1. BAROQUE (1600-1750) Elements of Opera (drama that is sung to orchestral accompaniment) (developed in Italy around 1600) Fusion of music, acting, dance, costumes, & scenery 1st musical theater BROADWAY.. 1 st Grease or HSM …was HOLLYWOOD of the time

2. BAROQUE (elements of Opera) Characters & Plot revealed through song not speech (some spoken word but very little) THE PLAYERS Solo Singers, 2 nd soloist, chorus, dancers minor characters, stage director Conductor, instrumentalists Total numbers can range into the hundreds

3. BAROQUE (elements of Opera) Originally developed in courts as stories for royals public houses opened with more “real” stories. Libretto (the text) written by librettist or dramatist then set to music by composer

4. BAROQUE (elements of Opera) Can have serious and comic opera comic opera will have more spoken parts for comedic timing 3-hour opera will have less text than play because it takes longer to sing a story opera actors must act & sing

5. BAROQUE (elements of Opera) Voice Ranges for opera more defined Coloratura soprano = high range, rapid scales and trills Lyric soprano = high light voice, graceful & charming Dramatic Soprano = Full, Powerful, intense Lyric tenor = light bright voice Dramatic Tenor = powerful, heroic expression Basso Buffo = comic roles, rapid notes Basso Profondo = low range, powerful, great dignity

6. BAROQUE (elements of Opera) One to five acts like a play May have defiant split Or acts flow into one another Two types of songs = ARIA & RECITATIVE

7. BAROQUE (elements of Opera) ARIA = solo voice with orchestra accompaniment slow long expressive melodies that depict emotion RECITATIVE = (to Recite) song that moves story, words sung quickly often with less melodic change on one or two notes more like monologue

8. BAROQUE (elements of Opera) ENSEMBLE=Duets (anything more than 1 main singer at a time) Opera Chorus = no main singer or vocal part but generates atmosphere or makes comments or the actions

9. BAROQUE (elements of Opera) OTHERS (besides the actors) Hidden prompter who gives cues or lines Plus orchestra pit musicians Conductor who is glue Most Opera have instrumental Overture or Prelude before drama begins Opera still sung in native tongue but DVD today have subtitles

10. Opera in the Baroque Was started by group of Italians CAMERATA The father of Astronomer Galileo (Vincenzo) was a member of CAMERATA Group wanted to create new style based around a new style of singing RECITATIVE (style modeled after speech)

11. Opera in the Baroque 1 st preserved opera written for King of France wedding 1 st great opera by Monteverdi Both Based on Greek myth of Orpheus’s decent into Hades to bring back beloved Eurydice 1 st public opera house in 1637 in Venice By 1700, 17 public opera houses in Venice Opera spread across Europe but Venice is the Hub

12. Opera in the Baroque Rise of Virtuoso singers called CASTRATO Male singers who had been castrated before puberty to sing soprano Combined power of male voice with female range Usually done by impoverished parents hopeful their child would be opera star Opera combined musical virtuosity, extravagance, and spectacle to become the perfect expression of the age

13. Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) Music Director of St. Mark’s in Venice wrote church and secular music 1 st composer of Operatic Masterpieces Wrote what is considered the 1 st great Opera

14. Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) LISTENING JOURNAL: Monteverdi, Tu se’ morta from ORFEO 1 st great opera based on Greek myth Composed 1607 for aristocracy Our piece is recitative from ACT II Sung by Orpheus finds out beloved is dead Mostly Homophonic texture with free time feel Word painting (stars high notes death low notes)

15. Henry Purcell (1659-1695) English composer Acclaimed as THE English composer of his day Live short life died at 36 Worked in Chapel Royal as organist Head composer for the King’s string orchestra No other international ranked English composer until the 20 th century

16. Henry Purcell (1659-1695) His only true opera in Dido & Aeneas Ground Bass (bass ostinato) repeated bass line pattern pattern could be only 4 notes short or 8 measures long

17. Henry Purcell (1659-1695) LISTENING JOURNAL: Purcell, Dido’s Lament Written for students at a boarding school Short only an hour with small orchestra Based on Epic poem of Roman writer VIRGIL Aeneas king of fallen Troy is seeking new land to rebuild Troy stops in Carthage falls in love with Dido (Queen) witches trick Aeneas to resume search leaves Dido, as he leaves Dido sings lament and ends opera with her suicide

18. Antonio Vivaldi(1678-1741) B orn in Venice Father was famous violinist in the church at St. Mark’s Cathedral Had red hair and became a priest Known as the “Red Priest” Become famous and influential violinist

19. Antonio Vivaldi(1678-1741) Plus known as a composer who worked with Bach However, popularity waned before death and died in poverty Wrote church music & operas Best remembered for over 450 concertos

20. Antonio Vivaldi(1678-1741) LISTENING JOURNAL: Vivaldi, La Primavera, from The Four Seasons (Movement I) Concerto Form We listening to first movement (FAST section) 1 a.Tutti, ritornello in home key b. Solo 2. a.Tutti, Ritornello fragment b. Solo 3. a.Tutti, ritornello fragment b. Solo 4. Tuttie, ritornello in home key

21. Antonio Vivaldi(1678-1741) LISTENING JOURNAL: Vivaldi, La Primavera, from The Four Seasons (Movement I - Spring) Program Music = instrument music associated with story, poem, idea, scene Vivaldi’s piece each movement is associated with each different season we are listening to 1 st season ….Spring TRILL = an ornament consisting of the rapid alternation of two tones that are a whole or half step apart