Opera From Montiverdi To Strauss

From Montiverdi to Strauss

Opera has come a long way since its early beginnings. It has transcended time and history itself from being presented in early Italian opera houses to reaching number 2 at the UK singles chart. It is as much alive today as it was way back then.

Opera began in the Late Renaissance in Florence, a time of "rebirth," cultural movement and humanism. There was an attempt to replace polyphony with a solitary vocal line with accompaniment. Thus, the Opera, a relatively new form of musical drama, emerged. The word "Opera" was Italian for "work" therefore, it combined the arts of solo and choral singing, declamation, acting and dancing in a staged spectacle. This "new" musical drama was an intellectual experiment to modernize Greek drama and at the same time give Greek texts intensity and flavor through music. Opera was considered entertainment for the nobility and was usually confined to court audiences.

Claudio Monteverdi, an Italian composer, was one of the first to create Operas. Back then, monody emphasized clear melodic lines, intelligible text and placid accompanying music, which was considered an ideal starting point of opera, especially for composers who loved grand effects. During Monteverdi's time, Florentine humanists, an elite circle of the literate, gathered as the Camerata and considered that the "chorus" parts of Greek dramas were originally sung, and possibly even the entire text of all roles. Consequently, Opera was thought of as a way of bringing back Greek tradition. Monteverdi and his works marked the transition from Renaissance to Baroque music.

The Baroque era in music followed the Renaissance era. During this time, elaborate musical ornamentation was emphasized, as well as changes in musical notation and advances in the way instruments were played took place. Thus, Baroque music would see an expansion in the size, range and complexity of performance, as well as the establishment of opera as a type of musical performance. During this era, composers like George Frideric HÐ"¦ndel and Jean-Baptiste de Lully became famous. HÐ"¦ndel was a renowned instrumentalist, orchestral writer, melodist, and is now perceived as being one of opera's great musical dramatists. Mozart and Beethoven idolized him. They regarded him as one who could understand effect the best and utilized simple means to achieve great effects. Lully, on the other hand, was known for the power, liveliness and deep emotional character of his Operas. Moreover, Lully spearheaded the movement of comÐ"©die-ballet which combined theater, comedy, and ballet. Two forms of Opera ruled the Baroque era: Opera Seria (serious) and Opera Buffa (comic). In fact, Opera Buffa was made as a response to stylistics and excesses of Opera Seria. Opera Buffa's intention was to transform opera so that the common man would be able to relate to it more easily. Opera Seria was entertainement that featured the nobility and was made for the nobility while Opera Buffa was about common people with common problems, in addition to the moral and sentimental themes.

Time went by and emphasis on the aria that was mostly found in Baroque Operas, led to excesses. Singers often demanded alterations, substitutions, and additions without respect for dramatic or musical appropriateness. Technical display was at its height. These excesses prompted composers to move Opera into harmony with the changing ideals in music and drama. During this time, Christoph Willibald Gluck led the way to Opera Reform. Gluck advocated that Opera Seria had to return to basics, and that all its elements must serve the overriding drama. Spectacle and virtuosity were downplayed to pave the way for being "natural," emphasizing "beautiful simplicity". Other composers followed and aimed to regain the original intentions of the Opera which was to focus on the text and music.

The orchestra played an integral part during opera performances. During the early days of opera, the orchestra assumed the role of accompanying singers during the recitative seco and accompagnato. However, time passed and the orchestra was eventually elevated during the time of Opera Reform; in which, Gluck, Haydn and others transformed the orchestra into a leading role Ð'- mirroring through sound, the emotions of the singers. The orchestra would further be transformed, especially during the time of Wagner's Gesamtkunstwerk, in which the orchestra, along with the other art forms, was showcased in the most optimal way.

The late 18th century saw the establishment of German culture and opera. German culture rose independent of Italian culture while their operas copied those of the French and the English. In fact, Italian opera was considered as a largely vocal scene while the German-speaking opera was viewed as a largely instrumental scene. Heinrich SchÐ"јtz's Dafne was the first German opera. Even though Italian culture influenced German-speaking countries, native forms were still developed. Two forms of opera rose during this time: Singspiel and Melodrama. Melodrama was opera without the spoken dialogue while the more accessible Singspiel was opera with spoken dialogue. Mozart's The Magic Flute is an example of an opera in the Singspiel format.

Since the Singspiel format makes use of spoken dialogue, the plot is much easier for the audience to comprehend. Moreover, the presence of spoken dialogue gives the said format a more natural feel. Although there were quite a few arias in these operas, it was still accessible for the audiences. The most important composers during this time were Gluck, Haydn and Mozart. Moreover, opera during this time showed strengths in the quality of writing and the subtlety of music wherein there were subtle and clear depictions of human passion, temptations and intricate relationships.

Opera changed after the French Revolution. The artificiality and erotic sentiment commonly found in operas were replaced by violent tragedy and heroic plots. The triumph of men, especially women, over tyranny and misfortune were recurring themes in the operas of this time. In addition, rescue operas also became prevalent; whose plots usually involved the plight of a political prisoner. In Napoleon's Empire, opera took on simpler forms, arias and plots. However, these operas were elevated to a grand scale, thus starting French Grand Opera. In addition, Gounod spearheaded the movement for French lyric opera; which surprised audiences with its blend of romantic passion and realism. Even though these opera movements in France seemed different, Bizet's Carmen, with its mix of Opera Comique, Grand Opera and Lyric Opera came to charm a wide range of people during that time.

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