Baroque Opera: A Multimedia Extravaganza Flashcards
Baroque Opera
- Drama (characters sing instead of speak).
- Music vs. libretto.
- Most influential Baroque art form.
Libretto
Book is written by someone other than the composer. Written by playwrights.
Baroque opera marked the shift from court (private) to…
Public entertainment.
What is the Baroque aesthetic?
- Individual emotivism.
- Extravagance and control.
- Mix of art forms.
- Organized according to rigid themes (recitative and aria).
What instruments are typically used in Baroque opera?
Mostly strings. Woodwinds, percussion, and brass added for special occasions.
Rhythm of recitative:
Free, speech like. No meter, no consistent tempo, varied in length.
Recitative
- Advances the plot.
- Some text in the style of prose.
- Non-poetic, is grammatical.
- Rhythms are free, speech-like.
2 types of recitative:
Secco and accompagnato.
Secco Recitative
- Dry.
- Continuous accompaniment.
- Fosters freedom and spontaneity.
- Barely any accompaniment.
Accompagnato Recitative
- Accompanied.
- Whole orchestra accompaniment.
Aria translated:
Air, song.
Aria
Reflects on the action, respite from non-stop dramatic action. Expresses single emotion and reflects the character’s state of mind.
Aria is equivalent to ___.
Soliloquy.
Aria includes ___ text.
Poetic.
Aria often had ___.
Repetitions.