Famous Italian Operas Trivia Quiz

Answer: Gaetano Donizetti

Puccini (1858-1924) composer of 'La Fanciulla del West', 'Madame Butterfly','Manon Lescaut', 'Tosca', 'Turandot'. Bellini(1801-1835) composer of 'La Sonnambula','Norma','I Puritani'. Rossini(1792-1868) composer of 'L'Italiana in Algeri', 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia', 'La Cenerentola', 'Guillaume Tell'.

Donizetti lived from 1797 'til 1848. He was the composer of 'La Fille du Regiment','Lucia di Lammermoor','Don Pasquale'.

Answer: nothing but good quality bordeaux wine

Against all odds the love-potion works, though indirectly. There appears a tear ('Una furtiva lacrima') in Adina's eyes. She buys back Nemorino's enlistment papers from Belcore and then, when Nemorino is a free man again, marries him rather than the haughty Belcore.

Answer: Rossini

The Assyrian Queen is Semiramis. The Swiss national hero is Wilhelm Tell. 'Semiramide' dates back to 1823. 'Guillaume Tell' to 1829. The other operas are: 'La Gazza Ladra' (1817) and 'L'Italiana in Algeri' (1813). Rossini's best-known work is probably 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia' (1816).

Answer: Norma

'La Forza del Destino' is by Verdi. (Don Alvaro, in love with Leonora, accidentally kills her father the Marquess of Calatrava,etc...No happy end). 'La Cenerentola' by Rossini is the story of Cinderella. 'La Somnambula' is a story about a girl (Amina) who gets herself in trouble by being seen in the wrong person's room while sleepwalking. It takes some time before her beloved Elvino can be convinced of her innocence, but at the end of the opera the couple are happily reunited.

In Bellini's 'Norma' the heroine first discovers that her lover Pollione has found a new girl-friend, the young priestess Adalgisa. In the end when he sees that Norma is ready to die in his place, he joins her on the stake and together they are swallowed by the flames.

Answer: he asks one love-night with Tosca in exchange for the non-execution of Cavadarossi

Though Tosca sings 'Vissi d'arte,vissi d'amore, non feci male ad anima viva', - 'I have lived for art and love only and never harmed anybody', her love will complicate matters and she will be dragged into a world of violence, betrayal and killing as the outcome of the opera shows.

Answer: Tosca thinks she has tricked Scarpia into arranging a mock execution, kills Scarpia, but then sees that Cavadarossi is executed for real and commits suicide

Scarpia is furious when he hears that Napoleon has just won the battle of Marengo. He takes his revenge on Cavaradossi the painter, who played a role in the escape of the political prisoner Cesare Angelotti. He does this partially because Cavaradossi cannot hide his joy over Napoleon's victory, but much more because he has won the heart of the woman Scarpia himself wanted to win over for himself.

When Tosca pleads for Cavaradossi, Scarpia proposes a deal. The prisoner will only undergo a mock execution, in exchange for Tosca's favours.

When Scarpia seemingly has written a safe-conduct for Cavaradossi and Tosca, Tosca kills him with a knife which she happens to find on the table, and runs off to the place of execution, the Sant Angelo Castle in Rome.

In reality Scarpia has NOT given orders that Cavaradossi's execution must be faked. When Tosca sees her beloved has been executed for real, she jumps off the walls of the castle. UNhappy end of the opera.

Answer: Louisiana

Manon loves 'il cavaliere des Grieux' (in reality just a student), but keeps having an affair with the elderly Geronte di Ravoir for the sake of money. When Geronte notices that it's des Grieux who Manon loves for real, he sends the police after her. In Act III Des Grieux asks to be allowed to accompany his sweetheart to America.

In Act IV they both are on the run in a barren area near New Orleans. Des Grieux in vain tries to find water and food, and both die of exhaustion. There is even a third lover of Manon: Edmondo, also a student.

The three first acts are situated in French places: Amiens; Paris; Le Havre. It's only in the fourth Act that we see Des Grieux and Manon on American soil.

Answer: Cio-Cio-San

Cio-Cio-San is only 15 years old. She rejects her ancestral faith to be able to marry her handsome American. An American diplomat in vain tries to warn Pinkerton he is doing something stupid. Indeed after a short period of happiness, Pinkerton leaves his young wife (who happens to be pregnant) and returns to the U.S.A. Cio-Cio-San, who has given birth to Pinkerton's son, keeps hoping for his return.

Indeed Pinkerton does return. He has married a new wife in America and he just has come to Japan to pick up his baby son. Totally disappointed about her callous ex-lover, Cio-Cio-San commits suicide.

Answer: Turandot

Pong is master of the kitchen, Ping is a marshal and Pang is the chancellor of the realm. When Prince Calaf manages to solve the three riddles Turandot remains reluctant to marry him. Calaf offers her a way out: if she can find his real name before sunset he will withdraw as a candidate for marriage. Turandot does not have too many problems to find Calaf's name, but ... a change of heart brings about a happy end, and, before night has fallen, she tells him in beautiful music that his name is ...Prince Love. Happy end. Marriage in view. Curtain. 'Jenufa'(1903) is by Janacek (1854-1928). 'Thais' (1893) is by Massenet.(1842-1912). 'Cola Rienzi' (1840) is by Richard Wagner (1813-1883).

Answer: La Fanciulla del West

It's the story of the robber Ramerrez and the saloon-girl Minnie. Under the false name of Dick Johnson Ramerrez wants to steal the gold that Minnie has earned in her saloon-bar. The local sheriff also has an eye on the pretty girl from the 'Polka Bar'. Though Ramerrez does not carry out his planned robbery, he is recognized by the sheriff who wants to hang him.

But the love-gods decide otherwise. Minnie comes along riding full speed on horseback and snatches away her 'converted robber' from under the gallows-tree.

There is second very minor female role the Indian girl Wowlke but she is not really one of the characters in this opera. 'We Come to the River' is an opera by Hans Werner Henze (born in 1926). 'West Side Story' is a Leonard Bernstein opera (1957). Bernstein lived from 1918 till 1990. 'Lulu' is an Alban Berg opera (1935). Berg lived from 1885 till 1935.