OPERA Not just fat ladies wearing horns

Opera History �  Drama sung to orchestral accompaniment

�  Fusion of music, acting, poetry, dance, scenery, & costumes

�  Began in Italy ~1600

�  Associated with high social status �  Royalty, Wealthy, etc.

�  Serious, Comic, or both

�  MAY contain dialogue, most – entirely sung

Music in Opera �  Reveals characters/plot through song, not dialogue

�  Creates mood, character, & dramatic action

�  Makes characters more real

Other Aspects of Opera �  Scenery, lighting, & stage machinery create

illusions �  Fires, floods, storms, supernatural effects

�  Costumes are very grand and ornate

Orchestra �  Orchestra Pit – for instrumentalists/conductor

�  Conductor – leads orchestra – keeps music and singers together

�  Typically, not huge instrumentation �  Except for Wagner’s operas

Characters �  People overwhelmed by love, lust, hatred, and

revenge

�  Wear disguises and commit extraordinary acts of violence

�  Soloists must be able to create a variety of character types �  Need to be actors and singers

Female Voice Ranges �  Soprano – Highest

�  Mezzo Soprano – Middle

�  Alto – Lowest

Male Voice Ranges �  Tenor – Highest

�  Baritone – Middle

�  Bass – Lowest

Operatic Voices �  Coloratura Soprano – Very high range

�  Lyric Soprano – Light, graceful, charming

�  Dynamic Soprano – Full, passionate, powerful

�  Lyric Tenor – Light, bright voice

�  Dramatic Tenor – Powerful voice, heroic

�  Basso Buffo – Comic roles, sings rapidly

�  Basso Profundo – Very low, powerful - dignity

In Opera… �  1-5 Acts, divided into scenes

�  One singer – Solo

�  3 or more singers – Ensemble

�  All non-main characters singing – Chorus

�  Dance – often incidental – used as part of the setting, not as part of the story

�  Overture – plays before 1st act. Uses music that will be heard throughout the opera.

�  Prelude – used to introduce acts other than 1st

Rules of Opera… �  The text must be understood; the accompaniment

must be very simple and should not distract from the words.

�  The words must be sung with correct and natural declamation, as if they were spoken and not rhyme like songs.

�  The melody must interpret the feeling of the text.

Songs in Operas �  Aria – Song for solo voice with orchestral

accompaniment. Expressive. Action stops and feelings revealed.

�  Recitative – Vocal line imitates rhythms/pitch changes of speech. Sung quickly, clearly, often on repeated tones. Sets up Arias.

Translations �  Translation options

�  Supertitles – translation is projected above the stage

�  Subtitles – translation is optionally provided on the backs of the chairs in the theater

Language of Operas �  Most operas – in Italian, German, or French

�  Controversial – Should opera be translated? �  Some people think without lyrics, there is no true

understanding �  Some people think audience should understand the

plot as it develops

Techniques �  http://youtu.be/Fyql1do6KH4?t=46s

�  From “L’Orfeo” by Claudio Monteverdi (1607)

�  Uses “word painting”

�  Word painting – when the music reflects the lyrics

�  Vibrato – slight bending of the pitch while singing

Characters for Homework 1.  Hoffman – Tales of Hoffman

2.  Queen of the Night – The Magic Flute

3.  Gianni Schicci – Gianni Schicci

4.  Carmen – Carmen

5.  Figaro – Marriage of Figaro

6.  Don Giovanni – Don Giovanni

7. Papageno – The Magic Flute

8. Tosca – Tosca

9. Cleopatra – Giulio Caesare

10. Musetta – La Boheme

11. Nemorino – The Elixir of Love

12. Isolde – Tristan and Isolde