(Summary) The Elements of Opera & Opera in Baroque Era (Page 110-116 in IB Music)
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This is the summary of an article in IB music book. I think that can be useful for someone 
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Opera began in Italy around 1600. It’s basically the synthesis of sing and act. Everyone wear costume in operas. Scenery, lighting and stage are making opera more powerful and musical effects are one of the most important things on acting.
Libretto is the text of opera (written by librettist or dramatist). It set to music by composer and became an opera. As composers said, the text needs music because all emotions like love, hatred or passion needs come to life and music helps to make them alive.
Operas may contain dialogues but they’re generally sung and librettist allows composer to musical elaboration. Opera soloist needs really great vocal artistry because soloist must create all characters of the opera.
There are some voice categories of opera; coloratura soprano (high range; rapid scales and trills), lyric soprano (light voice, grace and charm), dramatic soprano (powerful voice, passionate intensity), lyric tenor (light, bright voice), dramatic tenor (powerful, heroic expression), basso buffo (comic roles, sings rapidly), basso profondo (very low range, grat dignity).
The main attraction of many operas is aria (song for solo with an orchestra). It is generally role in emotional scene. It usually lasts several minutes. Composers often lead into an aria with a recitative, a vocal line which imitates the rhythms and pitch. In recitative words are sung rapidly.
The soloist in an opera sing duets, trios, quartets, quintets and sextets. If there are three or more singers are involved, compisition called ensemble.
Chorus generates atmosphere and makes comments on the action.
Plumpter, who reminds words and pitches to the singer.
Orchestra is directly about the atmosphere and mood on scene. Instrumentalist in the pit which is front of the stage. During the performance, director sets the tempos and indicates the dynamics. Dances are generally incidental in operas.
Most operas open with prelude (overture). Prelude is a short part which involves the audience in overall dramatic mood; orchestral introduction.
Opera in Baroque Era
Camerata, is a small group of nobles, poets and composers In Italy (1575). They wanted to create a new vocal style modeled on Greek tragedy. Camerata wanted voxal line to follow the rhythms and pitch of speech. Polyphony was rejected by them.
Opera did indeed reflect the creative urge of composer and liberttist, but it also was a way to flatter the aristocracy.
Venice is important for opera because the first public opera hause opened in Venice (1637) and there were 17 opera hauses between 1637 – 1700. Venetian opera became popular. Baroque opra marked as rise of virtuoso singers.
During late baroque recitatives accompanied by a basso continuo (secco recitatives). They might be supported by orchestra (accompanied recitatives).
The typical form was A B A. An aria in A B A is called da capo aria.