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Norma, a Druid priestess in Roman-occupied Gaul maintains a secret love affair with the Roman Proconsul Pollione, with whom she has two children. When he falls in love with the young priestess Adalgisa, Norma falls into a deep crisis, caught between her religious duty, betrayed love and maternity. After debating between revenge and forgiveness, Norma confesses her guilt to the people and agrees to be burned at the stake, finally accompanied by Pollione, who repents. 

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The libretto is based partly on chapters 26 and 27 of Martin Luther’s translation of St Matthew’s Gospel and partly on poetry by the writer Christian Friedrich Henrici, also known as Picander, and on Lutheran choral music related to the Passion. 

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La Gioconda tells a horrifying story of revenge carried out by Barnaba, a spy in the service of the 17th-century Venetian Inquisition, against La Gioconda, a street singer for whom he feels unrequited love. La Gioconda cares for her elderly mother, La Cieca, and Barnaba’s first manoeuvre is to make the people believe the old woman is a witch and must be burned. Laura, the wife of the inquisitor Alvise, saves La Cieca from death, but this leads to a meeting between Laura and her childhood sweetheart Enzo, who is now La Gioconda’s fiancé. Enzo has to decide between two passions and he finally chooses Laura, leaving La Gioconda in a difficult situation that will ultimately lead to her death. 

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La historia comienza con los preparativos para la boda de la Novia y el Novio, marcado por el rencor de la madre del Novio hacia la familia de Leonardo Félix, que está relacionado con el asesinato de su marido y otro hijo. Aunque está comprometida, la Novia sigue amando a Leonardo, un hombre casado que nunca la ha olvidado. Durante la celebración de la boda, los amantes se escapan juntos, desatando el caos y el Novio, lleno de ira y dolor, decide perseguir a la pareja, una persecución que termina en una lucha mortal, con el doble asesinato de Leonardo y el Novio. 

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Katya Kabanova takes place in a small, isolated Russian village on the banks of the River Volga. Katya feels trapped in a repressive society where rules and appearances are all that matter. Unhappily married to Tichon, who is dominated by his bitter, controlling mother Kabanicha, she yearns to escape. 

When Tichon goes away on business, temptation is impossible to resist and Katya begins a secret affair with Boris. However, when Tichon returns in the middle of a violent storm, Katya can no longer bear what she has done. She confesses her affair to her husband and flees. 

Katya meets Boris, who tells her he is leaving. Initially, she begs him to let her go with him, but then decides she cannot leave. Boris goes and Katya, overcome by sadness, throws herself into the Volga. Tichon arrives just in time to see Katya jump in the river. He hurries to help her, but his mother stops him. 

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Fedora, a Russian princess, seeks to avenge her murdered fiancé. She believes the guilty party is Loris Ipanov, so she organises a ball in Paris to trap him. When she becomes close to him, Loris reveals that he killed her betrothed on discovering his infidelity. Although Fedora now understands that her fiancé was not innocent, it is already too late: in her desire for revenge she had denounced Loris’s family, causing the deaths of his mother and his brother. When he finds out, Loris is distraught. Overcome by guilt, Fedora kills herself with poison hidden in the cross she wears at her throat and dies begging his forgiveness. 

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Part I – The prophecy and birth 

The arrival of the promised Messiah is announced with Old Testament texts speaking of hope and light. Then, the birth of Jesus is celebrated, presented as the fulfilment of those prophecies. 

Part II – Passion, death and resurrection 

The suffering of Christ, his sacrifice and his triumph over death are described. After this, the music swells to proclaim his glory and the Christian message, culminating in the famous “Hallelujah”, celebrating his Kingdom of Heaven. 

Part III – Redemption and eternal life 

The work concludes with a meditation on the final resurrection, victory over death and the promise of salvation for humanity, ending with the powerful “Amen” chorus. 

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The victorious corsair Simon Boccanegra is elected duke of the city-state of Genoa through political intrigue, despite the opposition of his rival, Jacopo Fiesco. The two men are connected by Maria, Fiesco’s daughter and Boccanegra’s lover, who died a long time ago. The daughter she gave Boccanegra, Amelia, has disappeared without trace. 

25 years later, Amelia reappears in Genoa and finds herself embroiled in a power struggle that finally costs Boccanegra his life.

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Driven by love and curiosity, Judith follows Bluebeard to his castle, where she discovers seven locked doors. As she opens them, each reveals an aspect of Bluebeard's soul. When she reaches the seventh door, the truth about her beloved is revealed: behind it lie Bluebeard's previous wives, condemned to live in eternal shadow. Judith, trapped by her fate and her desire to redeem it, joins them while Bluebeard is left alone in the darkness, resigned to his perpetual loneliness.  

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La trama narra una historia basada en la Tercera Cruzada, donde el rey Ricardo Corazón de León llega a Chipre haciéndose pasar por embajador para rescatar a su prometida, Costanza, a quien nunca ha visto y ha sido capturada tras un naufragio por el tirano Isacio. Este intenta engañar a Ricardo enviándole a su hija Pulcheria en lugar de Costanza. Pulcheria obedece, pero tiene intención de revelar la verdad, y su prometido Oronte descubre el complot y lo frustra. Después, Ricardo lanza un asalto militar definitivo contra la isla y derrota al tirano, colocando a Pulcheria y Oronte como nuevos gobernantes. Ricardo y Costanza se reúnen por fin.