The clarinet in opera: Ever since the clarinet went on the market in the mid-18th century it has fascinated listeners with its almost human timbre. Some of the composers who wrote the most important solo pieces for clarinet also created epoch-making operas: Mozart, Weber and Rossini. It is no wonder that their well-beloved arias were not only played on the clarinet but also filled with madcap embellishments and virtuosic variations. Sabine Meyer probes the interplay between vocal and instrumental virtuosity in masterly fashion.