Bell Ringer – 12/12/2013 m.socrative - Room #38178

1. Bell Ringer – 12/12/2013m.socrative.com - Room #38178 • QUESTION: • 1. What are Pierre de Beaumarchais 2 most famous plays? USE YOUR DEVICES IF YOU HAVE ONE – its so much quicker to grade when you submit them electronically!!!

2. Opera

3. Opera - General • Generally COMIC – not sentimental • Every word is sung – music continues throughout the entire production • Drama is propelled by song • Did often include ballet, but not always • Ballets would not include singing (only danced to instrumental music)

4. The Marriage of Figaro • Comic Opera • 1786 by Mozart • Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on the stage play by Pierre Beaumarchais • Libretto: the text or words of an opera • The play was, at first, banned in Vienna because of its disregard to the rules • Poked fun at government officials

5. The Marriage of Figaro • Mozart’s librettist got permission for the opera • First of 3 collaborations between Mozart and Da Ponte • Don Giovanni (based on the ballet Don Juan) was the second • Mozart selected the play and brought it to Da Ponte (who turned it into a libretto in 6 weeks) • He removed all the original political references • For example: he replaced a speech by Figaro against inherited nobility to an aria about unfaithful wives

6. The Marriage of Figaro • Mozart got 450 florins for the work • 3 times what he made in a YEAR when he was a court musician in Salzburg • Premiered in Vienna on May 1 1786 • Mozart conducted the first 2 performances himself • 9 performances total • The work was revived in 1789 • Replaced 2 arias with original compositions

7. Activity • We will now read a short summary of the plot of “The Marriage of Figaro” as well as some historical and literary background on the work. • You have questions to answer as we go – we will do these as a class You might be asked to SUMMARIZE this opera on your test next week….

8. Watch – The Marriage of Figaro • Act 4 – Mistaken Identities in the Garden • http://youtu.be/N_8CiooLN5k?t=6m30s • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWxclaU-Db0

9. The Magic Flute • 2 act opera by Mozart • A “Singspiel” – includes both singing and spoken dialogue (similar to a “musical” today) • Premiered in 1791 in Vienna • Comic Opera

10. The Magic Flute • Mozart was a close friend to one of the singers of the Schikaneder’s theatrical troupe (the resident company at the Theater auf derWieden in Vienna) and wrote the opera for the troupe • The libretto was written by Schikaneder himself • Mozart wrote with the singers in mind – there were trained singers, but also several comic actors that were not the best singers • Melodic lines are often played by the orchestra and then sung (so the singers could find the pitch and hear what their line should sound like)

11. The Magic Flute • The opera drew immense crowds and reached 100s of performances during the 1790s • Its success lifted Mozart – he had fallen ill just weeks before the premiere • The 100th performance was on November 1792 – Mozart did not get to witness this performance • He died December 5, 1791 • One of the most beloved works in the operatic repertoire – the 4th most frequently performed world wide

12. Activity • We will now read a short summary of the plot of “The Magic Flute” • You have questions to answer as we go – they’re on the BACK of the Marriage of Figaro Questions You might be asked to SUMMARIZE this opera on your test next week….