Aage Haugland
Overview page. Subjects: opera.
(b Copenhagen, 1944; d Copenhagen, 2000).
Danish bass‐baritone. Début Oslo 1968 in Martinů's Comedy on the Bridge. Member of Danish Royal Opera from 1973. CG début 1975. Sang Hagen in The Twilight of...
Aaron
Overview page. Subjects: opera — religion.
In Hebrew tradition Moses's brother. He was assigned to Moses as his assistant (Exod. 4: 14), and later he and his descendants were appointed priests (Exod. 28 f.). In Christian theology he is a type...
Abaris
Overview page. Subjects: opera.
(Rameau: Les Boréades). Ten. Son of Apollo. Brought up by the High Priest Adamas, his identity has remained a secret. In love with Queen Alphise, he is only able to marry her when his royal blood is...
Abigaille
Overview page. Subjects: opera.
(Verdi: Nabucco). Sop. Elder but illegitimate daughter of Nabucco. She is in love with the Hebrew Ismaele who rejects her in favour of her younger sister Fenena. She attempts to replace her father as...
Abimélech
Overview page. Subjects: opera.
(Saint‐Saëns: Samson et Dalila). Bass. Satrap of Gaza. He taunts the subjugated Hebrews for praying to their God who is not helping them in their distress. Their leader, Samson, slays him. Created...
Achilla
Overview page. Subjects: opera.
(Handel: Giulio Cesare). Bass. General and Counsellor to Tolomeo, who cheats him. Achilla defends Cleopatra against Tolomeo and is mortally wounded. Created (1724) by Giuseppe Boschi.
Achille De Bassini
Overview page. Subjects: opera.
(b Milan, 5 May 1819; d Cava de’ Tirreni, 3 Sept 1881). Italian baritone. He was the type of the ‘noble’ baritone for whom Giuseppe Verdi wrote parts exploiting a high tessitura, firm legato and...
Acis
Overview page. Subjects: opera.
In Greek mythology, a young shepherd, lover of the sea nymph Galatea, who was killed out of jealousy by his rival Polyphemus; as he died, Galatea turned him into a river.
Acis and Galatea
Overview page. Subjects: opera.
(Handel). Lib. by John Gay and others; 2 acts; f.p. Cannons, Edgware, nr. London, 1718, possibly dir. by Johann Christoph Pepusch. Better defined as a masque or pastoral.
Mythological times. Galatea,...
Ada Adini
Overview page. Subjects: opera.
(b Boston, 1855; d Dieppe, Feb 1924).
American soprano. She studied with Pauline Viardot and Giovanni Sbriglia in Paris. Her début role was Giacomo Meyerbeer's Dinorah, at Varese in 1876. ...