Operatic Deaths Trivia Quiz

Answer: Joan of Arc

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was one of many composers inspired by Joan of Arc. According to Tchaikovsky's opera "Orleanskaja Deva" ("The Maid of Orleans"), Joan leads the French army to victory only because she took a vow of chastity. But when she disarms Lionel of Burgundy (an ally of the English), they both fall in love with each other. The English arrive, kill Lionel and capture Joan, who is condemned to be burnt at the stake. When she is tied on the pyre, she hears angels announcing forgiveness.
Tchaikovsky has left us at least eleven operas, three ballets, seven symphonies and many other compositions.
Other opera characters dying on a pyre are Dido in "Les Troyens" by Hector Berlioz and Brunnhilde in Richard Wagner's "Götterdämmerung".

Answer: Aida

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) composed at least 26 different operas (and a number of revised versions). In his 1871 opera "Aida" he set to music the story of Aida, an Ethiopian princess enslaved by the Egyptian Pharaoh, and Radames, an Egyptian warrior commissioned to lead the troops against Ethiopia. Aida falls in love for Radames, but doubts if she can hope for his victory (the aria "Ritorna Vincitor" expresses her wavering between the two opposite emotions). Radames is honoured with a spectacular triumphal march after his first battle, as he brought the King of Ethiopia (Amonasro) in chains. Later Radames prepares for the escape of Aida and tells her where the Egyptian army will strike again, something Amonasro overhears. Radames is accused of treason and sentenced to be locked in a sealed vault.

But while the Egyptians place the last stone, Radames discovers he is not alone in his vault: Aida has chosen to stay with him, and together they accept their fate.

Answer: Faust

In this question I hint at Faust from the eponymous opera by Charles Gounod (1818-1893), but the same is true for the operas "Faust" by Louis Spohr (1784-1859) and "La Damnation de Faust" by Hector Berlioz (1803-1869).
Faust is an old scholar, longing for true knowledge. Mephistopheles (the devil) promises to help him, in exchange for Faust's soul. But when a rejuvenated Faust encounters Marguerite, he falls in love with her head over heels. He spends some time with Marguerite, who becomes pregnant and bears him a son. But Faust refuses to marry her, and Mephistopheles tricks him into a duel with Marguerite's brother Valentin. Faust kills Valentin, and Marguerite kills her baby son. When Marguerite is condemned to death by hanging, Faust prays for her and thus sets her soul free. In the final scene (as brought by the Metropolitan Opera in 2011) Marguerite ascends to heaven and Mephistopheles drags Faust to hell.
Another character dragged to hell is "Don Giovanni" in the eponymous opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The notorious womanizer has invited for dinner a stone statue of the Commander (someone Don Giovanni killed because he stood in the way of one of his many amorous conquests), and when Don Giovanni does not repent, the earth opens and the stone statue drags Don Giovanni to hell.

Answer: Isolde

Richard Wagner (1813-1881) composed "Tristan und Isolde", a rather confusing love story set in medieval Ireland. Isolde was at first betrothed to Morold, but Tristan killed him. When Isolde tried to avenge her fiancé, she fell in love with Tristan. Later on Tristan takes her to her next betrothed (King Marke), but Isolde prepares a love potion and thus charms Tristan. Melot, one of Marke's knights, discovers the deception and challenges Tristan to a duel. Tristan is fatally wounded, and as Isolde approaches the dying Tristan, she welcomes death from a broken heart (the aria known as "Liebestod"). In many operas the death of a beloved one incites the other protagonist to die as well, but frequently they then commit suicide. Wagner however lets Isolde die without committing suicide.

Answer: Eurydice

The story of Orpheus and Eurydice has inspired many opera composers, including Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) and Jacopo Peri (1561-1633).
Monteverdi's opera "Orfeo" (1607) is one of the earliest operas that still is performed occasionally.
In this opera, we meet Orfeo, a gifted musician, and Eurydice, his betrothed. But Eurydice is bitten by a snake, and Orpheus ventures to visit the Underworld and try to retrieve his beloved one. Plutone, the god of the Underworld, is so moved by Orpheus' song that he accepts, on one condition: on their way out Eurydice should follow Orfeo, and Orfeo should not look back. Alas, just before safely returning to earth, Orfeo glances over his shoulder...
Another snakebite ends the life of Cleopatra, whose fate has been the subject of operas by Pasquale Anfossi (1727-1797), Jules Massenet (1842-1912) and Gian Francesco Malipiero (1882-1973), to name but just a few.

Answer: Carmen

A very great number of opera characters are stabbed to death, some by ex-lovers (Carmen), by political enemies (Julius Caesar), by an amorous rival (Turiddu in "Cavalleria Rusticana") or by themselves (for instance Madame Butterfly).
In this question I'd like to expand on "Carmen" by Georges Bizet (1838-1875). The gypsy girl working in a cigarette factory is in love with Don José, the corporal of a local group of soldiers. After many tribulations Don José is ready to desert the army and live with Carmen, but meanwhile she has fallen in love with the toreador Don Escamillo. Don José then stabs Carmen to death.
In Händel's "Giulio Cesare", the protagonist is stabbed by political rivals. Turiddu from Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" dies in a fencing duel with his amorous rival Alfio. Madame Butterfly in the eponymous opera by Puccini commits suicide with a knife when she learns of the infidelity of her lover Lieutenant Pinkerton.

Answer: Tosca

"Tosca" by Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) had it all: three of the protagonists died, and all in different ways: one was stabbed to death, one was shot, and the third leapt off a tower.
During the Napoleonic Wars, an escaped political prisoner named Angelotti hides in a church, where the painter Cavaradossi is finishing a portrait of Mary Magdalene. Cavaradossi has in fact used the face of the opera singer Floria Tosca as model, although altering the hair colour. Tosca and Cavaradossi are indeed lovers in secret. Scarpia, the head of the secret police, is looking for Angelotti but can't find him, so he apprehends Cavaradossi as a crucial witness.
Scarpia then wants Tosca to surrender her body to him, and threatens executing Cavarodossi in order to get her. When she is about to surrender, Scarpia proposes a mock execution and writes a safe-conduct for the couple. Then the events turn for the worst soon: Tosca kills Scarpia with a knife ("Quest'e il baggio di Tosca" - "This is Tosca's kiss"), Cavaradossi is shot by firing squad, and when Tosca discovers Scarpia has lied to her (Cavaradossi is really dead) she leaps from the castle tower towards her death.

Answer: Werther

This question refers to the opera "Werther" by Jules Massenet (1842-1912). Charlotte, the eldest of six children, is betrothed to Albert, but during his absence the young poet Werther accompanies her to a ball. Werther falls in love with Charlotte, but soon she marries Albert.

After a while, Werther sings to Charlotte the well-known aria "Pourquoi me réveillér" ("Why wake me"), and takes his leave. Charlotte finally understands his intentions and rushes after him, but too late: he has already shot himself in his apartment, and dies in her arms.

Answer: Billy Budd

"Billy Budd" is a sailor's opera by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976). Remarkably, there is not a single female role. Thus there is no real alto or soprano on the stage: only a few boy sopranos can be heard in the minor role of midshipmen.
Billy Budd is a sailor on the ship commanded by Captain Vere. When falsely accused of mutiny, Billy Budd hits and kills the master-at -arms, a deed for which he is court-martialled. The sentence is death by hanging, and Billy forgives Captain Vere who pronounces the sentence.
In an epilogue, Captain Vere remembers this episode and regrets not having acquitted Billy Budd.

Answer: Soeur Blanche

This question refers to the opera "Dialogue des Carmélites" by Francis Poulenc (1899-1963). The story is about a congregation of Carmelite nuns during the French Revolution, that just welcomed a new sister (Blanche, the daughter of an aristocrat). As the French Revolution gradually becomes the Reign of Terror led by Robespierre, the nuns are all put to the choice: either they revoke their vows, or they will be executed. All the nuns declare to remain faithful to their religion, and they start singing hymns such as the "Salve Regina" and the "Veni Creator Spiritus".

While they are all singing, one by one they are led offstage, and each time one nun leaves the stage, there is the sound of a falling guillotine blade, and one fewer nun singing - until Sister Blanche is the only who remains...