Opera Essays (Examples)

This allows them to follow these events and connect with the different characters. At the same time, this kind of production is using a chorus and other elements to help the audience associate it with modern works. (Walsh, 1993) (Osborne, 2004) ("Stravinsky Oedipus ex," 2012)
These different formats are showing how the production can be adapted to different theaters and stages. This helps to make Oedipus ex more understood and to connect everyone with the primary themes. Furthermore, these elements are used to add a sense of excitement and allow the audience to understand what is happening. (Walsh, 1993) (Osborne, 2004) ("Stravinsky Oedipus ex," 2012)

Clearly, Stravinsky is using Oedipus ex to create a unique work through the traditional elements of classic Greek tragedies with current plays. This helps the audience to understand more effectively about what is occurring and to relate to the main characters / themes. These fundamentals…

36).
Although many people consider the role of a librettist to be less important than that of a composer, matters were different in France during the seventeenth century. hen normally in production, operas credited the librettist at first and the composer consequent to that. Louis XIV in particular believed that poetry had been much more important than music, with opera being a combination of the two in which music was simply meant to make poetry accessible to a larger crowd. Another reason for which people today are inclined to consider Lully less important than he actually was might be that French opera is at the moment shadowed by operas produced by Italians, Austrians, and Germans (Howard, 1989).

One of the elements that are expected to bring French operas back among the most notable artworks related to opera music is the fact that they contain a lot of bass, which is…

Piave's life was more unruly than the way that Verdi was used to living, but he still knew how to defer to Verdi's wishes. It is believed that Piave had a way of allowing Verdi to "let his hair down" (Berger 2000) as he was often much more uptight around others. They did develop a solid working relationship and they were even known for carousing around Venice (2000) (a city that is known for carousing). Their relationship would span two decades, however, this working relationship, which sometimes involved carousing, was not necessarily equal when the two were in the theatre.
The relationship between composer and librettist in the theatre was, in general, known as one that was not one of equals and this is especially true in the relationship between Verdi and Piave. In the story of Giuseppe Verdi: oberto to un ballo in maschera by Baldini, d'Amico, and Parker…

There was an intensity in their focus, and the whole thing made more since as an exciting piece of drama than I had though it would. This production was set in the 1930s, and had a kind of gangster motif going on that really brought the music to life. I had made sure to read the story before hand so I wouldn't be distracted by the projected translation of the libretto, and I found that I didn't really need to know what the individual words meant -- the music and the acting carried the story just fine.
The conductor for the evening was Garret Keast, and the director was Matthew Lata. Both of these men did a superb job in crafting this new take on the opera. Though all of the singers/actors did a great job, my favorites were Julianna Di Giacomo as Donna Anna and Daniel Mobbs as Leporello;…

Because the Mayer production was live, and the Ponnelle version on tape, there were elements of the former that clearly transcended the latter. There is no substitute for an orchestra, which is why the live performance also imparted more emotional intensity in the music than the recordings that I listened to separately. The stage performers, even though they were not acting out traditional Verdi versions of their respective characters, were nonetheless masterful. Their facial expressions captured the essence of the moment, for the most part. There were times I did not know where Mayer was going with his narrative structure. Yet most of the time, the trajectory of the plot of Rigoletto was preserved.

Perhaps the primary difference in the Mayer Broadway version is the way the audience is meant to feel at the end. After watching the Ponnelle film, I was quite distraught; and the musical score I listened…

OPEA is but one type of a PMS, or property management system, available to hospitality management. Businesses and managers use property management systems to improve efficiency and facilitate improved record keeping and tracking. OPEA is a property management system commonly utilized in the hospitality industry hotels, including hotel chains, to handles reservations, customer information, accounts receivable and other accounting issues, housekeeping, guest interface systems, and maintenance records, among other issues and concerns.
Despite these capabilities, and the benefits that may be immediately visible to the casual observer, the choice to purchase and implement a property management system is one often fraught with complexity for hospitality decision-makers, as such systems are expensive, and oftentimes require additional employee training, an undertaking that in itself requires an investment of time and money. Thus it is necessary for a manager to objectively evaluate OPEA and determine what such a system can provide an individual…

Da Ponte brought a great deal of classical literature in his collaboration with Mozart and even though he did not necessarily had interest in originality, he managed to put it across by adapting a series of classical Italian texts (Zweifel & Zweifel, 2006).
The poetry da Ponte created as a result of modifying old documents was particularly impressive. Da Ponte's poems are certainly incomplete when they are not sung in accordance with Mozart's music. However, one can appreciate them as poetry, without concentrating on the fact that they are in truth of fact meant to be sung. Mozart and da Ponte virtually completed each-other in the operas they wrote.

After their relationship, both Mozart and da Ponte were unable to ever produce works that equaled the three that they produced during their relationship. Da Ponte was particularly affected by this cooperation because his later librettos appeared to be less professional…

Guglielmo tries to comfort Ferrando, but he himself is thankful that his lady, Fiordiligi, seems to be strong. In one last attempt to prove both of the ladies fickle, Ferrando threatens suicide, and Fiordiligi gives in to him. Just as a double wedding is being arranged, Guglielmo and Ferrando enter, pretending to be returning from their regiment. When the women discover that they have been wooed by their lovers instead of Albanians, they despair as Alfonso explains the deception and goes on to say that, "true happiness lies not in romantic illusion but in accepting things as they are" (2006).
The combination of Da Ponte's frivolity and Mozart's ponderousness created these three distinct operas similar in their use of theatrical conventions and each gradually advancing to simpler, but also more poignant plots. Mozart and Da Ponte were eager to work together (Bakshian, 1978), despite the fact that Da Ponte was…

Opera and Opera Fandom
Discuss the issues surrounding the physical appearance of female singers on the operatic stage. hat are the broader issues at play in this debate?

The contemporary American society, in general, makes the assumption that opera is one of the few outstanding fields of entertainment where talent is of greater significance and implication compared to the physical appearance. However, this is not the case as made evident by the 2004 firing of Deborah Voigt. Opera singers, in the present day, are progressively being held to more stringent image standards. In particular, in the year 2004, Covent Garden laid off Voigt from their making of Ariadne auf Naxos, in which Voigt was meant to recap her censoriously highly praised construal of the title role. As stated by Voigt, Peter Katona, the casting director of Covent Garden, had the feeling that she was too big to fit into the…

As mentioned earlier on, the new political dispensation that took off is 1994 opened the "gates of creative possibility" (oos,2010) for the opera producers since they were therefore able to juxtapose the Western and African art scenes. This was fueled by the sense of renewed intellectual and artistic access that way created by the new political dispensation. According to oos (2010), theoretically, the new political dispensation culminated into an environment that is marked with an increased sense and rights in regards to freedom of association. The indigenous opera production as well as composition therefore was born in order to create something that is totally new and possessing unique characteristics.
Methodology

The study was conducted quantitatively via a seminal review of literature and gathering of information for both primary and secondary sources. The primary source of data was Directors and management staff of opera houses as well as opera actors/performers. Government…

Stars today do not have the huge voices of the past. Even Wagnerian sopranos have more delicate tones, and schools try to produce these types of students, because of the demands of the industry.
Midgett also points a finger at the schooling of opera singers today as well as the economics of the recording industry, stating that singers do not get enough personal lessons and have too many distractions, including working to pay tuition. They are also taught by graduates of the system who can easily shape the worldview of young, impressionable singers. Singers without a distinctive sound or stage presence who will fit well into smaller parts or into a company are likewise favored. Young opera composers receive little training in the classics and tend to produce workers for lighter voices and smaller orchestras that favor the economical pressures that affect most new, American works of opera. The remaining…

hile the monody was a traditional element of opera, through the Baroque era monody gave way to far more elaborate and melodramatic forms of singing and stage delivery. hen professional musician Claudio Monteverdi came on the Florentine opera scene in the 17th century, the character of opera changed to include a lush stage set, elaborate costumes, and almost over-the-top elements of production. The aria also became a hallmark of the opera through Monteverde's influence, which also helped opera spread throughout Italy and later, throughout the Continent and even to England. In England, the art form built upon the earlier tradition of medieval stage plays and masques, which when added with Italian elements developed a unique style of English opera.
orks Cited

Opera: History." MSN Encarta. Page 2. Online at http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761570299_2/Opera.html#endads.

Opera: History." ikipedia. Online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera#History.

That is, the notion of rivalry and envy is not inherently connected to rational ideas about good and evil. These ethical value judgments are quite secondary to the matter of human conflict and its role in the affairs of both love and power. As Giovetti (2012) points out, "Feng Yi Ting (running until June 7 and stopping in New York at the Lincoln Center Festival, also under Redden's directorship, in July) is characterised by an emotional neutrality that leaves the audiences to decide for themselves how they feel." (Giovetti, p. 1)
In many ways, this is a distinctly eastern way of approaching conflict, providing its details as a history rather than an allegory. And once again, as with the kung fu movies that made so great an impression on me as a child, the play would using certain visual strategies to supplement these themes. They demonstrate the same spare simplicity…

Exoticism in Nineteenth and Early-Twentieth Century Opera
The objective of this study is to answer as to what is meant by exoticism in nineteenth and early-twentieth century opera and as to what the appeal of exoticism to European librettists and composers. This work will take two operas as case studies and explore both the ways in which the librettists handle their subject matter and the ways in which the composers attempted to represent exoticism in musical terms. For the purpose of this study, the opera Salome by Richard Strauss and Aida by Giuseppe Verdi are chosen. This study will first examine Salome followed by an examination of Salome.

Salome the Opera

It has been said that Salome is the "most important event in German opera since the work of Richard Wagner." (Manitoba Opera 2011-2012) In fact, according to critics 'its concentrated power, eerie and sinister harmonies, and extraordinarily exotic orchestration…

Exoticism in 19th & 20th Century Opera
Exoticism in 19th and 20th Century Opera

Exoticism was a cultural invention of the 17th Century, enjoying resurgence in the 19th and 20th Centuries due to increased travel and trade by Europeans in foreign, intriguing continents. The "est," eventually including the United States, adapted and recreated elements of those alluring cultures according to estern bias, creating escapist art forms that blended fantasy with reality. Two examples of Exoticism in Opera are Georges Bizet's "Carmen," portraying cultural bias toward gypsies and Basques, and Giacomo Puccini's "Madama Butterfly," portraying cultural bias toward the Far East. "Carmen" was developed from a single original source while "Madama Butterfly" was a fusion of several sources that developed successively; nevertheless, both operas remain distinguished examples of Exoticism in Opera.

Exoticism in History and Culture

Meaning "that which is introduced from or originating in a foreign (especially tropical) country or…

Exoticism in 19th & 20th Century Opera
The Exoticism of Madame Butterfly, Carmen, & Aida

This paper will use three examples of 19th and 20th century opera to examine and interpret the term "exoticism." The paper will take time to clarify the relativity of the term exoticism and how it manifests in these three works. What is exoticism and how does it work? What is the function of exoticism in culture, in art, and in general? What does it reflect about a culture and what desires does exoticism express? The paper will attempt to ask and answer more questions utilizing Madame Butterfly, Carmen, and Aida as examples of the exotic at work in art.

We must first consider that exoticism is a relative term. When referring to three operas from the west, readers must take into account that what is exotic in the west is not what is universally exotic.…

Soap Opera" by David Ives
Soap operas on television are melodramatic and stereotypically over-the-top storyline.

Soap operas got their name because in the days of radio, the dramas were predominantly sponsored by soap companies and the story itself deals with soap and washing.

Ives uses the multiple meanings of "soap opera" to put the audience into a frame of mind when watching. There are many stereotypes of the daytime drama which the audience would come in with and Ives uses these preconceptions as a base for knowledge

Spoofed Features: In soap opera, one of the basic plot points is the seemingly endless line-up of revolving romantic pairings. Female characters on soaps often marry more than five times. Instead of the complex reality of male-female interactions, soaps tend to make these pairing completely random and the end of these relationships is usually equally random. There is little truth or even a…

Schikaneder was both an actor and a producer in Vienna for a playhouse that traditionally catered to "lowbrow" audiences (Loomis 2). Mozart's brand of comedy was just the thing for Schikaneder's theater. But "lowbrow" was merely one aspect of Mozart's comedic ventures: they could be equally stunning, poised, high-minded, honest, and full of common sense at the same time. Like the man, they resembled a mystery that could not be summed up with any one category or label: they were nothing less than unique and stellar expressions of a culture that emerged out of the Baroque and into a highly uncertain future. Mozart's Magic Flute would prove to be more than just "low comedy" -- it would be a magical tour de force (with one of the most famous arias of all-time) and a compelling reminder of the enchanting power of musical melody and the harmony between melody and nature,…

In June, 1966he first appeared in Covent Garden in another Donizetti role, Tonio in la Fille du egiment and was so skilled at the difficult range of the role the press dubbed him the "King of the High C's" (Woodstra, Brennan and Schrott, iv; (Ah Mes Amis - Live at Covet Garden 1966).
He began recording and adding to his repetoire; 1969 opposite enata Scotto in I Lombardi, the rarely performed I Caputelti e I Montecchi, and a complete L'Elisir d'Amore with his now famous friend, Sutherland. On Feburary 17, 1972, Pavarotti made a stunning breakthrough at the Metropolitan Opera in La Fille, receiving 17 curtain calls and wild raves from both the crowd and critics; as well as doting praise from Mirella Freini (emembering Pavarotti; a Mes Amis - Live at the Met 1972).

From then on, Pavarotti was in demand as a world-class tenor. He was brought into…

This is where Katya meets Boris in the garden for the first time and although she feels guilty, she admits that she does love Boris. The music during this act was more peaceful than the first act. The melody and harmony were a little more cheerful and at times, romantic. The orchestra played in such a way that the listener could close his eyes and imagine a garden on a spring day full of singing birds and beautiful flowers. The use of this type of music forced the listener to imagine the beauty of a new love and the excitement of doing something wrong and not fearing its consequences. The volume was moderate to soft and it created an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. The purpose was to describe the beauty of the relationship that was forming between Katya and Boris
Finally, Act 3 also contained 2 separate scenes. This…

Soap Opera" by David Ives
• the Theme -- When a man can't find love from real women, he turns to his idealized woman -- a washing machine, who in his mind is perfect.

• The Protagonist -- Manny, Repairman with a washing-machine fetish who must maintain the order of everythiing

• The Antagonist -- The Maypole. She taunts him because he's never been able to fix her

• The Dramatic question -- What in the world is this repairman doing in a French restaurant with a washing machine? Which will he choose, Mabel or Maypole?

• The Climax -- True love! Manny chooses Mabel!

• The Conclusion -- Happy ending between Manny and Mabel

• Symbols -- The washing machine -- a stand-in for every woman the repairman has known; something that makes things clean and comforting (the hankerchief); .

• The Mode of drama -- High romantic comedy…

Mozart Arias
olfgang Amadeus Mozart is universally considered to be a musical genius because he is so great in his work. During his short time on the earth because he died very young, he was responsible for the writing of some of the most beautiful works of music ever written. He wrote symphonies and stand alone pieces too. His work has been put to ballets and other plays and in movies. In addition to these, he also wrote some of the world's most beautiful and emotional operas. Each opera is built around unique and fully-developed characterizations especially of the women characters. Remarkably even though the language may not be understood because the operas are sung in foreign languages, the music and the voices which sing each song of the opera perfectly convey the meaning and the emotional core that Mozart intended to express in the opera. Two distinct examples of…

She is both subordinate to, and a supporter of Erisbe. The continuous repetition of the same phrases also serves to weave a kind of emotional melody, one that impresses the audience with the meaning and depth of Erisbe's feelings.
Laments fulfill an... integral role in the works of...Cavalli. All Cavalli's operas include at least one lament, and some of them several. Moreover, these threnodies fulfill their task admirably: they 'purge' the passions in the Aristotelian sense...they act as an effective foil for the lieto fine -- and they provide opportunities for good solo singing and for good music to boot. Since twenty-seven operatic scores of Cavalli survive, it is of course much easier to generalize about him [than about other composers of his time].... Everything...is fairly formulaic: the descending tetrachord in the minor mode; the cadential extension; intensification by the repetition of words.

hile in the above example, Erisbe's and…

Those who watch the play make comments about how silly the play is and the play becomes more and more ridiculous, adding the parts of a Lion and Moonshine, played by two more rustics. In the play, the principle actors, Thisby and Pyramus kill themselves, as Romeo and Juliet did, then Pyramus rises to sing about his death, slumps into death, and then rises again to ask the audience if they would like to see an epilogue. Being refused an epilogue, the rustics leave and four fairies come in to dance and Puck chases them away with a broom before Oberon and Tytania appear with the other fairies, who claim they are off to bless lovers, as they themselves are in love.

The ending shows that purity and innocence win out, and that the ideal is the goal for all. Puck has the final say as he declares "all is…

Utah Symphony Case Study #1
Like many artistic endeavors, opera and symphonic organizations are facing increased budgetary pressures. Consumer spending on the arts has decreased, some say because of access to the Internet and other media, others a decline in public and foundational support coupled with increased costs. Such has been the case for the Utah Symphony and Opera, both of whom have been hindered drastically since 2001. One solution would be to merge both organizations and reach an economy of scale for musicians, audience, human and other resources, advertising, and thus would result in an economy of scale that might help save both organizations (Delong & Ager, 2005).

Baily and Motivation: Bill Bailey was Chairman of the Operatic Board and had some initial concerns about the merger. The Opera was actually financially stronger than the symphony and had its own identity. Bailey was concerned that this identity might be…

In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries most of the major European powers were part of this colonial grab for power and territory; and after the American Civil War, so was the United States. Almost immediately this translated into an East/West schism in which both sides harbored bias about each other, never really understanding the motivations of each other's actions. This is the world in which Pinkerton arrives -- a Nagasaki that has barely opened its doors to the West, but sees Western naivete and cultural values such that it is easy to manipulate them for money. In the case of the French, their long history of conflict in Indochina was seen by the Chinese as a perfect example of the Marxian view of the oppressed. Songs masters thought nothing of using her to glean information as well as disseminate disinformation. After all, Song was two things despised by the…

La Boheme
Giaccomo Puccini's opera La Boheme is a mature work in the verismo mode in which the early aria "Che gelida manina" creates a dramatic situation that colors all that follows even as fragments from the aria appear again and again, tying together the lives of the common people portrayed in the opera. As E. Thomas Glasow writes, "In verismo scores, such motivic recall is common, putting greater emphasis on the dramatic effect of certain key situations" (Glasow 70). These fragments imitate the idea of the leitmotiv from agner, a theme that carries thematic weight and that reappears in different places in the opera to extend the deeper meaning of the action.

The poem itself has the simplicity of conversation, conveying the situation as Rodolfo holds Mimi's hand and reacts to her plight in a real and direct manner. One critic cites the lyrical elements in the poem and…

" Mozart used the play, about a maid, Susanna, who is to marry a valet, Figaro, as the story line of his opera. Together Figaro and Susana seek to outwit their master who is trying to seduce Susanna. A master had "first night rights" to the female servants when they married in those days.
Figaro" successfully champions the ingenuity of the lower classes and the wit of the female over the self-serving, arrogant nobility. The debate that followed the success of this opera is representative of the questions in everyone's minds during those years when the rights of the aristocracy were put into conflict with the rights of the common man and woman (Fiero 165).

Although Mozart appeared to be much more concerned with music and all of its forms, and kept his favored place in the eyes of the aristocracy because of his genius, he had his problems with…

Liszt conducted his own work possible, and whenever possible and he made no exception of this concert. The popularity of the two pieces was already well established; the score to Les Preludes had been published earlier in the same year as this, though it is likely that the pieces had not been heard in St. Gallen before as this is the first recorded visit of Liszt to the town since writing the pieces (alker, sec. 6).
The final piece, Beethoven's Third "Heroic" Symphony, had been composed in 1803-4 in honor of Napoleon, which made the choice somewhat ironic given tat the confederacy of cnatons that makes up Switzerland chaffed heavily under the republic enforced by the conquering emperor ("Eroica"). Still, it provided a rousing finale to the program, and no doubt sentiments had cooled somewhat since the re-establishment of the confederacy and wider European neutrality.

No additional advertisements or reviews…

For example, the scene in which Andrea stands before the statue of Marat and sings "Credi al destino" fails to evoke for me any real sensation. Perhaps it is because, as Grout suggests, the opera is "laden with harmonies that are heavy and oldfashioned [and] has little of special interest" (p. 495). Such could explain why the scenes feel at time clunky and abysmally lacking in flair. Still, at other times, they are vibrant and alive with life -- and those times are when the drama calls for gaity (not for fatalism or idealism).
The opera may, therefore, be interpreted as a political piece -- but I do not wish to convey that interpretation, for I think there is already too much omanticism in contemporary politics today. I think Andrea fits better as a period piece that should be left in the period for which it was written: one that…

(Gioachino Rossini Biography 2)
Ewen (1962) also notes the importance and influence of some of his major works. "As regards French opera, Rossini's great influence can scarcely be questioned. illiam Tell has been described as the foundation stone of French grand opera." (Ewen 202) it is also noteworthy that critics consider his influence to extend further than only his freshness and vital style; for example, he "… may have the credit of having grafted onto opera seria many of the more elastic conventions of opera buffa, the employment of an important bass soloist being one notable instance…" (Ewen 202)

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is little doubt that Rossini produced works that are not only part of our culture and operatic repertoire, but that he was a formidable influence on music and opera in his time. As has also been suggested in the above discussion, while he was not an 'artistic…

Photo from ArtToday.com Published with permission.

Photograph by David Messent, courtesy of Jorn Utzon/Utzon Architects and the Pritzker Prize Committee

Nighttime aerial view of the Sydney Opera House

http://architecture.about.com/library/blsydneyopera01.htm

Photograph by David Messent, courtesy of Jorn Utzon/Utzon Architects and the Pritzker Prize Committee

http://architecture.about.com/library/blsydneyopera02.htm

Photograph by David Messent, courtesy of Jorn Utzon/Utzon Architects and the Pritzker Prize Committee

http://architecture.about.com/library/blsydneyopera03.htm

Photograph by David Messent, courtesy of Jorn Utzon/Utzon Architects and the Pritzker Prize Committee

Aerial view of the Sydney Opera House

http://architecture.about.com/library/blsydneyopera05.htm

Photograph by John Garth/Max Dupain

Courtesy of Jorn Utzon/Utzon Architects and the Pritzker Prize Committee

Sydney Opera House Under Construction, 1957-1973

Craven 2008 NP

http://architecture.about.com/library/blsydneyopera08.htm

Craven, 2008, NP

http://architecture.about.com/od/greatbuildings/ig/New-Wonders/SOH_MLS_sunset.htm

On commission, Dupain took thousands of photographs of the Sydney Opera House, revealing its construction from beginning to end. Later he described the completed building from a photographer's perspective: 'As the light moves across it during the day, it changes…

Andrea Chenier
Though Umberto Giordano's work has often been overshadowed by that of his rather more famous contemporary Giacomo Puccini, Giordano's Andrea Chenier offers the ideal site for one to engage in a critical examination of nineteenth century opera and the various thematic and stylistic strains popularized at the time, as well as the complications which arise from modern interpretation and performance. In particular, examining the critical history of verismo alongside the historical context of Andrea Chenier serves to demonstrate how fully a modern performance of the opera seemingly subsumes and dissolves any revolutionary character that might have been present in the original text by reproducing the story of doomed love during the French evolution in a gaudy, ahistorical performance.

Before conducting an analysis of a modern performance of Andrea Chenier, there are a few key topics one must investigate further in order to place the subsequent analysis in its…

Denis and Michael enthall used the space for productions and actor training. From 1963 -- 76 it was the temporary home of the National Theatre of Great ritain (see Royal National Theatre). riefly closed due to funding cuts, it reopened in 1983. Again threatened by lack of funds, it was purchased and preserved by a charitable trust in 1998. In 2003 Sir Elton John became the theater's president, a restoration drive was organized, and the formation a new Old Vic company was announced. Directed by the American actor Kevin Spacey, the group is intended showcase new theatrical talent (Old Vic, 2003).
Conclusion

During the 1920s and '30s Lilian aylis put on all of Shakespeare's plays, opera, and ballet. She and her troop did it all on a shoe string: ginger beer crates made up the scenery, and the casts were so poorly paid that Lilian often made dinner for them…

Farewell My Concubine
Kaige Chen's 1993 film Farewell My Concubine traces the development of several characters and the evolution of China throughout the twentieth century, from the Warlord Era in the 1920s until the end of the Cultural Revolution in the 1970s. The social and political upheavals occurring in the country mirrors the strife in the personal lives of Cheng Dieyi, Duan Xiaolou, and Juxian. War, chaos, and social turbulence are apt backgrounds for the depiction of these three central characters. The events of the film begin in Beijing during the warlord era, in 1924. A prostitute names Yanhong carries her child through a crowded public area, where a performance by the Beijing opera enthralls a rowdy crowd. Yanhong ignores a man who calls her a whore, an act that sets the stage for one of the film's overarching themes: social class conflict and the ill treatment of both actors…

As the two men enter the door to the last Trial, the music that is played is incredibly beautiful and celestial, as their ecstasy in coming to this point carries them onward. Much of the music in this act is dramatic and full of many voices and full orchestra. The music depicts glowingly the trials of the two men and their despair and longing as they search for their loves. Mozart is at his finest in these melodic arias, reminiscent of folk songs and very memorable as far as melodies go. The winner is the best and the strongest: es siegte die St. rke, says the line in the song, and this is the theme where two good young men use music (the flute and the bells) to win the hands of their beloveds and conquer the forces of evil.

The musical elements used in the work are full orchestra,…

The combination of these different elements is what makes this so unique. As they are creating an experience that audience can relate to and will always remember based upon how they are telling the story. This is important, because it is showing how they are entertaining the audience differently in comparison with other genres.
In the opera Qual Guerriero in Campo Armato, it is discussing the conflict that warrior will go through during the course of his life. As, he is seen as someone who is: strong, a hero and can deal with a host of different situations. Yet, beneath the surface he is vulnerable to a variety emotions and feelings that are conflicting him. To illustrate this, the play will use the aria and da capio aria to highlight the overall mood as well as atmosphere. The way that this is accomplished is through having a singer and an…

Mozart: Composer for the Ages
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756 in Salzburg. His full name as recorded on his Baptismal certificate is (in Latin) Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilis Amadeus Mozart. Though seven children were born in the family only Wolfgang and his elder sister survived infancy. Both were instructed in the ways of music by their father. Wolfgang showed early signs of being a prodigy.

His father Leopold was a music teacher and composer and passed on his love of music to his son, encouraging both of his children to perform. Mozart surprised his father at an early age by drafting his own composition, without encouragement (Deutsch, 1965).

Leopold took the children on extensive tours of Europe, having them perform in the Bavarian, Vienna, and Prague Courts. The duo was the equivalent of today's child-stars. Their touring led Mozart to meet important musicians like J.C. Bach. In ome,…

The key to his lust is easy -- voi sapete quell chef a (providing she wears a skirt). In other words, any female will do, as long as Giovanni can have the conquest. But this is too much for Leporello, and at the beginning of Act II he tells his master: No, no padrone, non-vo' restar (No master, I want to leave you.) Giovanni hands him a purse with 4 gold coins, which in a moral gaffe', Leporello accepts, but:
Oh, senite; per questa volta la ceremonia

OK, Listen, I'll accept it just this once,

Accetto; ma non-vi ci avvezzate;

but don't make it a habit. Don't think that

Non-credete di sedurre I miei pari, you can seduce me with the power of money

Come le donne, a forza di danari.

The way you do the women. (Act II, 1).

Leporello is not really convinced and tries to convince Giovanni…

Instrument on the Web
What is a mezzo-soprano? (2011). Wise Geek. Retrieved April 1, 2011 at http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-mezzo-soprano.htm

his website provides a comprehensive definition of an operatic mezzo-soprano in musical and dramatic terms. A mezzo-soprano is a female singer whose vocal range lies between that of a soprano and alto. he ideal mezzo-soprano has a three-octave range, but when singing at the higher notes of her range she has a darker texture to her voice than a pure soprano. hree categories of mezzo voices exist: coloratura mezzos, lyrical mezzos who often sing the roles of young boys as well as soubrettes (second female leads), and dramatic mezzos who often take 'bad girl' roles such as Carmen.

Soprano, mezzo-soprano, and alto. (2011). My Opera. Retrieved April 1, 2011 at http://www.myoperas.com/habericerik.asp?id=31&baslik=Soprano, Mezzo-

Memorably, in the words of this website, mezzo-sopranos are often described as singing the roles of witches, britches and bitches. Witches…

From this point-of-view, Aeneas can be viewed as having failed also from the role of hero because he did not succeed in averting the danger. Even so, it is important to note the fact that Berlioz portrayed him still as a chosen individual. The fact that Aeneas had a premonition in a dream of the falling Troy made him a particular actor in the scene. The symbolism in this sense is related to the dream and the warning. However, the warning came too late and Aeneas failed as the head of his men and as the potential defender of Troy.
There are two feminine characters in Les Troyens. One is Dido, Queen of Carthage, and Cassandra, the Trojan prophetess and Priam's daughter. Cassandra's role however is very important because it draws the attention on the Shakespearian influences of the opera. In most of Shakespeare's works there is such a present.…

DEBUSSY'S PELLEAS & MELISANDE
Music

Debussy's Pelleas & Melisande

Debussy's Pelleas & Melisande

I found this opera to be enjoyable from the vey onset. I knew nothing of the opera and knew just a little of the story/myth from antiquity of Pelleas and Melisande. At the time of my viewing, I did have a solid background with the music of Claude Debussy, but I was excited to engage a work of Debussy's with which I was unfamiliar. The music here is idyllic and dystopic. Every act is filled with rich, vibrant, and emotionally charged music, marking this opera as a fine example of impressionist music.

Opposites attract; Prince Golaud and Melisande are very much opposites and the beginning of the story. Prince Golaud is male. He has facial hair. His hair is short, wavy, and brown. He wears a form-fitting suit, black and shiny, resembling metal. Melisande has a lighter…

Business
Outline of a Group Dispute and the Use of Email

The New York Metropolitan Opera has been facing a serious dispute with its employees over pay agreements as they wanted to cut costs. The company, which is the largest performing arts organization located in the United States, employs a variety of staff across many disciplines, not only the singers and musicians, but also people such as set designers, costume makers, engineers, has staff which are represented by a total of 15 different unions (Farago, 2014). The dispute started when the negations for the renewal of employment contracts started. The employees' contracts all ended on the 31st of July, and although management wanted to renew the contracts, they wanted to reduce costs by a stated 16% (Farago, 2014). Management wanted to make the saving by cutting overtime payments and other benefits. Management stated that these changes were necessary as costs…

o learn more about the Sydney Opera House, those interested in Australian culture can visit the official Sydney Opera House web site (http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/visit/index.aspx),which caters primarily to those who want to visit or learn more about the opera house, containing a great quantity of information and photos relating to architecture and events, but few outside links. A similar, but less extensive site catering to tourists and offering information about both tours and events is the 2008 Biennale of Sydney web site (http://www.bos2008.com/app/biennale/venue/6),which also includes a brief history of the attraction and links to other Australian cultural gems. Finally, the Australian Government's Culture and Recreational Portal's information on the Sydney Opera House site (http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/sydneyoperahouse/),which caters to educators, students, and those who simply want to learn about Australia is quite impressive and comprehensive, including a long list of links to information and photos. hus, because of both its contribution to architecture and culture,…

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What I found interesting is that once the overall plot was understood via the program notes, it was not necessary to "see" the opera acted in costume. Instead, the music was quite descriptive in its comic, serious, and even somewhat bawdy (at times) portrayals of greed, young love, etc. Also, it turns out that this opera is often performed with women playing the younger men, or men playing the older women -- a sort of cross-dressing joke from a rather serious composer. The music was light, though, the singers were obviously having fun, and even through the opera was in Italian (again common at the time), most everything was clear and understandable.

The Concert Experience- It was in this realm that the true nature of this work shone through. The overture certainly was rousing and got everyone in a positive and gleeful frame of mind. But it was the…

e all delight in Don Giovanni's 'badness,' Leporello's actions suggest. Don Giovanni does what many of us wish we could do, but dare not. The Don loves women and leaves them, without any care for social conventions. hile Leporello's decision to not engage in transgressions with women may be class-based in some instances, even the Don's higher-born counterparts do not openly defy conventional sexual wisdom to the same degree as he does. The celebratory and openly joyous nature of the "Madamina" aria is a kind of celebration of sexuality members of the audience may wish to engage in, but do not. Despite the literal word-painting of the appearance of the blondes and brunettes, there is a stark contrast between the 'mind in the gutter' literal wordings of Leporello's leering commentary with the agile beauty of Mozart's music.

Elvira is silent throughout the aria, conveying her sense of resistance and disgust.…

Instead of focusing on spectacle, the music is taunt and lean. The "Toreador Song," sung without a chorus, seems more like Escamillio's anthem of defiance than an exotic piece of Spanish culture. The musical staging of the work feels more realistic because it does not deploy a large orchestra. With only fourteen instruments to bring the songs to life, the audience really feels as if it is in a tavern, watching the passions of a real world unfold. The music seems to grow organically from the situations. In many operas, the music seems as if it is being imposed upon the story, or as if the story is highly artificial and only a showcase for the music. This production is about people who sing, for whom music is a part of their lives while they go through a variety of doomed couplings. They sing to unburden their hearts in a…

On the other hand, he is also referring to the rigorous formation of a cantata. He saw through the rigorous formation of the cantata an instrument to bring a certain order into individual existence as well, with the Lutheran religion as the middle element (Schrade, 1946).
In reference to the previous subchapter on Lully, we should point out towards the fact that, while for Lully, royal patronage was essential for the characteristics of his creation and, in fact, the direct source of inspiration and ultimate goal, ach used the civic appointment to rise above the actual demands and only use the pretext of needing to compose cantatas for a perspective to go beyond and ensure that his musical vision was reached. In Lully's case, patronage determined musical vision, for we cannot see Lully's music otherwise than in the role of a grandiose propaganda instrument for the French absolute monarchy. In…

Mozart's Don Giovanni a group of villages are busy celebrating the marriage of Zerlina and Masetto. As Don Giovanni and Leporello admire the girls involved, Giovanni begins to grow very interested in Zerlina: "hat have we? ell, now! Some honest rustic folk; and lots are lovely!"
In a ploy to win her favor, Don Giovanni invites the party to his castle to eat and drink. Once there, he detains Zerlina, to jealous Masetto's annoyance, and pledges to marry her. "He is just about to win Zerlina over by flattering her and declaring his love for her, when Elvira steps between them, warns Zerlina and, while Don Giovanni whispers to her that Elvira is a poor demented woman, jealous because of her own love for him, leads her away."

hen Donna Anna and Don Ottavio appear, not yet realizing that Don Giovanni is the man who murdered her father, Anna seeks…

Besides other awards, he was given a special Congressional Gold Medal by the United States Congress in 1986-87. Copland left an endowment from his estate to a Fund for Composers, which gives $600,000/annum to promote new compositions and performances (Congressional Gold Medial eceipients; Trudeau; Pollack, 548; ockwell).
Musical Examples

Copland was an active composer of numerous genres from 1925 to the mid-1960s. His works expressed a new semblance of Americana so easily identifiable that even when performed by foreign orchestras there is a sense of the pioneer days, of American patriotism, and even retelling of American mythology. A few seminal examples of this are:

Fanfare for the Common Man was written in 1942 for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and was inspired by a speech by Vice-President Henry Wallace called the era the "Centruy of the Common Man." The piece was part of a program supoprting the American entry into World…

Balanchine to Petipa
George Balanchine was born in the year 1904. He was invited to come over the United States of America by Lincoln Kirstein, in the year 1933, and subsequently, Balanchine arrived in America in the month of October 1933. One of the very first things that Balanchine is reputed to have done after his arrival in the United States, was to found the 'School of American Ballet', which opened in the year 1934, with a class of twenty five students. It must be stated here that although Balanchine and Kirstein made several attempts through many years to start a Company, they did not succeed in their endeavor, but the School of American Ballet, however, has endured and remains intact, to this day. This was the Scholl through which Balanchine was able to present his very first ballet to the entire world, in America, which was named the 'Serenade'.…

The machines were used to create vertical and horizontal movements which had not been done before. In other words, a god could be pictured using the machine as floating down onto the stage, or boats moving across it. Night or dawn could appear, or ghosts (Lawrenson 92). Most of these machine-plays were produced at the Theatre du Marais. There is a difference here, too. The French machine plays reached the public, whereas the English masques of the early century were performed mainly for royalty. Certainly the stage sets for court ballets and opera were more elaborate and special than the public designs since they were subsidized by the royal coffers.
Both English and French theatre took over the new Italian techniques for changing scenery. The French theatre abandoned triangular prisms used in conjunction with painted backdrops. At the beginning, these were painted simultaneously and dropped over or pulled back to…

She knew the secret I was trying to hide. but, unlike a estern woman, she didn't confront me, threaten, even pout. (Hwang 519)
Song also expresses how Gallimard has viewed her and her country when the says to the judge,

The est thinks of itself as masculine -- big guns, big industry, big money -- so the East is feminine -- weak, delicate, poor... But good at art, and full of inscrutable wisdom -- the feminine mystique. (Hwang 531)

Hwang uses the excesses of the operatic world as a beginning point for a play about two people who themselves are playing a part in life, a part derived from an opera that embodies a false, but for some comforting, image. Gallimard believes in an image, and Song knows this and so presents that image. Gallimard is a man who has failed with estern women and who sees Asian women as…

In the scene where the Emperor and his aides argue about the language for the new opera, one of the aides notes, "Plain German for plain people," and "German is too brutal" ("Amadeus"). Underlying this conversation is the idea that the north could not possibly be civilized or educated, and only the elite and attuned listened to the classical music emanating from Italy. This also indicates how the culture was changing, and indicates the difference between the two composers. Mozart welcomed writing in German, but was open to any language, while Salieri plodded along in Italian. He was not open to change and innovation, while Mozart championed it in his music and his life.
Throughout the film, it is clear Salieri cannot grow to accept the changes in Classical music. He represents the old morals of the enaissance, while Mozart represents the new morals of the Enlightenment that would forge…

3-Organize the data on current year sales in question 1 into a frequency distribution with the following classes:

Under $500,000

5

$500,001 to $999,999

3

$1,000,000 and over

3

3- Organize the data on years of selling experience in question 1 into a frequency distribution consisting of two classes: less than 5 years and 5 or more years less than 5 years

6

5 or more years

5

4- in a survey of 500, 60% responded positively to an attitude question. Calculate a confidence interval at 95% to get an interval estimate for a proposition. 4.29

5-in a nationwide survey, a researcher expects that 30% of the population will agree with an attitude statement. She wishes to have less than 2% error and to be 95% confident. What sample size is needed? 30

6- City Opera, a local opera company wishes to take a sample of its subscribers to learn…

Paul is rather lazy. He does not like to flatter other people, since he sees himself as superior to others, thinking he possesses greater refinement and culture. In contrast to another young man in the story, the young man who marries a serious woman to discipline his appetites, Paul has no desire to do so.
"It was at the Theatre and at Carnegie Hall that Paul really lived; the rest was but a sleep and a forgetting." (paragraph 29) --The last part of this quotation (in italics) is a sneaky reference to a poem by William Wordsworth, called "Intimations of Immortality." Look up this poem and determine what Wordsworth says about the various stages of life. How does this relate to Paul's story?

Paul lives in a fantasy world, not in the real world. His fantasy life leads to his death. The reference to sleep and forgetting suggests that he…

"hen (the stage-director) interprets the plays of the dramatist by means of his actors, his scene-painters, and his other craftsmen, then he is a craftsman - a master craftsman; when he will have mastered the use of actions, words, line, color, and rhythm, then he may become an artist," wrote Craig (Pepiton 2008). Because of Craig, set designers are revered as artists and equal partners with directors, actors, and authors. ithout Craig, classes in set design would not have the prestige they do today. No director would dare to embark upon a 'black box' production of Shakespeare or opera. Because of Craig, even those directors and designers who still see the value of realism strive to create impressions in the hearts of the audience, rather than literal representations of a drawing-room reality.
orks Cited

Duncan, Isadora. "On Gordon Craig." 1999. 2 May 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20010910184730/http://bondo.wsc.mass.edu/faculty/cslaughter/OGCDuncan.html

Pepiton, Charles. "Edward Gordon Crag &…

Musicals
Since the dawn of the classical Broadway musicals like Oklahoma! And My Fair Lady, musicals have captivated audiences in America and worldwide. The power of the musical cannot be underestimated. As Chapter 13 points out, musicals have their roots far back before New York City or Broadway. China has a long tradition of opera, in which dramas are set alongside poignant musical numbers. European operatic traditions are also the forebears of the modern stage musical. Musicals can be funny, like Guys and Dolls and The Book of Mormon, or straight like West Side Story and Wicked. Rock musicals add to the canon of tradition that graces stages worldwide. Even television shows have embraced the musical fully, capturing the sense that some emotions and ideas cannot be conveyed in any other format. For example, both The Simpsons and South Park have created whole musical episodes out of animated comedy.

The…

Turandot
Spectacle, Exoticism, Intricacy, and Comedy: Exploring the High Theatre of Carlo Gozzi's Turandot

Theatre has always been something of a bellwether for cultural progress and change, with societal issues dealt with explicitly in the action of stage plays since the time of the ancient Greeks and with trends in performance styles and subject matter providing a clear representation of societal mores and cultural values at any given place and time. During the Dark Ages, for example, there essentially was no theatre aside from Church-inspired and -- approved drama recounting certain Biblical stories, primarily those related to Jesus' passion. This reflected society at large, in which literacy and learning had stagnated and very little cultural or technological progress was made throughout much of Europe. With the enaissance comes the return of drama, and indeed one of the high points in theatrical writing and performance just as the period was one…

M Butterfly
Creating Honor in M. Butterfly

Gallimard's statement early on in Hwang's M. Butterfly that he is always seeking a new ending in which "she" comes back to him, and in which he can find honor, does not initially seem to be fulfilled by his actions in the final scene, at least not on the surface. Left alone and disgraced in his cell, having loved a man he thought to be a woman for twenty years and finding a much deeper betrayal, that his lover had been using him to spy on his country's actions, Gallimard kills himself. Suicide is not an end associated with honor in the Western tradition, and thus a surface examination of the final scene in the play seems to suggest that Gallimard has failed on all counts: he has not succeeded in bringing his lover back, he does not really bring about a "new"…