Opera Flashcards

1
Q

What is an Opera Seria?

A

Serious opera - story lines based on Gods, life or death, fate and heros - sad ending

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2
Q

What is an Opera Buffa?

A

Comic opera that usually features: complicated love story, feature everyday people, happy endings, innuendos

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3
Q

What is an oratorio?

A

Sacred work performed in a concert setting

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4
Q

What is word painting?

A

When music is used to replicate what the word is ‘doing‘ (esp. use of melismas) - mainly Baroque

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5
Q

Basso continuo (ground bass)

A

Repeating pattern in bass used in Baroque era made up of at least two instruments: harpsichord / organ + bass (usually cello)

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6
Q

What is the structure of an opera?

A
  • overture
  • recitative
  • aria
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7
Q

What is an overture?

A

Introductory music before start of opera

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8
Q

What is the recitative?

A

Fast delivery of text through singing, lyrics do not repeat, tells audience what they will be singing about in the aria

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9
Q

What is the aria?

A

‘Main song‘ for solo singer, solo singer with orchestral accompaniment, lyrics repeated

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10
Q

What is an ensemble in an opera?

A

The chorus (duet/trio/quartet/sextet) - extras eg. villagers

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11
Q

What is an opera?

A

A large dramatic work with numerous acts, written for singers + orchestra

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12
Q

What are the order of the voice categories (high to low)

A
  • soprano
  • mezzo soprano
  • alto (contralto)
  • counter tenor
  • tenor
  • baritone
  • bass
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13
Q

How can you tell the difference between alto and counter tenor?

A

Use of vibrato with alto (female) - (sounds ‘darker‘), no vibrato with counter tenor (male)

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14
Q

When deciding on the voice category, what should you consider?

A

The highest/ lowest note sung

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15
Q

In what period are regular cadences (e.g. every 4 bars) used?

A

Classical + Romantic (not Baroque)

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16
Q

What is a melodic cell?

A

A short section of a melody (a few notes) (repeated)

17
Q

What does simile mean?

A

Carry on in the same style (eg. Staccato notes)

18
Q

What is an auxiliary chromatic note?

A

A note next to another (within semitone)

19
Q

What can you talk about when describing harmony?

A
  • mainly diatonic
  • occasional chromaticism
  • starts on tonic
  • use of cadences (regular in Classical/ Romantic - if not you could just put ‘section ends on perfect cadence‘)
20
Q

What is a Sarabande?

A

A slow dance in triple time (3/4)

21
Q

When comparing pieces, what can you talk about?

A
  • genre
  • instrumentation
  • texture
  • MADTSHIRT
22
Q

When asked to talk about tonality, what can you say?

A
  • major/ minor

- stayed in same key throughout/ modulated to …