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Opera Basics

Opera Basics. Created by: Laura Dedic Madison Central High School. What is Opera?. An Opera is a musical drama or comedy where the actors sing rather than speak their lines. " Opera " is derived from the Italian word opus , which means work of art. The Opera Story.

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Opera Basics

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  1. Opera Basics Created by: Laura Dedic Madison Central High School

  2. What is Opera? • An Opera is a musical drama or comedy where the actors sing rather than speak their lines. • "Opera" is derived from the Italian word opus, which means work of art.

  3. The Opera Story • An opera tells a story. It can come from many sources, • including history, current events, magic, the Bible, fairy tales, legends, literature, poetry, and mythology. • Opera can be funny, sad, scary, dramatic, mysterious, imaginary, or a combination of the above

  4. Opera is a combination of many art forms: singing, orchestra, music, acting, dancing, mime, costumes, scenic design and painting, lighting, and makeup design. The Art Forms Included in Opera

  5. Structure • An Opera is structured like a play, with acts, scenes, and a variety of vocal forms including: • Arias (solos), • Ensembles (for 2 or more singers), • and Chorus (for a large group of singers).

  6. Operatic Terms • The Libretto contains all of the words of an opera. The Librettist is the person who writes the words for the opera. • Characters are the people in the story. • A Synopsis is a short summary of what takes place in the story.

  7. Operatic Terms • The Composer writes the music for the opera. All of the music, both vocal (for singers) and orchestral (for instrumentalists) is written in the Score. • The score should reflect the mood, events, and emotions of the characters in the story.

  8. Operatic Terms • Recitative is the sung narrative (speaking) which propels the action of the story. • Aria is a solo number for a singer. This comes from the Italian word meaning tune or song. This is usually where the character expresses their feelings about a situation.

  9. Opera Voices Classically trained singers learn to use their voices so that they can be heard over a full symphony. They do this by learning to strengthen their diaphragms so they can project a steady stream of air that helps create a big sound. • Female voices are divided into three categories: • Soprano (highest) Prima Donna • Mezzo-Soprano (middle range) • Alto and Contralto (lowest) • Male voices are divided into three categories: • Tenor (highest) • Baritone (middle range) • Bass (lowest)

  10. Trip to the Kentucky Opera

  11. Sources • KET Enclyclomedia

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