opera

2.  started in the end of 16th
century, and then soon
spread through the rest of
Europe
Dafne – earliest known work
by modern standards
considered to be an opera
written by Jacopo Peri

3.  A serious art form that expresses
musical and dramatic artistry
 An art and music form in which
singers and musicians perform a
dramatic work combining text
(libretto) and a musical score,
usually in an elaborate theatrical
setting (opera house)
 Dialogue is entirely sung and not
spoken

4. Singers in an Opera
 Opera singers need to
project their voices, un
amplified over an orchestra
 Singers need to warm their
voices up with plenty of
vibrato to help produce a
big emotional sound

5. Language
 Most opera is sung in the
language in which it was
composed
 Often Italian, French,
German, Russian or
sometimes Polish or
Hungarian

6. Opera Seria

7.  an 18th century style
characterized by serious often
historical themes
 follows an A-B-A format
 first section presents a musical
theme, the second section
presents a new one, and the
third section repeats the first
section