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Quiz about Barbers Vanessa
Quiz about Barbers Vanessa

Barber's "Vanessa" Trivia Quiz


I just saw the Washington Opera's production of this opera with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in the lead - thought Funtrivia needed a quiz on the opera!

A multiple-choice quiz by ladymacb29. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
ladymacb29
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
100,233
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
9 / 15
Plays
209
- -
Question 1 of 15
1. The opera premiered in 1958 - but in what city? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. The opera opens with Vanessa waiting for her lover, Anatol, to return for her. How long had it been since Vanessa had seen Anatol? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. Why wouldn't the old Baroness speak to Vanessa? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. Anatol's son eventually does come to the house in search of Vanessa. Does Vanessa ever realise that Anatol II isn't the man with whom she had had a romance with?


Question 5 of 15
5. How many nights had Erika spent with Anatol? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. Did Anatol ever ask Erika to marry him?


Question 7 of 15
7. In Act II, what had Vanessa and Anatol been doing while Erika and the Baroness talked? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. Who encourages Erika to fight for Anatol's love? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. Who is to announce the engagement of Vanessa and Anatol? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. Who won't come down to the ball? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. Who runs out of the house during the announcement of the engagement? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. Act IV begins with Vanessa, the Doctor, and the Baroness waiting for news that Erika has been found. How does Vanessa say that she thinks of Erika? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. What does Erika say about Anatol's child? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. In the final scene, to what city were Vanessa and Anatol moving? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. At the end of the opera, what does Erika proclaim? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The opera premiered in 1958 - but in what city?

Answer: New York

The Metropolitan Opera was the first to perform this work on January 15, 1958. It was also the first American opera at the Muic Festival in Salzburg, Austria. Although the opera got great reviews in New York, the Austrians were less than enthusiastic.
2. The opera opens with Vanessa waiting for her lover, Anatol, to return for her. How long had it been since Vanessa had seen Anatol?

Answer: 20 years

That's a long time to wait for a man, isn't it? In the meantime, Vanessa busied herself with her azaelas (as we learn towards the end of the opera), and making sure everything was prepared just in case Anatol happened to arrive. Oh, and she made sure all the mirrors and protraits were covered - she didn't want to see that she had aged.
3. Why wouldn't the old Baroness speak to Vanessa?

Answer: It was never explicitly stated

We are never told exactly why the Baroness refuses to speak to Vanessa, but after Erika loses the child she was carrying the Baroness stops speaking to her as well.
4. Anatol's son eventually does come to the house in search of Vanessa. Does Vanessa ever realise that Anatol II isn't the man with whom she had had a romance with?

Answer: yes

After she has her little bit about how she won't show herself until he says that he loves her, Anatol answers that he "shall" love her - not "does". She comes to the realisation that this isn't her Anatol and that he is some sort of imposter. In her grief, Erika comes in and tries to get Anatol to leave so that Vanessa won't be hurt any further.
5. How many nights had Erika spent with Anatol?

Answer: One

In Act II, the old Baroness finds out from Erika that while Anatol had seduced her (he 'made' her drink too much wine), it only lasted one night and she had refused him every night since.
6. Did Anatol ever ask Erika to marry him?

Answer: yes

Because he and Erika had spent the night together, we find out from Erika that Anatol would do the honorable thing - if that is what Erika wanted. When the old Baroness tells Erika to do what she has to do, Erika refuses - saying that she will only marry if Anatol loved her as much as she loved him. (She says that when she looks into his eyes, she trembles, but that she doesn't see the same reaction from him.)
7. In Act II, what had Vanessa and Anatol been doing while Erika and the Baroness talked?

Answer: Ice skating

Vanessa says that Anatol's father had been a much better skater, Anatol replies that he's luckier (than his father - probably because he has Vanessa while his father is dead). When they return to the house, Anatol asks why Erika hadn't come along. Erika replies that Anatol didn't ask her to.
8. Who encourages Erika to fight for Anatol's love?

Answer: The Old Baroness

When Erika says that she doesn't want to marry Anatol because Vanessa loves him more, the Baroness tells her that sometimes you have to fight for love. Erika still doesn't want to - and after everyone leaves for church she yells that her answer (to Anatol's question of marriage) is no.
9. Who is to announce the engagement of Vanessa and Anatol?

Answer: Doctor

The Doctor, because he is an old, trusted friend, was asked to do the happy duty. However, when Act III opens we find that he's drunk and thinks he'll mess up the speech!
10. Who won't come down to the ball?

Answer: Erika and the Baroness

The Baroness won't come down because she is against Vanessa's marriage to Anatol (Erika should marry him, Vanessa is selfish, etc.). Erika won't come down because she is in love with Anatol (and pregnant with is child). Vanessa sends the Doctor up to try and get one or both of them to come down. Erika starts to come out but sees Vanessa and Anatol kissing - so she runs back into her room.
11. Who runs out of the house during the announcement of the engagement?

Answer: Erika

Erika hears the Doctor announcing the engagement and cries out that she is pregnant with Anatol's child. Then she runs out, wearing only her dress, into the snow. The Baroness saw her run out and went downstairs to try and get someone to help save Erika. Vanessa and Anatol rush in and Anatol runs out after Erika.
12. Act IV begins with Vanessa, the Doctor, and the Baroness waiting for news that Erika has been found. How does Vanessa say that she thinks of Erika?

Answer: As her child

I'm not sure about this, but I think in some productions this may allude to the idea that Erika is actually Vanessa's child (result of her romance with Anatol).
13. What does Erika say about Anatol's child?

Answer: It will not be born

Erika had been trying to get to the lake, but in the cold she fainted. We are never told if she caused the miscarriage or if the cold caused it, but when Anatol returns with Erika, he says that he found her in a ravine, her dress all wet, torn, and covered in blood.
14. In the final scene, to what city were Vanessa and Anatol moving?

Answer: Paris

Anatol talks about how his house will be the most beautiful in Paris. The Doctor goes on about how he will miss Vanessa, how he took care of her when she was young (chicken pox, measles, mumps), and how he hopes that she will not forget her old doctor. Vanessa, for her part, still doesn't realise that Erika has feelings for Anatol - in fact, Erika tells Vanessa that she was in love with some other man (perhaps the young minister?), but was getting over it, realising that he wasn't the man for her.
15. At the end of the opera, what does Erika proclaim?

Answer: It's her turn to wait

After Vanessa and Anatol leave, Erika says that all of the mirrors are to be covered, the gate to be kept locked at all times, she will not receive any visitors - and that it is now her turn to wait. An interesting line comes right before Vanessa and Anatol leave - it is said that Vanessa will die empty-handed. Perhaps this means that Anatol will regret marrying Vanessa and will leave her?
Source: Author ladymacb29

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bullymom before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
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