Aria: vocal or instrumental melody, sung with or without accompaniment, it represents the moment when the action stops and allows the character to express his or her feelings. Used above all in opera, the aria is a test of the singer’s voice.Ballad opera: form of opera combining spoken dialogue, dance and popular songs reworking the airs of old ballads. A typical example of this style in the 18th century is John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera (1728). See below. The German equivalent is the Singspiel.
Baroque: period of musical history usually defined as lasting from Monteverdi (1600) to the death of Bach (1750). Baroque operas are characterised by their fantastic plots and by liberal vocal decoration.
Bel Canto: literally the Italian for ‘beautiful singing’, bel canto is a richly decorated style, which demands great vocal virtuosity and flawless technique from its interpreters. Appearing towards the end of the 17th century, it remained popular till late in the 19th century.
Classical: period between the baroque and romantic ages, from 1750 to 1830 (roughly from the birth of Mozart to the death of Beethoven). The operas of this time reintegrated text and music and are more refined than the works of the baroque.
Leitmotiv: musical theme (melody, chord, rhythm) associated with a character, an idea, a state of mind or a place. Wagner used them in all his great music dramas, not only to recall a theme but also to show how it was modified during the course of the plot.
Libretto: text of an opera, literally ‘little book’ in Italian. It is most often written by an author or poet (called the librettist), sometimes by the composer himself.
Opéra comique: French musical work containing spoken dialogue, equivalent to German Singspiel and English ballad opera. Despite its name, the subjects of opéras comiques can be serious, like Bizet’s Carmen (1875).
Operetta: a ‘little opera’ of light character, operetta alternates spoken dialogue, songs and dances. Very popular toward the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century in Paris and Vienna, it differs from opéra comique through its always cheerful subjects. Examples are Offenbach’s Orfée Aux Enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld, 1858), Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus (The Bat, 1874), Lehár’s Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow, 1905).
Overture: musical number which starts the opera, often presenting its principal themes.
Recitative: phrases sung freely, in a tone closer to declamation than to song. In opera, the recitative often serves to recount events and to advance the plot, whereas the aria puts the accent on the emotions.
Romanticism: following the classical period, romanticism (1830 to the beginning of the 20th century) characterises the 19th century, especially in the operas of Verdi, Tchaikovsky and Wagner. It replaces classical rigour with freedom of expression and the primacy of feelings.
Singspiel: German work both spoken and sung, with a light or comic subject. It is similar to French opéra comique and English ballad opera. Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Abduction from the Seraglio, 1782) is a traditional Viennese Singspiel, whereas his Die Zauberflöte (Magic Flute, 1791) combines it with elements of opera seria.
Source: http://www.operadays.eu/en/glossary.asp
Classical: period between the baroque and romantic ages, from 1750 to 1830 (roughly from the birth of Mozart to the death of Beethoven). The operas of this time reintegrated text and music and are more refined than the works of the baroque.
Leitmotiv: musical theme (melody, chord, rhythm) associated with a character, an idea, a state of mind or a place. Wagner used them in all his great music dramas, not only to recall a theme but also to show how it was modified during the course of the plot.
Libretto: text of an opera, literally ‘little book’ in Italian. It is most often written by an author or poet (called the librettist), sometimes by the composer himself.
Opéra comique: French musical work containing spoken dialogue, equivalent to German Singspiel and English ballad opera. Despite its name, the subjects of opéras comiques can be serious, like Bizet’s Carmen (1875).
Operetta: a ‘little opera’ of light character, operetta alternates spoken dialogue, songs and dances. Very popular toward the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century in Paris and Vienna, it differs from opéra comique through its always cheerful subjects. Examples are Offenbach’s Orfée Aux Enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld, 1858), Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus (The Bat, 1874), Lehár’s Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow, 1905).
Overture: musical number which starts the opera, often presenting its principal themes.
Recitative: phrases sung freely, in a tone closer to declamation than to song. In opera, the recitative often serves to recount events and to advance the plot, whereas the aria puts the accent on the emotions.
Romanticism: following the classical period, romanticism (1830 to the beginning of the 20th century) characterises the 19th century, especially in the operas of Verdi, Tchaikovsky and Wagner. It replaces classical rigour with freedom of expression and the primacy of feelings.
Singspiel: German work both spoken and sung, with a light or comic subject. It is similar to French opéra comique and English ballad opera. Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Abduction from the Seraglio, 1782) is a traditional Viennese Singspiel, whereas his Die Zauberflöte (Magic Flute, 1791) combines it with elements of opera seria.
Source: http://www.operadays.eu/en/glossary.asp
Image: Opera Gloves by Janet Hill.
