On Now

Bob Christiansen
Listen to the Stream
  • Sonata 11:21 Johann Sebastian Bach
    London Baroque
    Buy Now
  • Flowers 11:13 Gustav Mahler
    Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
    Yoel Levi
    Buy Now
Playlist
Other MPR Radio Streams
Choral Stream
Minnesota Varsity
MPR News
Radio Heartland

Blog Archive

February 2011
S M T W T F S
    1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28          


Master Archive

Recent Entries

Categories

Contact Us

Purchase the Music

  • Buy the music you've heard on-air! Your purchase helps support our classical service.
    ArkivMusic

Services

Classical Notes
< From the Road: Cantus Sings in the Soudan Mine | Main | The Short Version: Mencken's Number One >

The Short Version: Plan B for Berlioz

Posted at 3:45 PM on February 11, 2011 by Bill Morelock
Filed under: The Short Version

The Renaissance goldsmith and adventurer Benvenuto Cellini may have been the godfather of self-promotion and celebrity culture. His famous autobiography gilded his exploits and shocked with its frankness.

French composer Hector Berlioz thought Cellini's life would make a blockbuster opera. When audiences yawned, Berlioz regrouped, and refashioned themes from the Cellini opera into one of his most popular works.


Become a Sponsor