Opera Scenes

Opera Scenes Order Description For this assignment you are to watch 3 scenes from operas - 1 each from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods. I've done my best to fin" rel="nofollow">ind standard performances of each opera (stagin" rel="nofollow">ings are fairly traditional). For each scene answer the followin" rel="nofollow">ing questions (you can keep your answers quite short): Focus first on the orchestra: What timbres (strin" rel="nofollow">ings, woodwin" rel="nofollow">inds, etc.) do you hear/see? Do any timbres "stick out" from the orchestra? Does the overall sound feel thin" rel="nofollow">in/small or thick/large? Is the overture short or medium/long in" rel="nofollow">in length? Next focus on the sin" rel="nofollow">ingin" rel="nofollow">ing: How clear are the voices? That is, do the sin" rel="nofollow">ingers seem focused on the words or on their vocal virtuosity? How is the flow of the sin" rel="nofollow">ingin" rel="nofollow">ing and the story (the first two have English subtitles and a short synopsis of each scene is provided) - does it seem smooth or stilted? Does the pacin" rel="nofollow">ing of the story seem slow or okay - e.g. would it put you to sleep or keep your in" rel="nofollow">interest? Fin" rel="nofollow">inally, make 2 judgments: Of the 3, which appeals to you a) the most? why? b) the least? why? Opera A: Monteverdi L'Orfeo (Baroque Opera) Here is the synopsis (of sorts) - L'Orfeo is based on the Greek legend of Orpheus, who descends to Hades to attempt to brin" rel="nofollow">ing his dead bride Eurydice back to the livin" rel="nofollow">ing world: In a prologue the figure of Music in" rel="nofollow">introduces the piece, a demonstration of the power of music. Orpheus and Eurydice are at last to marry, an event celebrated in" rel="nofollow">in dance and song by the shepherd company. The celebration of the happin" rel="nofollow">iness of Orpheus contin" rel="nofollow">inues (only to be in" rel="nofollow">interrupted soon by the appearance of the messenger Sylvia, who breaks the news of the death of Eurydice). Prologue The allegorical figure of Music (La Musica) announces the story to be narrated. Act I Nymphs and shepherds sin" rel="nofollow">ing and dance in" rel="nofollow">in anticipation of the weddin" rel="nofollow">ing of Orpheus and Eurydice, who each declare their joy. Eurydice and others depart. Act II Orpheus stays behin" rel="nofollow">ind with a few companions and sin" rel="nofollow">ings to them of the pain" rel="nofollow">ins and pleasures of his courtship. But a nymph returns with tragic news: Eurydice has been bitten by a snake and is dead. All are struck with horror by the messenger’s tortured account. Orpheus declares his in" rel="nofollow">intent to follow Eurydice to the Underworld. The others lament the cruel turn of events. - See more at: https://www.aam.co.uk/#/Explore/Blog/Orpheus-synopsis.aspx The allegorical figure of Music (La Musica) announces the story to be narrated. Act I Nymphs and shepherds sin" rel="nofollow">ing and dance in" rel="nofollow">in anticipation of the weddin" rel="nofollow">ing of Orpheus and Eurydice, who each declare their joy. Eurydice and others depart. Act II Orpheus stays behin" rel="nofollow">ind with a few companions and sin" rel="nofollow">ings to them of the pain" rel="nofollow">ins and pleasures of his courtship. But a nymph returns with tragic news: Eurydice has been bitten by a snake and is dead. All are struck with horror by the messenger’s tortured account. Orpheus declares his in" rel="nofollow">intent to follow Eurydice to the Underworld. The others lament the cruel turn of events. - See more at: https://www.aam.co.uk/#/Explore/Blog/Orpheus-synopsis.aspx The allegorical figure of Music (La Musica) announces the story to be narrated. Act I Nymphs and shepherds sin" rel="nofollow">ing and dance in" rel="nofollow">in anticipation of the weddin" rel="nofollow">ing of Orpheus and Eurydice, who each declare their joy. Eurydice and others depart. Act II Orpheus stays behin" rel="nofollow">ind with a few companions and sin" rel="nofollow">ings to them of the pain" rel="nofollow">ins and pleasures of his courtship. But a nymph returns with tragic news: Eurydice has been bitten by a snake and is dead. All are struck with horror by the messenger’s tortured account. Orpheus declares his in" rel="nofollow">intent to follow Eurydice to the Underworld. The others lament the cruel turn of events. - See more at: https://www.aam.co.uk/#/Explore/Blog/Orpheus-synopsis.aspx You need only listen/watch to 22:30 (Sylvia actually doesn't appear until about 29:00, feel free to skip ahead to hear her entrance and pronouncement). Nikolaus Harnoncourt/Monteverdi Ensemble, Zurich Opera (Lin" rel="nofollow">inks to an external site.) Opera B: Mozart Cosi fan Tutte (Classical Opera) Here is the synopsis: Naples, late 18th century. Two young officers, Ferrando and Guglielmo, boast about the beauty and virtue of their girls, the sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella. Their older friend, the cynical Don Alfonso, declares that a woman’s constancy is like the phoenix—everyone talks about it but no one has ever seen it. He proposes a wager of one hundred sequin" rel="nofollow">ins: if they’ll give him one day and do everythin" rel="nofollow">ing he asks, he will prove to them that the sisters are unfaithful, like all other women. Amused, the young men agree. Separately, Fiordiligi and Dorabella thin" rel="nofollow">ink of their lovers, imagin" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing that they will soon be married. For this opera you need only listen/watch to 17:35. You may need to click on the "CC" symbol for closed captionin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in order to see the subtitles. Nikolaus Harnoncourt/Vienna State Opera (Lin" rel="nofollow">inks to an external site.) Opera C: Bizet Carmen (Romantic Opera) You may need to select the subtitles in" rel="nofollow">in the settin" rel="nofollow">ings. Here is the synopsis: Spain" rel="nofollow">in. In Seville by a cigarette factory, soldiers comment on the townspeople. Among them is Micaëla, a peasant girl, who asks for a corporal named Don José. Moralès, another corporal, tells her he will return with the changin" rel="nofollow">ing of the guard. The relief guard, headed by Lieutenant Zuniga, soon arrives, and José learns from Moralès that Micaëla has been lookin" rel="nofollow">ing for him. When the factory bell rin" rel="nofollow">ings, the men of Seville gather to watch the female workers—especially their favorite, the gypsy Carmen. She tells her admirers that love is free and obeys no rules. Only one man pays no attention to her: Don José. [You can guess where this story is goin" rel="nofollow">ing! And yes, it goes there!] You can start at 2:13 (the first 2 min" rel="nofollow">inutes are silent) and stop listenin" rel="nofollow">ing/watchin" rel="nofollow">ing at 24:50. Sorry for the sound quality but it's the best one with English subtitles and without an advertisement at the begin" rel="nofollow">innin" rel="nofollow">ing. Myron Michailidis/Taormin" rel="nofollow">ina Opera Festival 2015 (Lin" rel="nofollow">inks to an external site.)