Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953) was a Russian-born composer, pianist and conductor, active in the first half of the 20th century and known for operas, ballets, symphonies, concertos and film music.

Prokofiev composed major stage and orchestral works (Romeo and Juliet, Peter and the Wolf, The Love for Three Oranges, the Classical Symphony) and wrote film music such as Alexander Nevsky. The Fiery Angel (Ognenny Angel) was composed over decades and premiered posthumously at La Fenice in 1955 (as mentioned in the reviews). Recordings and narrated versions of Peter and the Wolf (one cited in the reviews narrated by Eduardo De Filippo) are frequently used to introduce children to instruments.

Three enthusiastic reviews on DeBaser highlight Prokofiev's theatrical daring, dense orchestration, and vivid character writing. Critics recommend The Fiery Angel for its dramatic intensity, Peter and the Wolf as an ideal introduction for children, and The Love for Three Oranges for its comic modernism. The coverage mixes musical analysis with personal nostalgia and practical listening suggestions.

For:Opera lovers, classical-music listeners, parents seeking musical introductions for children

 As far as I'm concerned, The Fiery Angel (Ognenny Angel in the original language) is a masterpiece of cosmic proportions, and certainly among the highest pinnacles of 20th-century operatic decadence, on par with Salome and Pelléas et Mélisande.

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 The protagonist, Peter, was musically represented by a pleasing sequence of strings where you could imagine a lively child jumping carefree in a flowery meadow.

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 The Love for Three Oranges is an opera in the purest Prokofiev style, chaotic, sarcastic, absurd, and fragmented into scenes of great color and liveliness, and despite this, it remains a unique block, you either appreciate it in its entirety or not at all.

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