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Overview

Synopsis

An opera within an opera, Ariadne auf Naxos opens backstage before a performance for the wealthiest man in Vienna. Two troupes will perform; one a classical opera by a new composer, the other an Italian buffo commedia dell’arte troupe.

At the last minute, they are told the performances will happen simultaneously, and the performers scramble to attempt to fit the two completely opposite performances together. Comedically intertwined, the opera buffa meets opera seria, as the Tenor and the Prima Donna fight for the limelight.

Show Information

Category
Opera
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
1912
Genres
Comedy, Parody, Romance
Settings
Multiple Settings, Period
Time & Place
Vienna, Naxos, A Theatre
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Medium
Dancing
Musical Staging
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
College/University, Chamber Opera, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Large Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

The Prima Donna / Ariadne

Lead

Female

Soprano

The Tenor / Bacchus

Lead

Male

Tenor

Zerbinetta

Lead

Female

Soprano

Harlekin

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Echo

Supporting

Female

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano

Der Komponist

Supporting

Either Gender

Mezzo-Soprano, Soprano

Scaramuccio

Featured

Male

Tenor

Brighella

Featured

Male

Tenor

Najade

Featured

Female

Soprano

Dryade

Featured

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto

Musiklehrer

Featured

Male

Baritone

Lakai

Featured

Male

Bass

Tanzmeister

Featured

Male

Tenor

Perückenmacher

Featured

Male

Baritone

Truffaldin

Featured

Male

Bass

Haushofmeister

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Offizier

Ensemble

Male

Tenor

Songs

Prologue

  • Overture
  • ‘Mein Herr Haushofmeister!’ - Musiklehrer, Haushofmeister, Lakai, Offizier
  • ‘Lieber Freund! Verschaffen Sie mir di Geigen’ - Komponist, Lakai
  • ‘Oh, ich möcht’ vieles ändern’ - Komponist
  • ‘Für einen Bacchus!’ - Tenor, Komponist, Perückenmacher
  • ‘Erst nach der Oper kommen wir daran’ - Zerbinetta, Primadonna, Musiklehrer, Komponist, Tanzmeister
  • ‘Nach meiner Oper?’ - Komponist, Musiklehrer
  • ‘Meine Partner! Meine erprobten Freunde!’ - Zerbinetta, Komponist, Musiklehrer, Primadonna, Tanzmeister
  • ‘Die Herrschaften stehen vom Tisch auf!’ - Lakai, Musiklehrer, Haushofmeister, Primadonna, Tanzmeister, Tenor, Zerbinetta, Komponist
  • ‘Ariadne auf Naxos, Herr’ - Komponist, Tanzmeister, Haushofmeister, Musiklehrer, Tenor, Primadonna, Zerbinetta
  • ‘Nein, Herr, so kommt es nicht!’ - Komponist, Zerbinetta, Musiklehrer
  • ‘Kindskopf! Merkt auf, wir spielen mit in dem Stück Ariadnes auf Naxos’ - Zerbinetta, Komponist
  • ‘Ah Ihre Plätze, meine Damen und Herren!’ - Musiklehrer, Primadonna, Komponist
  • ‘Sein wir wieder gut’ - Komponist

The Opera

  • Overture
  • ‘Schläft sie?’ - Najade, Dryade, Echo
  • ‘Ach! Ach! Wo war ich?’ - Ariadne, Echo, Harlekin, Zerbinetta, Truffaldin
  • ‘Ein Schones war, hiess Theseus-Ariadne’ - Ariadne, Najade, Dryade, Echo, Harlekin, Zerbinetta, Scaramuccio, Truffaldin
  • ‘Lieben, Hassen, Hoffen, Sagen’ - Harlekin
  • ‘Ach, so versuchet doch ein kleines Lied!’ - Zerbinetta, Harlekin
  • 'Es gibt ein Reich, wo alles rein ist’ - Ariadne
  • ‘Die dame gibt mit trübem Sinn’ - Brighella, Scaramuccio, Harlekin, Truffaldin, Zerbinetta
  • ‘Großmächtige Prinzessin’ - Zerbinetta
  • ‘Hübsch gepredigt! Aber tauben Ohren!’ - Harlekin, Zerbinetta, Brighella, Scaramuccio, Truffaldin
  • ‘Ein schönes Wunder!’ - Dryade, Najade, Echo
  • ‘Circe, Circe, kannst du mich hören? ‘ - Bacchus, Ariadne, Najade, Echo, Dryade
  • ‘Du schönes Wesen!’ - Bacchus, Ariadne
  • ‘Bin ich ein Gott, schuf mich ein Gott’ - Ariadne, Najade, Echo, Dryade, Zerbinetta, Bacchus
  • ‘Gibt es kein Hinüber?’ - Ariadne, Bacchus, Najade, Dryade, Echo, Zerbinetta

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

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