Led by a conductor, an orchestra is an ensemble that is comprised of string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. Orchestra: In most cases, operas are accompanied by a group of musicians.Music moves the action of a story, expresses emotions and moods, and deepens our understanding of the characters. In fact, one of the greatest German opera composers, Richard Wagner, chose legends or myths for most of his opera plots so that he could communicate ideas as well as just a story. The Germans have always sought to extract from both the Italian and French traditions, and go beyond both in an attempt to present more than just a story. Verdi, an Italian composer, had to add ballets to all of his works to get them performed in Paris. An example of this: the Paris opera in the 19th century would not accept a work for performance if it did not contain a major ballet. The French have favored the pictorial side of drama, and this has led to a continuing emphasis on the visual spectacle, especially with dancing. It wasn’t until the late 19th century and early 20th century with the later works of Verdi and the operas of Puccini was a balance achieved between the role of the orchestra and that of the singer, and the combining of these two forces, to give a more effective presentation of the story. The Italians have always been famous for their love of singing, and so in Italian opera there has always been great emphasis placed on the singer and the beautiful sounds of the human voice. France and Germany joined Italy as the principal opera producers.Įventually, opera came to reflect the stories and musical styles of each of these countries. In time, this exciting form of entertainment spread to the rest of Europe. It was the homeland of Jacopo Peri and Claudio Monteverdi. Italy was the first country where opera became popular. Some of his operas are still performed today. The first great composer of opera was Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643). The first true opera, Daphne, was composed by Jacopo Peri (1561-1633). In the 1100s, the early Christian church set religious stories to music, a style known as liturgical drama. They fused poetry and music, creating plays that incorporated song, spoken language and dance, accompanied by string or wind instruments. Its beginning can be traced to the ancient Greeks. The concept of opera was developing many years before the first opera was written. Many famous stories have been made into operas, including Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and Romeo and Juliet. Opera takes any type of dramatic story and tries to make it more exciting and more believable with the help of music. This is based on the feeling that music can communicate people’s reactions and emotions better than words (read or spoken) or pictures. The unique thing in opera is the use of music to convey an entire story/plot. This last title is very close to the dictionary definition, and is the correct basis for any discussion about opera. The earliest Italian operas were called several things, such as “favola in musica” (fable in music) and “dramma per musica” (drama by means of music). It is considered by many to be the most complete art form, combining all of the elements of art, words, music, drama and dance. Opera is a dramatic story told through song. Opera has a rich and fascinating history and is also a vibrant art form that is continuing to grow today. Then the 20 th century, which if in literature the Verga’s realism and verism dominated the scene, in music Giacomo Puccini and his operas like Boheme and Madama Butterfly made history.The more you know about something, the more you can enjoy it. The 19 th century also saw another author spreading new composition rules, Wagner, who introduced leitmotivs and the expansion of the orchestra. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the best and last of the classical period and with his opera Le Nozze di Figaro he opened the Romantic irreverent period which saw artists such as Gioacchino Rossini, Bizet, and then Verdi with his Aida, il Trovatore, Rigoletto and his most famous opera La Traviata. Then came the Classical period following the enlightenment, with its rational feelings, and more essential composition and themes. Male singers of this period, known as “castrati”, were castrated to keep their young treble and soprano voices, and not all survived the brutality.
During the Baroque era, Opera found the most elaborate period of all time, and Georg Frideric Handel was among the greatest composers of the era. Opera has changed during various historical periods, both in structure and themes.
0 kommentar(er)
