Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Carrying the seemingly lifeless body of Bugs Bunny in his arms, Elmer Fudd laments, "I killed da wabbit, killed da wabbit..." This is a spoof on "Die Walküre," this German composer's opera from the incredibly long "Ring Cycle".
2. Can you hear the Lone Ranger's music blaring as he rides onto your TV screen? Well, this Italian bel canto composer would roll over in his grave if he knew that the producers had not credited him as their musical source, since the theme is actually from his overture to "Guillaume Tell" ("William Tell").
3. "Hello muddah, hello faddah..." I am sure you have heard this parody many times; the last time I heard it was several years ago for a food commercial. This is a parody because it is actually based on the wordless "Dance of the Hours" from this Italian composer's opera "La Gioconda".
4. If you are a ballroom dancer, you have doubtless waltzed to this famous "Meditation", a violin solo with orchestra, from this French composer's opera "Thais".
5. Have you seen that Virgin Atlantic commercial that uses this beautiful duet sung by two women to show you how elegant and comfortable their planes can be? Well, the duet is actually the famous "Flower Duet" from "Lakmé", an opera by this French composer.
6. I got hooked on to singing opera after seeing the film "A Room with a View." In it, we hear Dame Kiri Te Kanawa singing "Ch'il bel sogno di Doretta" from "La Rondine" and "O mio babbino caro" from "Gianni Schicchi", both operas composed by this Italian composer mostly known for his "La Bohème".
7. We're done with opera, but still in the movies. Though this 'romance' is from the Andante of this musical genius' Piano Concerto #21 in C Major, it is often called the "Elvia Madigan Suite", after the not so successful movie. Can you name this musical prodigy?
8. "Also Sprach Zarathustra." Okay, even if you could correctly pronounce that, you could not possibly know that it is the theme song from Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey." Even if you did know that, do you know which German composer is responsible for its existence?
9. This chorus, "Fortuna imperatrix mundi", has been used in numerous trailers and commercials that deal with the darker things in life; there is even a rave/club version available from the mid-'90's! Who was the German composer who brought this chorus to life in his "Carmina Burana" in 1937?
10. Have you ever seen the commercial from some time ago that said, "Beef; it's what's for dinner?" The upbeat "Rodeo" hoe-down that accompanies it was composed by this Brooklyn-born American who died in 1990.
Source: Author
triviasoprano
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