BCL2423 Music History 2 Week 3.1: Rossini and Italian Opera PDF

BCL2423 Music History 2 Week 3.1: Rossini and Italian Opera Lesson Outcomes Explores 19th-century Italian opera especially among operatic composers such as Rossini and his development of the bel canto style. The Roles of Opera in the 19th- century New operatic theaters were bui...

BCL2423 Music History 2 Week 3.1: Rossini and Italian Opera Lesson Outcomes Explores 19th-century Italian opera especially among operatic composers such as Rossini and his development of the bel canto style. The Roles of Opera in the 19th- century New operatic theaters were built around western Europe and extended to the United States. These theaters were run for profit by an impresario, usually backed by government subsidies or private support. Opera became a new platform for the middle to upper classes to display their social status. Opera became part of popular and elite culture. Music publication industry benefitted from popular arias rearranged and published in various versions for performance by amateur performers. The Roles of Opera in the 19th- century Italian opera highlighted a new style of singing termed as bel canto style. The orchestra played an important role in conveying drama in French and German operas. Star singers, prima donnas fetched high rates and drew in large crowds. By later 19th century, the composer’s status and role was more prominent. 1850: A canon of opera repertory emerged with operas by Bellini, Rossini, Donizetti, Meyerbeer, Weber, late Mozart operatic works Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) Rossini may have been the most famous composer in Europe in the 1820s. The popularity of his operas is partially due to his ability to blend opera buffa and opera seria. Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) Born in Pesaro, Italy as a child, studied and performed as violist, singer, pianist 1806: entered Bologna Conservatory 1810: first opera commission 1815: musical director of Teatro San Carlo in Naples Composed rapidly, wrote for particular singers 1824: director of Théâtre Italien in Paris Retired at age forty, disappeared from operatic scene Major works: 39 operas, including Tancredi, L’italiana in Algeri, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Otello, La Cenerentola, Mosè in Egitto; Stabat mater, Petite messe solennelle, other sacred vocal works; smaller vocal and instrumental pieces Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) The conventions that he created for Italian opera would endure for over fifty years. Rossini helped establish bel canto. Literally “beautifully singing,” the term refers to lyrical lines, effortless vocal technique, and florid delivery. In bel canto, melody is the most important element. Scene Structure story evenly distributed new plot developments, changes of mood within an aria or ensemble continuous succession of orchestrally accompanied recitatives, solo arias, duets, ensembles, choruses orchestra and chorus, more significant roles typical scene i. instrumental introduction ii. recitative section (scena), accompanied by orchestra iii. aria in two sections: cantabile, cabaletta iv. tempo di mezzo: middle section in most arias between the cantabile and cabaletta Il barbiere di Siviglia (1816) Commedia in two acts to a libretto by Cesare Sterbini after Beaumarchais’ Le barbiere de Séville. Premiered in Rome, Teatro Argentina, 20 February 1816. opera buffa with bel canto tradition chaotic plot: secret messages, drunken brawls, mistaken identity Characters: Count Almaviva/Lindoro – tenor Rosina – contralto Bartolo, a doctor in Seville – baritone Figaro, a barber – baritone Don Basilio, music teacher - bass Synopsis of Il barbiere di Siviglia Count Almaviva disguised as a poor student Lindoro tries to win the hand of Rosina. Rosina’s guardian Dr Bartolo wants to marry her for himself and intends to stop Almaviva’s advances. With the help of Figaro, the barber, Almaviva (Lindoro) plots and tricks Bartolo to approach Rosina. In the end, Almaviva reveals his true identity, manages to persuade Bartolo and marries Rosina. Una voce poco fa from The Barber of Seville Rosina’s entrance aria, cavatina. Rosina sings of her love for the Count and determination to outwit her guardian. The aria juxtaposes two principal sections. An opening cantabile A faster cabaletta Divas and Prima Donnas Una voce poco fa from The Barber of Seville These are divided into other changes of style. Cantabile The opening resembles recitative, which suggests tentativeness. Rosina vows to evade her guardian in a comic patter song. Una voce poco fa, Cantabile Una voce poco fa from The Barber of Seville Cabaletta Rosina’s emotional sides are depicted. Vocal leaps and rapid passagework suggest a buffo style. Una voce poco fa, Patter song Una voce poco fa, lyrical opening of the cabaletta Una voce poco fa, contrasting comic style in the cabaletta Rossini’s operatic style Rossini combines tunefulness with snappy rhythms and clear phrases. The sparse orchestration lightly supports the voice and has occasional instrumental solos for color. Harmonic schemes are simple and original; he favored third-related keys. A popular device is the “Rossini crescendo,” created by gradually getting louder as a single phrase repeats. It is common for Rossini to borrow his own musical material and reworked it to fit a new opera.