Renaissance (1400-1600)

1. Renaissance(1400-1600)

2. Renaissance (1400-1600)Renaissance Who’s Who • Writers - Shakespeare & Cervantes • Math/Science - Galileo, Copernicus • Explorers – Columbus, da Gama • Artists - Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael • Monarchs – Henry VIII, Elizabeth I • Music (secular) - Monteverdi

3. Monteverdi (1567-1643) • Italian Renaissance composer • Composed secular music • Famous for his madrigals

4. Madrigal • Renaissance secular song • Originated in Italy • For voices, with and without accompaniment • Set to a short love poem • Very emotional • Monteverdi was most famous composer in Italy • Madrigals also became popular in England

5. Monteverdi & the Madrigal • Monteverdi: Italian Renaissance Composer • Madrigal: • Renaissance secular song originating in Italy for voices, sometimes with accompaniment, sometimes without; set to a short love poem; also popular in England • Example: A un giro sol • Renaissance • Italian • madrigal • by Monteverdi • word painting (the music depicts the words being sung) • very emotional

6. Madrigals were the forerunner of Baroque Opera!!!

7. Baroque (1600-1750)

8. BAROQUE HIGHLIGHTS • Opera is Born • Masque in England • Names to Remember • Composers • Purcell • Handel • Monarchs • Louis XIV (France) • Representative governments • Begin replacing monarchs in N. Europe • Off-and-on in England • A result of the growing middle class

9. Opera & Masque • Masque: an English performance similar to a variety show • with singing, dancing, poetry and music • performed for nobility • Opera: music drama sung throughout • combines vocal and instrumental music with poetry and drama, acting and pantomime, scenery and costumes • subject matter from history or mythology • performed for nobility

10. Opera Elements • Libretto: the text/script of the opera written by a librettist who works closely with the composer • Overture: instrumental introduction to the opera; often contains main themes used in the opera • Recitative: a sort of sung speech which moves the plot along • Aria: the beautiful solo songs in the opera; they stop the motion/plot and reflect on moments of great emotion • Ensembles: duet (2), trio (3), quartet (4), quintet (5), sextet (6), chorus

11. Opera - Dido and Aeneas • Dido’s Lament • Example of recitative and aria • Purcell is composer • Ostinato (repeated descending bass) • Subject from Greek mythology and adapted by Roman poet, Virgil • With drooping wings ye cupids come • Example of opera chorus • Purcell is composer • Chorus acts like Greek chorus (commenting on the opera characters to the audience) • Subject from Greek-Roman mythology

12. Pre-Classical Opera Buffa • Opera Buffa (comic opera) • developed as the middle class grew • The Beggar’s Opera (1728) • An Opera Buffa • in England • Written by John Gay • A satire of serious opera • Written for the middle class • Contained familiar folk/popular tunes • Main characters were highwaymen, pickpockets, and sluts • Contained spoken dialogue instead of recitative • Example – “Why How Now, Madam Flirt” • The Beggar’s Opera was really the first operetta but 130 ahead of its time!

13. Classical (1750-1825)Monarchs vs. Revolutions

14. Classical Opera • Opera – most important type of musical entertainment • 2 Types of Opera • Opera Seria: serious opera • Plots of historical kings & queens or gods & goddessesof ancient Greece and Rome • appealed to the upper class • Opera Buffa: comic opera • Plots of common people • More popular tunes and satire (making fun of opera seria) • Appealed to growing middle class Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart • Mozart - most important Composer of both!

15. Mozart & Opera Buffa • Mozart’s Contributions • Elegance • Beautiful melodies & sophisticated harmonies • Character development • Real emotions • Situations that provide the comedy • Example: Act I Scenes 6 & 7 • Opera Buffa • By Mozart • Aria + Recitative + Trio • From The Marriage of Figaro • Plot about 2 common servants • Involves a trouser role

16. Madrigal Renaissance Baroque Opera Seria Beggar’s Opera Pre-Classical Opera Buffa Opera Seria Classical Opera Comique (Operetta) Grand & Lyric Opera Romantic Opera and Operetta Split

17. Romantic Period1800-1900

18. Romantic Opera National Trends in Opera • Italy • Opera seria: in Italian with recitative • Opera buffa: in Italian with recitative • Big composer: Verdi • Germany • Music drama: Germany’s version of opera with German legends as subject; sung in German • Big composer: Wagner • Singspiel: Germany’s version of opera buffa; sung in German with spoken dialogue

19. Romantic Opera (continued) • France • Grand opera: like opera seria • spectacle + history/mythology subject • Opera comique (operetta!):comical like opera buffa • smaller casts • spoken text replaces recitative • often satire of opera seria • Lyric Opera • somewhere between grand opera and opera comique • example would be Carmen by Bizet

20. Operetta takes Hold France - Opera comique/operetta(continued)…… • Example – Orpheus in the Underworld (1858) • Gallop • By Offenbach • Operetta/ opera comique • Romantic period • France • Satire • Had some popular songs This is really where operetta takes hold!

21. Operetta Travels toVienna, Austria • Johann Strauss, Jr. • Nicknamed The Waltz King • Famous for writing waltzes (i.e., The Blue Danube) • Waltz: a dance in three • Was very popular during this period, especially in Vienna • Strauss built operettas around popular dances like the waltz and the polka • Example - Die Fledermaus (1874) • The Laughing Song • Coloratura aria (with fluid trills & runs) • Lush orchestration and full harmonies • A waltz • Maintains some opera traditions, like trouser role

22. Operetta Travels Further to Prague(now the Czech Republic) • Franz Lehár • Example: Love Unspoken • From The Merry Widow (1905) • Queen of Operettas • Duet • A waltz • Lovely, lyrical melodies • Used popular themes & fashions of the day The Merry Widow became extremely popular in Europe

23. Operetta Travels Back toEngland • Gilbert & Sullivan • Unique British Operetta style • They wrote 14 operettas together • Used British satire • Catchy numbers • Simple harmonies • Big use of chorus • Example: We Sail the Ocean Blue • Male chorus from HMS Pinafore (1878) • Example: Overture, from Pirates of Penzance (1879)

24. Operetta Travels Overseas to the United States • Essentially kept Europeanoperetta traditions with an American flair • Victor Herbert • Born in Dublin (Ireland), • Educated in Vienna (Austria) • Example: A Kiss in the Dark • From Orange Blossoms (1921) • Aria • Waltz • Lyric melody

25. Why Operetta Lost Popularity PROBLEMS: • Written for popular scenes of the day • Doesn’t make sense to today’s crowd • If libretto is “updated,” essence of the piece is lost • If performed in opera crowd there are some projection issues because of spoken text • American musical theatre became popular in 1920s and replaced operetta • Contained more rustic themes, vaudeville, burlesque, etc. • Rooted in American culture rather than European tradition • Still very popular in Europe • Are part of the regular opera seasons • Most U.S. opera houses include an occasional operetta

26. Map of Europe 1850

27. Operetta Travels (1858-1921) Gilbert & Sullivan Gay United States Herbert Offenbach Lehár Strauss

28. Operetta light music drama some spoken dialogue combines vocal music and orchestra has overture has arias, duets, trios, etc. combines poetry, drama, acting, pantomime scenery and costumes subject matter is comical, satirical or lighthearted subject & fashions were popular during that time & for that region music written in Romantic operatic styles typically performed for the general public often very popular with middle class of the time

29. Opera • music drama • sung throughout (recitative instead of spoken dialogue) • combines vocal music and orchestra • has overture • has arias, duets, trios, etc. • combines poetry, drama, acting, pantomime • scenery and costumes • subject matter is typically taken from historical characters or mythology • music written in operatic styles of the day • Was typically performed for the noble class • Today for all audiences

30. Operetta vs. Opera OPERA Music drama Sung throughout (recitative instead of spoken dialogue) Subject matter tends to be from historical characters or mythology Music written in the operatic styles of the day (ie., Marriage of Figaro) Typically performed for the noble (upper) classes Combines poetry, drama, acting, pantomime Combines vocal music and orchestra - has overture, arias, duets, trios, etc. OPERETTA Light music drama Some spoken dialogue Subject matter tends to be light-hearted, comical or satirical and tended to be in the fashions of the time and unique to each region Music written in Romantic operatic styles (except for Beggar’s Opera) Typically performed for the general public (popular with middle class) Combines poetry, drama, acting, pantomime Combines vocal music and orchestra - has overture, arias, duets, trios, etc.

31. Operetta vs. Musical • Musical: a play with singing • Syllabic • Narrower range • Legit & belt or popular singing • Lots of spoken dialogue • Requires actors who can sing & dance • Subject matter comical, sometimes dealing with issues of the day or dealing with any topic at all • Appealed to middle & lower middle class • Operetta: light opera • More melismatic • Wider range • Legit singing • Some spoken dialogue • Requires singers who can act and dance minimally • Subject matter light-hearted, comical, satirical including fashions of the day • Appealed to middle class

32. The End