Masters and their Masterpieces: Part I Quiz

Answer: The Phantom of the Opera

Andrew Lloyd Webber is an English composer and an impresario of musical theatre. "The Phantom of the Opera" is based on the French novel by Gaston Leroux "Le Fantôme de l'Opéra" (1909-1910). Webber's musical opened in London in 1986 and on Broadway in 1988.

In 2012 it became the first musical on Broadway to surpass 10,000 performances. Famous musical numbers that have come out of the musical are "The Phantom of the Opera", "The Music of the Night" and "All I Ask of You".

Answer: Carmen

Georges Bizet (1838-1875) was a French composer during the Romantic era. At an early age Georges had an aptitude for music. During his 20s and 30s he had limited success, however; it was not until 1874 that he completed the project of "Carmen" which was performed for the first time on March 3, 1875 in Paris.

The opera is set in Southern Spain and tells the story of a naive young soldier (Don Jose) who is seduced by a fiery gypsy, Carmen.

Answer: Rock Around the Clock

Max C. Freedman (1893-1962) a songwriter and lyricist and James E. Myers (1919-2001) a songwriter, actor and producer collaborated to write the classic "Rock Around the Clock" in 1952. The song was first recorded by Sonny Dae and His Knights in March, 1954.

However, it was the recording by Bill Haley & His Comets in May, 1954 which is the best remembered rendition. It peaked at number one in the USA and UK and became one of the first hits of the rock and roll era.

Answer: White Christmas

Irving Berlin (1888-1989) is regarded as one of the greatest songwriters in American history. In a career spanning 60 years he wrote scores for 19 Broadway shows and 18 Hollywood movies. His songs were nominated eight times for Academy Awards. "White Christmas" was written in 1942 and is a song reminiscing about an old fashioned Christmas setting.

The song has been performed by numerous artists from the 1940s to 2010s. However, it is estimated by the Guinness World Records, that the version of the song sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all-time.

Answer: Symphony No. 5

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German composer and pianist. He composed symphonies, piano concertos, piano sonatas, string quartets and one opera, Fidelio. "Symphony No. 5" was written between 1804-1808 and is regarded as one of the best known compositions of classic music. It is also one of the most popular and frequently played symphonies and consists of four movements lasting 30-40 minutes. As the number 5 is also the Roman character "V", during WWII it became known as the V for "Victory Symphony".

Answer: The Marriage of Figaro

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was an Austrian composer of the Classical era. He composed from the age of five and was competent on the piano and violin. He composed symphonies, concertos and operas. "The Marriage of Figaro" is an enchanting opera written by Mozart in 1786.

The opera tells the story of the Count and Countess Almaviva and two of their staff, Figaro and Susanna, who succeed in getting married. It is a comic opera of four acts.

Answer: Here Comes the Bride

"Bridal Chorus" (known in the English speaking world as "Here Comes the Bride") was composed by the German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883). The composition comes from the 1850 opera "Lohengrin" by Wagner. The piece became popular as a bridal wedding march after the 1858 wedding of Princess Royal to Prince Frederick William of Prussia.

Answer: Otello

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was an Italian opera composer. "Otello" is an opera of four acts and is based on William Shakespeare's play "Othello". Verdi was introduced to the idea of composing the opera in 1879 and it was only completed and performed for the first time in 1887 in Milan. Verdi's other masterpieces were "Aida" (1871), "Requiem" (1874) and "Falstaff" (1893).

Answer: The Sound of Music

Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) and Oscar Hammerstein (1895-1960) collaborated to produce the 1969 Broadway musical "The Sound of Music". The musical is based on a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse called "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers". The Broadway show won five Tony awards and in 1965 it was adapted into a movie starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer which won five Academy Awards. Rodgers & Hammerstein also created the Broadway musicals that became the successful movies "Carousel", "South Pacific" and "The King and I".

Answer: Candle in the Wind 1997

"Candle in the Wind 1997" is a song recorded by Elton John and is a revised version of his 1973 song "Candle in the Wind". The song was released in 1997 as a tribute to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. All proceeds from the song go to Diana's charities and the Guinness Book of Records state that it is the second highest selling single of all-time (after Bing Crosby's "White Christmas").