Opera
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Alan Tolcher Music Appreciation Tues and Thurs.
Opera Opera is a type of theater that is wholly or mostly done through music and singing. Opera started out of Italy in the 1600s and was dominantly associated with the western classical music tradition. Opera also uses some of the elements that are used in regular theater. These elements are scenery, costumes, and acting. Opera, however, is very distinctly distinguished by the importance of music in the drama of the production. The singers in the opera are always accompanied by an ensemble. This ensemble is usually a full symphonic orchestra made of a brass section, string section, woodwinds, percussion, and a conductor. Opera will also incorporate dancing into the production. French operas tended to use more dancing. Some of the terminology of an opera are liberetto, recitative, aria, Singspiel, opera comique, operetta, semi-opera. The liberetto is the words of an opera. The recitative is the plot-driving passages that are usually sung in a non-melodic style. An operetta is an opera that may have a little spoken dialogue in it. An aria is a song that is usually written for one or two voices. It’s more of a solo. A recent trend that occurred since the 20th century is the down sizing of orchestras. Ever since the patronage system of paying has been abandoned, people have been writing operas for ensembles and not full orchestras. Benjamin Britten composed an opera for thirteen instrumentalists once. They will also write short operas. Another
trend of the 20th century is writing historical operas. There have been operas written about Nixon’s visit to China. Operas are written for different types of voices. These parts are bass, bassbaritone, baritone, tenor, countertenor, contralto, mezzo-soprano, and soprano. The men’s parts consist of the bass, bass-baritone, baritone, tenor. The women’s parts are the contralto, mezzo-soprano and soprano.
Opera Opera is a type of theater that is wholly or mostly done through music and singing. Opera started out of Italy in the 1600s and was dominantly associated with the western classical music tradition. Opera also uses some of the elements that are used in regular theater. These elements are scenery, costumes, and acting. Opera, however, is very distinctly distinguished by the importance of music in the drama of the production. The singers in the opera are always accompanied by an ensemble. This ensemble is usually a full symphonic orchestra made of a brass section, string section, woodwinds, percussion, and a conductor. Opera will also incorporate dancing into the production. French operas tended to use more dancing. Some of the terminology of an opera are liberetto, recitative, aria, Singspiel, opera comique, operetta, semi-opera. The liberetto is the words of an opera. The recitative is the plot-driving passages that are usually sung in a non-melodic style. An operetta is an opera that may have a little spoken dialogue in it. An aria is a song that is usually written for one or two voices. It’s more of a solo. A recent trend that occurred since the 20th century is the down sizing of orchestras. Ever since the patronage system of paying has been abandoned, people have been writing operas for ensembles and not full orchestras. Benjamin Britten composed an opera for thirteen instrumentalists once. They will also write short operas. Another
trend of the 20th century is writing historical operas. There have been operas written about Nixon’s visit to China. Operas are written for different types of voices. These parts are bass, bassbaritone, baritone, tenor, countertenor, contralto, mezzo-soprano, and soprano. The men’s parts consist of the bass, bass-baritone, baritone, tenor. The women’s parts are the contralto, mezzo-soprano and soprano.
