Yes - the gambling scene, where Candide is reunited with Cunegonde.

Yes, DB, both of those are correct, although Reiner also identified Wolf-Ferrari's I Quattro Rusteghi (The School for Fathers) as having a Venetian setting.

I think all of the Venetian settings I'd thought of have now been mentioned. Any thoughts on these operas? R_T mentioned how he found the Wolf-Ferrari 'eminently forgettable' and I know he doesn't think particularly highly of 'I Due Foscari' although I do recall a successful production at the ROH in the 90s with Dennis O'Neill, June Anderson and Vladimir Chernov. OK, it's not up to Boccanegra in its depiction of an elderly Doge, but there's much touching music there. The Venetian aspect is mainly conveyed through the power of the Council of Ten, but there's also an engaging off-stage regatta, and a chorus of people cheering on the winning gondolier.

I've never seen La Gioconda, but the music is super, red-blooded stuff, with vivid characters, such as the spy Barnaba, who's probably close to Scarpia, in my view, for 'baddy' status.

'Death in Venice' is an opera I've tried to get into with radio broadcasts, without much success. I suspect, like all opera really, it needs to be seen to be fully appreciated. Perhaps I should try and get a ticket for the upcoming ENO performances.

I honestly went to the Wolf-Ferrari with the highest hopes, as it had a good cast and a famous director (Boris Pokrovsky).  However, I'm afraid I found the music very disappointing, the pace is very slow, and apart from a largish scena for the leading comic bass-baritone, there wasn't much to keep the interest going.    With DUE FOSCARI it's rather the other way around...  the music works desperately hard,  but the plot (by Byron!) is utterly leaden....  will Foscari's son be allowed to return from banishment, or not?  By Act III I'd lost the will to live, and whether Foscari Jnr returned or not no longer seemed to matter   It was, in fairness, abysmally staged - perhaps it's capable of a better effect than that?   Foscari Snr has a nice Act III aria,  but I fear it's not an opera likely to make a return to the regular repertoire any time soon

I Due Foscari, - Novaya Opera, Moscow, Prod Raku, Cond Korobov

Ho, IGI! I have the Cerquetti GIOCONDA, too: pity it isn't note complete. So is the Cetra Callas (I haven't heard her EMI recording). I was about to order the Pavarotti when I hesitated on seeing a Domingo set with Urmana (EMI): anyone know it?

I adore Cerquetti's voice, and I have my eyes on her live Elisabetta on the Andromeda label I've heard so much about Milanov's Gioconda, another CD I should acquire of this super opera.

Here's a little question for a Monday morning for you...

... Glinka's first opera was known as IVAN SUSANIN during the USSR era.

What was Glinka's original title for the opera?   (be careful  )

A good start, but there's one item of information still yet to come...   any other entries?

My sources say that the original title of the opera was to be Ivan Susanin, after the hero, but when Nicholas I attended a rehearsal, Glinka changed the title to A Life for the Tsar as a monarchy-pleasing gesture.