La Gioconda (opera) opera", the equivalent of French "Grand-Opéra". Ponchielli revised the work several times; the version that is played today was first given in 1880. There are several complete recordings of the opera, and it is regularly performed, especially in Italy. It is one of only a few operas that features a principal role for each of the six major voice types. "La Gioconda" was first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 8 April 1876. It was especially successful in its third and final version first seen at the same theatre on 28 March 1880. The opera had its American
Cologne Opera former mayor of Cologne. The first opera to be performed there was Carl Maria von Weber's "Oberon". In June of that year the house saw its first world premiere, Wolfgang Fortner's "Die Bluthochzeit". The following month the opera company of La Scala appeared there on tour with Maria Callas in "La sonnambula". The Cologne Opera House occasionally hosts solo recitals and special events; one remarkable such event was concert by jazz pianist Keith Jarrett in 1975 which was recorded and became one of the most popular solo jazz piano recordings of all time, known as The Köln Concert. The house