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38 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Lorenzo Da Ponte
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librettist of Nozze di Figaro
brilliant analyst of human character |
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opera buffa
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opera that presents a wider social class experience, stock situations, plausible characters
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comic realism
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representation of every day, "humorous" situations
plausible characters, etc |
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social hierarchy presented in opera buffa
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presents actual hierarchy of 18th century on stage in order to support or condemn it
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sentimental heroine
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usually a lower class female character, emotionally sentimental, very sympathetic
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finale
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(invention of comic opera)
-long ensemble sings at the end of act II or IV usually -dramatically powerful, situation reaches breaking point |
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Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
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writer of story of Figaro that was adapted into libretto by Da Ponte
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3 types of mozart operas
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1. german language
2. italian opera seria 3. italian opera buffa |
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best known comic operas
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Figaro
Don Giovanna Cosi Fan Tutte |
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opera buffa at first just...
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performed only between acts of opera seria
-1 act romps -INTERLUDE |
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1700 in Naples
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comic opera started being performed independently
-took over opera seria in popularity |
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dominant years of opera buffa
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1770-1790
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by 1760's
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opera buffa present in Vienna, playing at same time as reform opera
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comic opera challenged...
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social ideals
-enlightenment ideas, new money class (bourgeoisie) |
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rise in enlightenment ideas=
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shift in operatic tastes
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dramatic conventions of opera buffa
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1. large scale form (2 or 4 acts)
2. overture 3. comic subject matter (realism) 4. everyday situations |
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comic subject matter
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social/moral disruption and resolution
*marriage= kind of restitution |
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3 types of characters in opera buffa
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1. old, aristocrats
2. middle class professionals 3. servants, peasants |
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old aristocratic characters in Figaro
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count and countess
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middle class professionals in Figaro
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Bartolo, Basilio
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servants in Figaro
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Susanna
Figaro Cherubino |
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plot of comic opera all about
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play, disruption of order
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plots elements of comic opera
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1. temporary reversal of power structure
2. sentimental lower class heroine |
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types of power reversal in comic opera
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gender reversal
disguise servant-master |
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Musical conventions of comic opera
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1. recitative (mostly simple), aria
2. finale! |
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chain finale
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ensemble in multiple sections, contrasting styles, keys
-many characters representing different perspectives on drama -different texts, tunes |
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arias in comic opera
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characterizing, overtly class marked
-different classes given diff types of arias -mozart plays with it |
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general characteristics of mozart's operas
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1. complex melodic writing
2. strong motivic interconnection 3. sophisticated tonal plan 4. makes music serve purposes of drama |
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complex melodic writing
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orchestrally and vocally
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strong motivic interconnection
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-across scene, act, opera
-other opera buffas weren't doing it |
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sophisticated tonal plan
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manipulated key relations (keys have dramatic associations)
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makes music serve purposes of drama
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through complexity!
*reaches toward universal human experience* |
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basso buffo style
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buoyant, uncomplicated, boisterous, chatty singing in comic opera
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patter style
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fast, even rhythms with one syllable per note
*quintessential musical technique in buffa |
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rondo aria
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aria form assigned to serious/semi-serious characters
usually occurs at the end of an act preceding the finale |
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contredanse
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very fast style and dance associated with middle/lower classes
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cavatina
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short aria w/o a da capo (no major repetition)
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Burgtheater
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main operatic theater in Vienna
-semi commercial (still governed by aristocracy- hybrid |
