Love duets

Act I. During her wedding to the American lieutenant Pinkerton (Daniel Johansson), Butterfly (Asmik Grigorian) is cursed by her uncle – a Bonze – and cast out forever. She hopes that Pinkerton loves her enough to stay with her. Butterfly and Pinkerton seek comfort in each others’ embrace. Conducted by Lawrence Renes and directed by Kirsten Harms.

Tristan (Bryan Register) and Isolde (Ann Petersen) celebrate their love: they curse the day and bless the night, the kingdom of true love. There, as an omen of death, all boundaries between the lovers are abolished and the perfect union can be accomplished.

Act 4 concludes with this duet between Aeneas (Bryan Hymel) and Dido (Yvonne Naef ). The words are based on Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice ('On such a night ...'). The two lovers charm each other and exchange mythological references where provocations, chastity and fury of love mingle. 

Deutsche Opera am Rhein stages Bellini's La sonnambula. Elvino (Edgardo Rocha) and Amina (Stacey Alleaume) are hours away from getting married when a stranger appears, who unbeknownst to them, is Count Rodolfo. Elvino is jealous of the stranger's admiration of Amina but represses his emotion to avoid conflict. In Elvino and Amina's duet, the latter tries to assuage the jealous suspicions of her fiancé.

Mezzo-soprano Maria Kataeva (Joan of Arc) and baritone Richard Šveda (Lionel) sing the love duet 'Oh Wonderful, Sweet Dream!' from Tchaikovsky's opera The Maid of Orleans at Deutsche Oper am Rhein.

Soprano Lucie Kaňková (Terinka) and tenor Aleš Briscein (Jiří) sing the love duet 'On odešel' (He has gone away) from Dvořák's opera The Jacobin at National Theatre Brno.

Act III. The prince (Kyungho Kim) repents and asks Rusalka (Pumeza Matshikiza) for a kiss. She warns him that it will be fatal but the prince insists. After the kiss, he dies in her arms. Rusalka thanks the Prince for letting her experience human love and commends his soul to God. Conducted by Giedrė Šlekytė and directed by Alan Lucien Øyen.

Marietta (Sara Jakubiak) visits Paul’s (Aleš Briscein) house and is surprised to see a portrait of a woman who looks just like her.

Soprano Ermonela Jaho and tenor Francesco Demuro sing the love duet 'Parigi, o cara' from Verdi's opera La traviata at Teatro Real conducted by Renato Palumbo and directed by David McVicar.