111op-
To answer your question quickly, yes, the break was voluntary (and definitely made my life easier with my relocation to the big D). I only went on 1 European trip after I quit working (to Italy), but I did go on 5 other European trips last year when I was still working.

Now back to researching your new clue!

I'm having a hard time with this clue. I guess I'll just throw my ideas out here...

The soprano is probably Maria Callas. She has many signature roles:
Norma by Bellini
Tosca by Puccini
Violetta (in La Traviata) by Verdi
Carmen by Bizet
And even her very first roles as
Medea by Cherubini

I cannot think of any operas by Bizet, Bellini or Puccini that resemble this clue.

As for Verdi, there is:
"I due Foscari" about Francesco Foscari, Doge of Venice (after a work by Lord Byron). The title & place fits, but not the name.
or
"I vespri sicillani" about Charles d'Anjou, King of Naples. Again, title & place fits, but not the name.

Then I look at Cherubini. One of his opera is titled "Giulio Sabino" aka Julius Sabinus. Here, the name fits. When I google "Julius Sabinus", I find one page that shows Julius Sabinus without a portrait. However, I could not figure out what the title is.

I guess at this point I'll have to give up. I hope someone comes up with the answer soon, as I'm dying to know!

Brief interruption: Since everyone playing this is very very good, if you feel like it, you can also play the same game on the Delphi Francophile forum or the AboutCom Italian Language forum. Here are links to the latest unsolved puzzles on each of those boards. (You do need to register, on Delphi and/or AboutCom, respectively, to post on Francophile and/or Italian Language.)

http://forums.delphiforums.com/PBPro...s?msg=3840.694

http://forums.about.com/ab-italian/m...s?msg=2793.602

Sorry, I didn't get to check back this weekend.

The composer is a rival of Bellini, if I recall, and his operas are definitely staged. Not the one about this character in particular, but one of the ones is a Callas signature role. Of that famous opera, there's a particularly famous live bootleg recording conducted Karajan made in Berlin (in 1955).

I'm sorry -- the one about this character is staged as well, of course -- but much more rarely (presumably). But it's no more as famous as that opera of which Callas made a famous recording.

Ok, maybe you're referring to Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti (with Callas)?
Then which other opera is the answer to the clue? I still have no idea!

Well, just look up a list of the Donizetti operas -- they must be listed somewhere. :-)

Well, I did. He's written a lot of operas in his life. I've looked at:

Anne Boleyn, L'elisir d'amore, Lucrezia Borgia, Maria Stuarda, Roberto Devereux, Poliuto, La fille du regiment, La favorite, Linda di Chamounix, Don Pasquale. NOne of them seem to fit the bill. Maybe someone else will figure it out.

Check

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionar...no%20Donizetti

Ok, it's Marino Falier. He was a doge of Venice and was executed for his conspiracy. His commemorative portrait in the Great Hall at the Doges' Palace shows him veiled (along with an inscription that says something like this is Marino Falier, executed for a conspiracy against Venice).

You want to give the next clue?

By the way, that recording I'm referring is Callas's recording of "Lucia," indeed. Very famous recording, perhaps even more famous than her 1955 (or was it 1953?) "Tosca."

Well, I guess none of my opera books felt that Marino Falier was important enough to be included in them.

Even though I didn't get the answer, I guess I'm up for providing the next clue.

This building in this European city took 14yrs to construct. The delay was due to a war, as well as the discovery of a body of water underneath the foundation. This discovery inspired a writer to write a book based on it. The story since has been adopted into a musical as well. The building ceiling was repainted by a famous painter in the last century.

So, here we go, name:
Building (2 words, 5,7, with "a" 2nd position of 2nd word)
Writer (6,6 "a" 2nd letter of first name)
Book title (in its native language, 4 words, 2,7,2,6)
Painter (last name 7, "a" in 3rd position)

"a" taken from Marino Falier.

Ah hah, one that needs no googling.

opera garnier
gaston leroux
le fantome de l'opera
marc chagall

Yeap DT. Figure I'll hand out an easier one (after pulling my hair out on 111op's clue).
You're next!

I hadn't realized that that was so difficult actually. Oh well. I came across this while reading a guidebook on Venice. Thought it was interesting that his Doge portrait was the only one that showed him veiled.

How's the job going?

ttt for DT.

111op- I just didn't have the time/energy to research the clue. And once you hinted it was Donizetti, he just had too many operas under his belt for me to look up.
The new job is ok. I was ready to quit after my 1st day. It's hard enough to start working at a completely new environment, let alone to work after NOT working for 9 months. I think I'll be happier when I see my 1st paycheck. :)
BTW, I rented Triplets of Belleville over the weekend. Wouldn't have noticed it was GG if you hadn't mention it.

Yes, DT, we need a clue from you.

It's interesting that Donizetti wrote that many operas -- I didn't realize that -- I guess lots just fade into obscurity.

I noticed the GG reference right away (I guess I'm usually more sensitive to this sort of thing), but I think that there're a lot of references I miss in the movie. Supposedly the Bach Prelude (the C minor) occurs in a varied form throughout the movie, but I didn't quite pick that up.

Well, good luck with the new job!

Sorry, I was swamped yesterday and have to go out of town today. Someone else can take the clue. I apologize for the delay.

Ok, I'll give one then, which won't be too difficult if you've read my posts. Then someone else can give the next clue.

Clue: This chateau (5 letters, 3rd = "o") has four wings built in four different architectural styles.

Ha. I guess you felt sorry for me and so gave such an easy clue.
Maybe Blois?

Well, that I don't know. But, yes, Blois it is.

(Obviously I've been doing lots of chateaux research, but right now I'm leaning towards just going to Chenonceau. Maybe I'll feel differently tomorrow.)

So you get to give us a clue now.