Opera Quiz Questions & Answers

The Fascinating History of Opera

9 multiple choice quiz questions with answers

Test your knowledge of the fascinating history of opera with our quiz! From its origins in 16th-century Italy to its development across Europe in the Baroque and 18th century, this quiz covers the major movements, composers, and styles that have shaped the genre. Discover the differences between ope...

Test your knowledge of the fascinating history of opera with our quiz! From its origins in 16th-century Italy to its development across Europe in the Baroque and 18th century, this quiz covers the major movements, composers, and styles that have shaped the genre. Discover the differences between opera seria and opera buffa, learn about the famous composers of the Neapolitan School, and explore the emergence of bel canto and castrati. Whether you're a seasoned opera-goer or a

1. What is the definition of opera?

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A genre of music that combines symphonic music and a written dramatic text

2. Who created the first opera, Dafne?

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Jacopo Peri

3. What are some of the artistic disciplines that opera brings together?

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Music, singing, dance, theater

4. Which musical currents have influenced the evolution of opera?

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Baroque, Classicism, Romanticism, and avant-garde

5. What was the fast-slow-fast structure introduced by the Roman school of opera?

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A structure that alternates between recitative and aria

6. Who was the main representative of the Neapolitan School?

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Alessandro Scarlatti

7. What is the difference between opera seria and opera buffa?

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Opera seria is serious and moralistic, while opera buffa is intended for a more popular audience and influenced by the Commedia dell'arte

8. Who was the first English opera composer of note?

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Henry Purcell

9. What is pasticcio?

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An opera composed by several composers

Opera House Trivia

9 multiple choice quiz questions with answers

Do you consider yourself an opera enthusiast? Test your knowledge of opera houses with this quiz! From iconic venues like La Scala in Italy to modern opera houses like the Sydney Opera House, this quiz will challenge your understanding of the history and architecture of these magnificent buildings....

Do you consider yourself an opera enthusiast? Test your knowledge of opera houses with this quiz! From iconic venues like La Scala in Italy to modern opera houses like the Sydney Opera House, this quiz will challenge your understanding of the history and architecture of these magnificent buildings. Discover fascinating facts about the world's most famous opera houses and see how much you really know about these cultural landmarks.

1. What is an opera house?

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A theatre building used for performances of opera

2. What are the typical features of an opera house?

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A stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets

3. What is the difference between opera houses and performing arts centers?

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Opera houses are only used for operas, while performing arts centers are used for a variety of performances

4. Which country has many working opera houses?

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Italy

5. Who used to finance opera houses in the 17th and 18th centuries?

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Rulers, nobles, and wealthy people

6. What was the reason for calling local theaters an 'opera house' in the 19th-century United States?

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To elevate the status of the theater

7. What is the main source of funding for opera and theatre companies in the 2000s?

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Government grants

8. When was the first opera house in Germany built?

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In 1678

9. What was the situation of opera houses in London when Henry Purcell was composing?

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There were no opera houses

Discover the Fascinating World of Opera Comique

9 multiple choice quiz questions with answers

"Opera Comique: Unraveling the History and Origins" - Test your knowledge on the fascinating world of Opera Comique with this quiz. Learn about its origins, evolution, and prominent figures while discovering the unique characteristics of this beloved genre. Get ready to immerse yourself in the world...

"Opera Comique: Unraveling the History and Origins" - Test your knowledge on the fascinating world of Opera Comique with this quiz. Learn about its origins, evolution, and prominent figures while discovering the unique characteristics of this beloved genre. Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of music and drama!

1. What can be found at the top of a Wikipedia page?

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Language links

2. What is Opera comique?

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A type of opera

3. What does the term 'Opera comique' refer to besides a type of opera?

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A type of theater performance

4. Where are the language links located on a Wikipedia page?

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Across from the title at the top of the page

5. What is Wikipedia?

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A free online encyclopedia

6. What is the purpose of the language links on a Wikipedia page?

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To translate the page into different languages

7. What is the difference between Opera comique and other types of opera?

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It includes spoken dialogue

8. What is the significance of the term 'free' when describing Wikipedia?

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It is free to use and edit

9. What is the purpose of the 'External links' section on a Wikipedia page?

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To provide links to other websites with relevant information

Are You an Opera Buffa Expert?

9 multiple choice quiz questions with answers

Test your knowledge of Italian opera buffa in this fun and informative quiz! From its origins in Naples to its decline in the mid-19th century, this genre of opera is characterized by its everyday settings, local dialects, and humorous themes. Discover the stock characters derived from the Italian c...

Test your knowledge of Italian opera buffa in this fun and informative quiz! From its origins in Naples to its decline in the mid-19th century, this genre of opera is characterized by its everyday settings, local dialects, and humorous themes. Discover the stock characters derived from the Italian commedia dell'arte and learn about the first major composers of opera buffa. See if you can identify the different types of comedy and the standard distribution of characters in this entertaining and educational quiz. Whether you

1. What is Italian opera buffa?

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A genre of opera characterized by everyday settings, local dialects, and simple vocal writing, and associated with humor.

2. What was the genre of opera buffa's reaction to?

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Opera seria.

3. Which city was opera buffa especially popular in during the 18th century?

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Naples.

4. What is the French term for opera buffa?

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Opéra bouffon.

5. Who were the first major composers of opera buffa?

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Alessandro Scarlatti, Nicola Logroscino, and Baldassare Galuppi.

6. What is the standard distribution of characters in Rossini's opera buffa?

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A prima donna soubrette, a light, amorous tenor, a basso cantante or baritone capable of lyrical, mostly ironical expression, and a basso buffo.

7. What is the range of comedy in opera buffa?

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From purely comedic to comedic with drama and pathos.

8. What is the difference between opera buffa and opera seria?

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Opera buffa focuses on common people and their problems, while opera seria focuses on noble and heroic characters and their conflicts.

9. What was the genre of opera buffa's association with stock characters derived from?

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The Italian commedia dell'arte.

Opera Seria Quiz

9 multiple choice quiz questions with answers

Test your knowledge of the grand era of Italian opera with our Opera Seria quiz! From the rise of the castrati to the decline of the Metastasian model, this quiz covers the key composers, conventions, and innovations of the genre. See if you can identify the leading figures of opera seria and their...

Test your knowledge of the grand era of Italian opera with our Opera Seria quiz! From the rise of the castrati to the decline of the Metastasian model, this quiz covers the key composers, conventions, and innovations of the genre. See if you can identify the leading figures of opera seria and their signature works, as well as the composers who challenged and transformed the style. Whether you're a seasoned opera buff or a newcomer to the genre, this quiz offers a fascinating glimpse into

1. What is opera seria?

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A serious style of Italian opera

2. Which style of opera was a popular rival to opera seria?

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Opera buffa

3. Who were some of the acclaimed composers of opera seria?

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Nicola Porpora, Leonardo Vinci, Johann Adolph Hasse, and Francesco Feo

4. What musical convention did opera seria build upon?

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The da capo aria

5. How many musical movements would a typical opera seria contain?

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Not more than thirty

6. Who were the leading singers in opera seria?

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Prodigiously gifted male singers who had undergone castration before puberty

7. What did Gluck do differently in his opera Orfeo ed Euridice?

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Drastically cut back on the possibilities for vocal virtuosity afforded to singers

8. What was the role of opera seria in society?

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The opera of the court, of the monarchy and the nobility

9. What happened to opera seria with the rise of egalitarian republics in Italy?

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The Arcadian ideals of opera seria seemed increasingly irrelevant

How Much Do You Know About Bel Canto?

9 multiple choice quiz questions with answers

Test your knowledge of bel canto, the Italian-originated vocal style that prevailed throughout most of Europe during the 18th and early 19th centuries. This quiz will cover the history, features, and influence of bel canto, as well as some of the famous operas and singers associated with the style....

Test your knowledge of bel canto, the Italian-originated vocal style that prevailed throughout most of Europe during the 18th and early 19th centuries. This quiz will cover the history, features, and influence of bel canto, as well as some of the famous operas and singers associated with the style. See how much you know about this beautiful singing technique and its impact on the world of music.

1. What does bel canto mean?

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Beautiful singing or beautiful song

2. When was the term bel canto associated with a 'school' of singing?

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In the middle of the 19th century

3. What were the main features of the bel canto style?

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Both A and B

4. Which Italian composers wrote bravura works for the stage during the 'bel canto era'?

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Vincenzo Bellini and Gaetano Donizetti

5. What was one reason for the decline of the bel canto style in Italy?

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The growing influence of bel canto's detractors

6. When was the phrase 'bel canto revival' coined?

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In the 1950s

7. What is the bel canto technique?

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A set of virtuosic vocal accomplishments and concepts imparted by singing teachers to their students

8. Who was the most prominent bel canto pedagogue of the 19th century?

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Manuel García

9. Who are some historically and artistically significant 19th-century singers who exemplify bel canto ideals?

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Sir Charles Santley and Adelina Patti

Verismo Opera Quiz

9 multiple choice quiz questions with answers

Test your knowledge of Verismo Opera with this quiz! From the origins of the genre to the most famous composers and their works, this quiz will challenge your understanding of this post-Romantic operatic tradition. See if you can identify the key elements of Verismo, including its focus on realism,...

Test your knowledge of Verismo Opera with this quiz! From the origins of the genre to the most famous composers and their works, this quiz will challenge your understanding of this post-Romantic operatic tradition. See if you can identify the key elements of Verismo, including its focus on realism, through-composed structure, and emotional expressiveness. Don't miss the chance to learn about the influential singers who adapted to the demands of this "new" style and left their mark on the history of

1. What is Verismo?

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A post-Romantic operatic tradition

2. What is the focus of Verismo operas?

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The average contemporary man and woman and their problems

3. What is the musical language of Verismo operas?

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An aesthetic that emphasizes the power of moment-by-moment emotional expressiveness

4. What is the difference between Verismo operas and earlier Italian opera?

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Earlier Italian opera had a recitative and set-piece structure

5. Who were the most famous composers of Verismo operas?

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Giacomo Puccini, Pietro Mascagni, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Umberto Giordano, and Francesco Cilea

6. What is the significance of the term Verismo?

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It may also be used more broadly to refer to the entire output of the composers of the giovane scuola ('young school')

7. What is the vocal technique used in Verismo singing?

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More declamatory singing

8. Who were some of the great early-20th century international operatic stars who developed vocal techniques for Verismo music?

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Enrico Caruso, Rosa Ponselle, and Titta Ruffo

9. What is the difference of Verismo singers' method of singing compared to traditional bel canto singing?

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Verismo singers adapted to the demands of the 'new' style

Singspiel Opera Quiz

9 multiple choice quiz questions with answers

"Test Your Knowledge of Singspiel: The Lively and Romantic Opera Genre" - Take this quiz to see how much you know about the Singspiel genre of opera. From its origins to the key features that make it unique, challenge yourself with questions on this lively and romantic form of musical drama. Impress...

"Test Your Knowledge of Singspiel: The Lively and Romantic Opera Genre" - Take this quiz to see how much you know about the Singspiel genre of opera. From its origins to the key features that make it unique, challenge yourself with questions on this lively and romantic form of musical drama. Impress your friends with your knowledge and discover new insights into this fascinating genre.

1. What is a Singspiel?

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A form of German-language music drama

2. What is the characteristic feature of Singspiel?

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Spoken dialogue alternated with ensembles, songs, ballads, and arias

3. What kind of plots are generally found in Singspiel?

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Comic or romantic

4. What elements are frequently included in Singspiel plots?

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Magic, fantastical creatures, and comically exaggerated characterizations of good and evil

5. What were some of the first Singspiele?

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Miracle plays in Germany

6. Which two people were called 'the fathers of the German Singspiel'?

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Johann Adam Hiller and C. F. Weiße

7. Which class of people usually performed Singspiele?

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Traveling troupes

8. Which composer wrote several Singspiele, including Die Zauberflöte?

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

9. What did Kurt Weill create in 1927 to describe his work Mahagonny-Songspiel?

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A new word, 'Songspiel'