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Going to the Opera

Going to the Opera. What is Opera?. Opera was invented in the late Renaissance (1598) in Florence, Italy as a new way of combining music & stage drama . Its composers invented the solo recitative style which allowed sung words to be understood more clearly.

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Going to the Opera

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  1. Going to the Opera

  2. What is Opera? • Opera was invented in the late Renaissance (1598) in Florence,Italy as a new way of combiningmusic & stage drama. • Its composers invented the solorecitative stylewhich allowed sung words to be understood more clearly. • By combining orchestra & singing with acting, operas are able to more strongly express the emotions of a story as it is played out on the stage. • Operas have also often been considered entertainment for the rich & cultured, with many attempts to change that.

  3. What is Opera? • Operas are also funded by rich donors, companies, & cities. (San Francisco Opera) • Operas are also very formal & require polite concert etiquette like symphonies. • Operas combine: • Solo & small group singing • Choir singing • Symphony orchestra • Acting, costumes, make-up, sets, lights, & special effects. • Ballet dancing (sometimes) • Operas usually don’t have any spoken lines.

  4. What is Opera? • Operas have much more virtuosic singing than musicals or popular music. • The music is ultimately more important thanthe acting or even the storyline. • Types of songs: • Overture or interlude (orchestra – sets mood) • Chorus (stage chorus & orch. – shows town setting or expresses group feelings) • Recitative (soloist(s) speak-singing & orch. – reveals plot events) • Aria (soloist singing & orch. – reveals personal feelings) • Ensemble (two or more soloists singing & orch. – reveals feelings in soloists.

  5. Tips for Enjoying Opera • Learn about the opera & get familiar with some of its songs before you go – Unlike movies, you appreciate operas better if you know the songs and storyline ahead of time. • Read the story in the program & watch the supertitles – Opera plots can be hard to follow & they are usually in a foreign language. • Suspension of Disbelief (Emotion > Logic) – Opera was never intended to be totally realistic. It uses artistic devices (sets, songs, dancing, etc.) to convey emotions connected to a story. • Focus on the expression in the music – Remember, the music is more important than even the story! Focus on the virtuosic & expressive singing more than the acting.

  6. Mozart’s The Magic Flute • Written in 1791 (2 months beforeMozart’s death) in Vienna, Austria. • Part fairytale, part freemason allegory. • Plot: A young prince Tamino is rescued from a dragon and sent on a quest to rescue Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night. He is helped by a magic flute & a bird-man. He soon discovers that her captor, the highpriestSarastro, is really good & the queen is evil. He decides to join Sarastro’scommunity & marry Pamina. After going through the initiation trials, Tamino and Pamina are accepted and married.

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