The third collection of Liszt's operatic piano works includes both popular pieces and lesser-known gems. With meticulous attention to detail and boundless creativity, Liszt transcribed the overture to Weber's Oberon. His Fantasy on Themes from Figaro and Don Giovanni unfolds as a multifaceted musical drama, artfully intertwining ethical messages with the musical connections between the operas.
Highlights of Liszt's repertoire include the piano fantasies on Verdi's Ernani, Il Trovatore, and Rigoletto. Liszt's interpretation of Verdi's opera is reflected in the Réminiscences de Boccanegra, characterized by groundbreaking harmonic structures. While the Valse de Concert demonstrates Liszt's exceptional creative approach, the Valse infernale from Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable is both complex and captivating.
In his Fantasy on Gounod's Roméo et Juliette, Liszt fuses diverse melodic elements into a new work. Ferenc Erkel's Hungarian Rhapsody offers a diverse collection of Hungarian motifs. Liszt's operatic fantasies based on Wagner illustrate the multifaceted relationship between him and this composer.
Liszt composed dramatic character pieces based on motifs from Wagner's Rienzi. This musical montage of various themes and motifs demonstrates Liszt's virtuosic mastery of operatic music.