Leopold II ascended to the throne.</p>
<p>With his health deteriorating, Mozart composed the opera, "La Clemenza
di Tito" for the new emperor's coronation. </p>
<p>Mozart died in Vienna in 1791 at the age of 35.</p>
Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)
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<p>Giacomo Puccini was born on December 22, 1858, to a family of church
musicians in Lucca. He first studied with his uncle at the Instituto
Pacini in Lucca, but a performance of Verdi's "Aida" brought forth a love
for operatic composition. Puccini attended the Milan Conservatory and
studied under Bazzini and Ponchielli. His first opera, "Le Villi," was
written in 1884, at the age of 26.</p>
<p>The opera "Edgar," written in 1893, was a failure, but "Manon Lescaut"
proved to be an international success. More successes followed, including
three of the most popular operas in history: "La Bohème" (1896),
"Tosca" (1900), and the incomparable "Madama Butterfly," written in 1904.
For each opera, Puccini collaborated with the librettists Illica and
Giacosa. The successful team broke up with Giacosa's death in 1906.</p>
<p>Domestic tragedies plagued the rest of Puccini's life. His next opera,
"The West," did not appear until 1910. Although containing many musical
and stylistic innovations, this opera has never received the popular
acclaim of his earlier work.</p>
<p>Puccini's final opera, "Turandot," produced in 1926, is a grand and
ambitious piece. Sadly, the work was unfinished and the final act had
to be written by Franco Alfano. The conductor, Leopold Stokowski, later
refused to conduct the final act; instead, he told the audience, "and
here the composer laid down his pen." Stokowski then left the stage.</p>
<p>Puccini died on November 29, 1924 in Brussels at the age of 65.</p>
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
<p>Giuseppe Verdi was born in Roncole on October 10th, 1813, the son of a
tavern keeper. Verdi learned music starting at the age of
three from a pastor in his village's church using a spinette that Verdi
owned. The spinette still survives in a museum in Milan.</p>
<p>Verdi's genius was evident from the beginning. He composed instrumental
religious works, sinfonies, and arias for the Filarmonica di Busseto the philharmonic band located near the village where Verdi grew up.</p>
<p>From very early on, Verdi wanted to be an opera composer. At the beginning
it was difficult to find a good libretto, and it was almost impossible to
find a stage to perform the completed work. No theater trusted
the work of a novice composer. Through hard work and diligence, Verdi
eventually experienced modest success with his opera "Oberto" in 1839.
A few years later in 1842, he had even greater success with "Nabucco."
The opera, interpreted as a political statement on the oppression of the
Hebrews, was met with international acclaim.</p>
<p>Even with his first operas, Verdi displayed a captivating new style.
His style was bold and subtle in a way that was different from the
masters of the period like Rossini, Donizzeti and Bellini. Verdi was a
prolific composer. Within a ten-year period he wrote several operas
including "Ernani" in 1844 and "MacBeth" in 1847. These operas showcased
Verdi's ability to combine character and story alongside his compelling
music.</p>
<p>Verdi's success continued into the early 1850's with "Rigoletto" in
1851, "Il Trovatore" in 1853, and, of course, "La Traviata", also in
1853. Verdi had reached the point where he could refuse commissions,
instead concentrating only on those tasks that interested him. The
operas "Don Carlos" in 1867, and "Aida" in 1871, deftly explored the
conflicts between public and private responsibility.</p>
<p>After retiring to become a gentleman farmer in Sant'Agata near his
birthplace, Verdi was persuaded to return to composing with the
opportunity to create an opera based on Shakespeare's "Othello."
The result, "Otello" in 1887, is a masterpiece of dramatic pacing and
musical structure. Other operas followed, including the opera "Falstaff,"
based on Shakespeare's play, "The Merry Wives of Windsor."</p>
<p>Verdi died on January 27, 1901 at the age of 88.</p>
Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
<p>Richard Wagner was born in Venice on May 22, 1813. As a youth, he
studied music in Leipzig. His first opera, "Die Feen" was written at the
age of 20, in 1833. This was followed in 1836 with the unsuccessful
"Das Liebesverbot". That same year, Wagner married the actress Minna
Planer. Wagner and his family lived for a few years in Königsberg, and
then later, in Riga. While in Paris from 1839 to 1842, he composed the
grand opera, "Rienzi," and the tragedy, "Der Fliegende Holländer."</p>
<p>The success of "Rienzi" led to Wagner's appointment as music director in
Dresden. More successes followed with "Tannhäuser" in 1845 and "Lohengrin"
in 1850. However, at the same time, Wagner became involved with political
radicals. He was forced to Switzerland after his participation in the
1849 Dresden uprisings.</p>
<p>In exile, Wagner began work on his four opera cycle, "Der Ring des
Nibelungen," which occupied much of his life. Taking time off from his
work on the "Ring", Wagner composed the romantic tragedy, "Tristan und
Isolde." The opera, "Die Meistersinger" followed a few years later. This
opera is notorious for the anti-Semitic expressions of the protagonist.</p>
<p>In 1860, he was allowed to return to Germany. A triumphant performance of
"Tannhäuser" in Paris confirmed Wagner's stature as international artist of
great renown. </p>
<p>Finally in 1876, the "Ring" premiered in Bayreuth. The strain of raising
money and getting the production ready greatly affected Wagner's health.
His final opera, "Parsifal," was presented at the second Bayreuth festival
in 1882.</p>
<p>Wagner died on February 13th, 1883 at the age of 69.</p>