![]() Dafne by Jacopo Peri was the earliest composition considered opera, as understood today. The word opera means "work" in Italian (it is the plural of Latin opus meaning "work" or "labour") suggesting that it combines the arts of solo and choral singing, declamation, acting and dancing in a staged spectacle. The terminology of the various kinds of operatic voices is described in below. Subsequent composers have tended to follow Wagner's example, though some, such as Stravinsky in his The Rake's Progress have bucked the trend. By the 19th century, accompagnato had gained the upper hand, the orchestra played a much bigger role, and Richard Wagner revolutionised opera by abolishing almost all distinction between aria and recitative in his quest for what he termed "endless melody". ![]() During the Baroque and Classical periods, recitative could appear in two basic forms: secco (dry) recitative, accompanied only by continuo, which was usually a harpsichord and a cello or accompagnato (also known as strumentato) in which the orchestra provided accompaniment. Melodic or semi-melodic passages occurring in the midst of, or instead of, recitative, are also referred to as arioso. In some forms of opera, such as Singspiel, opéra comique, operetta, and semi-opera, the recitative is mostly replaced by spoken dialogue. Duets, trios and other ensembles often occur, and choruses are used to comment on the action. Traditional opera, often referred to as " number opera", consists of two modes of singing: recitative, the plot-driving passages sung in a style designed to imitate and emphasize the inflections of speech, and aria (an "air" or formal song) in which the characters express their emotions in a more structured melodic style. ![]() Some composers, notably Richard Wagner, have written their own libretti others have worked in close collaboration with their librettists, e.g. The words of an opera are known as the libretto (literally "little book"). 2.8 Contemporary, recent, and Modernist trends.2.2.2 Reform: Gluck, the attack on the Metastasian ideal, and Mozart.Operas were also performed on (and written for) radio and television. With the rise of recording technology, singers such as Enrico Caruso became known to audiences beyond the circle of opera fans. The 20th century saw many experiments with modern styles, such as atonality and serialism ( Schoenberg and Berg), Neoclassicism ( Stravinsky), and Minimalism ( Philip Glass and John Adams). During the 19th century, parallel operatic traditions emerged in central and eastern Europe, particularly in Russia and Bohemia. The popularity of opera continued through the verismo era in Italy and contemporary French opera through to Puccini and Strauss in the early 20th century. The mid-to-late 19th century was a "golden age" of opera, led and dominated by Wagner in Germany and Verdi in Italy. It also saw the advent of Grand Opera typified by the works of Meyerbeer. ![]() The first third of the 19th century saw the highpoint of the bel canto style, with Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini all creating works that are still performed today. Today the most renowned figure of late 18th century opera is Mozart, who began with opera seria but is most famous for his Italian comic operas, especially The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte, as well as The Magic Flute, a landmark in the German tradition. Opera seria was the most prestigious form of Italian opera, until Gluck reacted against its artificiality with his "reform" operas in the 1760s. However, in the 18th century, Italian opera continued to dominate most of Europe, except France, attracting foreign composers such as Handel. Opera started in Italy at the end of the 16th century (with Jacopo Peri's lost Dafne, produced in Florence around 1597) and soon spread through the rest of Europe: Schütz in Germany, Lully in France, and Purcell in England all helped to establish their national traditions in the 17th century. The performance is typically given in an opera house, accompanied by an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance. Opera is part of the Western classical music tradition. Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text (called a libretto) and musical score. ![]()
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