A Night at the Opera
Highly acclaimed wind arrangements of favourite operatic excerpts, given as they were heard in Vienna between 1792 and 1821, when Harmonie ensembles carried the latest stage hits beyond the opera house.
Richard Runnels director
Stephen Robinson oboe
Kazimierz Gorzadek oboe
Kate Stockwin clarinet
Judy Neutze clarinet
Lucinda Cran bassoon
Wendy Cooper bassoon
Stephen Black bassoon, contrabassoon
Philip Hall french horn
Linda Hewett french horn
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composer
Gioachino Rossini composer
Wenzel Sedlak arranger
Johann Nepomuk Wendt arranger
Joseph Heidenreich arranger
Well-known scenes from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute, Rossini’s Barber of Seville and Beethoven’s Fidelio appear here in period Harmonie arrangements made in Vienna between 1791 and 1821.
Melbourne Windpower carries that late-eighteenth-century wind-ensemble tradition into the present. Its players are drawn from the State Orchestra of Victoria. The group’s first recording, Melbourne Windpower, drew strong notices, among them “Melbourne Windpower continues to impress with its stylish interpretations … excellent performances … sonorities and tunings between instruments almost ideal.” (The Age).
Director Richard Runnels’s solo disc Horn Destinations was likewise praised: “Enticing … this recording is a delight.” (The Age).
Reviews
… as deftly, imaginatively performed as it is inspired … May Melbourne Windpower blow on forever.
The ensemble work, pitch and general finesse are of the highest calibre, while the liner notes are exemplary. Highly recommended.
Artists
Gioachino Rossini
Rossini's operas crackle with melodic invention and theatrical pace: comic peaks such as The Barber of Seville and La Cenerentola sit beside grand statements like Guillaume Tell, all driven by rhythmic snap and bright instrumental colour.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He wrote over 600 works, many of them pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic and choral music, and remains among the most enduringly popular of classical composers.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) was a German composer and pianist whose music stands at the centre of the Western classical tradition, bridging the Classical and Romantic eras.
Richard Runnels
Richard Runnels is an American-born horn player long based in Melbourne as principal horn of Orchestra Victoria and director of Melbourne Windpower. His solo recordings span core horn repertoire and Australian works.
Melbourne Windpower
Melbourne Windpower brings the late 18th century tradition of wind ensemble music to the present day. The members of Melbourne Windpower perform with the State Orchestra of Victoria.
Audio preview
Tracks
- Overture 6:47
- Largo al factotum 2:06
- La Calunnia e’un Venticello 4:11
- Di si felice innesto 2:49
- Overture 3:44
- Se a caso madama 2:27
- Voi che sapete 2:11
- Dove sono i bei momenti 4:27
- Ecco la marcia 2:43
- Overture 6:07
- O wär’ ich schon mit dir 2:07
- Mir ist so wunderbar 3:41
- Hat man nicht auch Gold 1:15
- Marsch 1:18
- O namenlose Freude! 2:51
- Overture 4:28
- Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja 2:05
- Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen 2:54
- Das klinget so herrlich 1:20
- Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden :45
- Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen 3:35
- Papageno! Bist du mir nun ganz gegeben? 1:48
The Barber of Seville Gioachino Rossini Arr: Wenzel Sedlak
The Marriage of Figaro Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Arr: Johann Nepomuk Wendt
Fidelio Ludwig van Beethoven Arr: Wenzel Sedlak
The Magic Flute Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Arr: Joseph Heidenreich
Performers
- Melbourne Windpower
- Richard Runnels · director
- Stephen Robinson
- Kazimierz Gorzadek
- Kate Stockwin
- Judy Neutze
- Lucinda Cran
- Wendy Cooper
- Stephen Black · bassoon, contrabassoon
- Philip Hall
- Linda Hewett
Composers
Where to listen
A Night at the Opera is available for streaming through Spotify and Apple Music. It can also be purchased through the iTunes Music Store.
A Night at the Opera is available as a CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer online ordering.
Product details
- Catalogue number
- MD 3110
- List price
- $25.00 AUD
- Total playing time
- 65 minutes 39 seconds
- Producer
- Martin Wright
Richard Runnels - Recording Engineer
- Martin Wright
- Editing Engineer
- Martin Wright
- Co-Producer
- Richard Kerr
- Venue
- Melbourne Concert Hall
- Release date
- 1991
- Musical work
copyright - © 1991 Move Records
- Sound recording
copyright - ℗ 1991 Move Records
- Category
- Classical
- Genres
- Vocal & Opera, Classical Era
- Barcode
- EAN 9314574311020
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