Topic 1 - Opera in Europe

Question 1

The Florentine Camerata (group)

Late 16th Century, the baroque period

Answer 1

An assembly of artists, writers and musicians and aristocrats in Florence believed in reviving the practices of the ancient Greeks.

Question 2

France was the first to develop a new comical theatre genre ‘opera-bouffe’ who are some writers/composers during this time. (2, both had pseudonym names)

Answer 2

Hervé - Florimond Ronger
- Inspired Offenbach, but was a smalltime writer himself.
Offenbach - Jaques
- Orpheus in the Underworld, the first true Opera-bouffe.

Question 3

Claudio Monteverdi: 1567-1643

Answer 3

Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi was an (Italian) composer, string player, choirmaster, and priest. A pioneer in the development of Opera

Question 4

Classical Era - 1700s

Answer 4

Names such as Wolfgang Mozart came into play which developed a more intimate relationship between a performer and its music

Question 5

Romantic Era - 1900s

Answer 5

This is fathered from the Classical period. Music was often written to suit the singer which made performances more rich and full of emotion.`

Question 6

How did nationalism come about?

Giuseppe Verdi: 1813-1901

Answer 6

Artists used music to express national pride.

Guiseppe Verdi was closely linked with\Italy’s unification with his work: Viva Verdi.

Question 7

Richard Wagner: 1813-1883

Answer 7

(German) Innovative with music and meaning, linking keys to characters. He believed in linking the arts into a total artwork, or ‘Gesamtkunstwerk.’
Work: Der Ring des Nibelungen

Question 8

Giacomo Puccini: 1858-1924

Answer 8

(Italian) Adopted techniques of Richard Wagner to develop characterisation and create realistic atmospheres surrounding a scene.
Work: La Bohéme.

Question 9

Franz Von Suppé: 1819-1895

Answer 9

(Austrian) Asked to compete with Offenbach, developed Viennese Operetta - consisting of silly, child-like stories, sometimes comprised of fairytales and dance was emphasised.

Question 10

Johann Strauss II: 1825-1899

Answer 10

Superseded Franz, leading composer in developing Waltz music. This was seen as sinful at the time because of the intimacy that came with it. Similar to how Rock’n’Roll was received by the public in the 50’s

Question 11

England operas were…?

Answer 11

Ballad Operas

Question 12

English opera partnership

Answer 12

Gilbert and Sullivan (G&S)

Question 13

William Schwenk Gilbert: 1836-1911

Answer 13

Helped translate French works whilst England was fighting the negative stereotypes that surrounded the Burlesque genre.

Question 14

Arthur Sullivan: 1842-1900

Answer 14

Built reputation off new style, removing vulgarity from performances birthed ‘English Operetta.’

Question 15

Gilbert & Sullivan,
When did they first collaborate?
Name 4 of their works.

Answer 15

First collaborated in 1871.
Thespis: Similar to Orpheus in the underworld
Pinafore: The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a comic opera.
Juvenile Pinafore
The Pirates of Penzance: ‘I am the very model…’

Question 16

Richard D’Oyly Carte: 1844-1901

Answer 16

A talent agent that staged Gilbert and Sullivan’s Savoy operas in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere.

Question 17

Why was there negative stigma around Burlesque

John Hollingshead: 1827-1904

Answer 17

Built a theatre in London, the Gaiety featuring Burlesque. These travesties employed any means for the sake of comedy and costumes on females became skimpier. Developing a negative culture surrounding the genre/style.

Question 18

What is burlesque?

Answer 18

An amusing travesty or satire of a familiar work.