Opera is a type of musical-dramatic
works based
on word synthesis,
stage action and
music. In contrast
from the drama theater
where the music performs
official functions, in opera
she is the main one
carrier of action.
Literary basis of the opera
is the libretto,
original or
based on literary
work.
Target:
Tasks:
During the classes
1. Music is playing. J.B. Pergolesi.”Stabat Mater dolorosa”
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Among the countless wonders,
What nature itself has given us,
There is one thing, incomparable to anything,
Unfading through any years, -He gives the quivering delight of love
And warms the soul in the rain and cold,
Bringing back sweet days to us,
When every breath was full of hope.Before him both the beggar and the king are equal -
The singer’s fate is to give himself away, to burn out.
He was sent by God to do good -
Death has no power over beauty!
Ilya Korop
“The 18th century was the century of beauty, the 19th century was the century of feeling, and the finale of the 20th century was the century of pure drive. And the viewer comes to the theater not for a concept, not for ideas, but to feed on energy, he needs a shock. That’s why there is such a demand for pop culture – there is more energy there than in academic culture. Cecilia Bartoli told me that she sings opera like rock music, and I understood the mystery of the fantastic energy of this great singer. Opera has always been a folk art; in Italy it developed almost as a sport - a competition of singers. And it should be popular.” Valery Kichin
In literature, music and other arts, various types of works have developed during their existence. In literature, this is, for example, a novel, a story, a story; in poetry - poem, sonnet, ballad; in fine arts - landscape, portrait, still life; in music - opera, symphony... A type of work within one art is called by the French word genre (genre).
5. Singers. During the 18th century. The cult of the virtuoso singer developed - first in Naples, then throughout Europe. At this time, the role of the main character in the opera was performed by a male soprano - a castrato, that is, a timbre whose natural change was stopped by castration. Castrati singers pushed the range and mobility of their voices to the limits of what was possible. Opera stars such as castrato Farinelli (C. Broschi, 1705–1782), whose soprano was said to be superior in strength to the sound of the trumpet, or mezzo-soprano F. Bordoni, about whom it was said that she could sustain the sound longer than any singer in the world, completely subordinated to their mastery those composers whose music they performed. Some of them composed operas themselves and directed opera troupes (Farinelli). It was taken for granted that singers decorated the melodies composed by the composer with their own improvised ornaments, without paying attention to whether such decorations suited the plot situation of the opera or not. The owner of any type of voice must be trained to perform fast passages and trills. In Rossini's operas, for example, the tenor must master the coloratura technique no worse than the soprano. The revival of such art in the 20th century. made it possible to give new life to Rossini's diverse operatic work.
Opera singers are usually divided into six types according to their voice range. Three female voice types, from high to low - soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto (the latter is rare these days); three male - tenor, baritone, bass. Within each type there may be several subtypes depending on the quality of the voice and singing style. The lyric-coloratura soprano is distinguished by a light and exceptionally agile voice; such singers are able to perform virtuosic passages, fast scales, trills and other embellishments. Lyric-dramatic (lirico spinto) soprano is a voice of great brightness and beauty.
The timbre of a dramatic soprano is rich and strong. The distinction between lyric and dramatic voices also applies to tenors. There are two main types of basses: “singing bass” (basso cantante) for “serious” parts and comic bass (basso buffo).
Assignment for students. Determine what type of voice performs:
The chorus in opera is interpreted in different ways. It can be background, unrelated to the main storyline; sometimes a kind of commentator on what is happening; its artistic capabilities make it possible to show monumental pictures of folk life, to reveal the relationship between the hero and the masses (for example, the role of the choir in the folk musical dramas of M. P. Mussorgsky “Boris Godunov” and “Khovanshchina”).
Let's listen:
Assignment for students. Determine who is the hero and who is the mass.
The hero here is Boris Godunov. The mass is the people. The idea of writing an opera based on the plot of Pushkin’s historical tragedy “Boris Godunov” (1825) was given to Mussorgsky by his friend, the prominent historian Professor V.V. Nikolsky. Mussorgsky was extremely fascinated by the opportunity to translate the topic of the relationship between the tsar and the people, which was acutely relevant for his time, and to bring the people into the role of the main character of the opera. “I understand the people as a great personality, animated by a single idea,” he wrote. “This is my task. I tried to solve it in opera.”
6. Orchestra. In the musical dramaturgy of the opera, a large role is assigned to the orchestra; symphonic means of expression serve to more fully reveal the images. The opera also includes independent orchestral episodes - overture, intermission (introduction to individual acts). Another component of an opera performance is ballet, choreographic scenes where plastic images are combined with musical ones. If the singers are the leads in an opera performance, then the orchestral part forms the frame, the foundation of the action, moves it forward and prepares the audience for future events. The orchestra supports the singers, emphasizes the climaxes, fills gaps in the libretto or moments of scenery changes with its sound, and finally performs at the conclusion of the opera when the curtain falls. Let's listen to Rossini's overture to the comedy “The Barber of Seville” . The form of the “autonomous” operatic overture had fallen into decline, and by the time Tosca appeared Puccini (1900), the overture could be replaced by just a few opening chords. In a number of operas of the 20th century. There are no musical preparations whatsoever for the stage action. But since the essence of opera is singing, the highest moments of the drama are reflected in the completed forms of aria, duet and other conventional forms where music comes to the fore. An aria is like a monologue, a duet is like a dialogue; a trio usually embodies the conflicting feelings of one of the characters in relation to the other two participants. With further complication, different ensemble forms arise.
Let's listen:
The introduction of such forms usually stops the action to allow room for the development of one (or more) emotions. Only a group of singers, united in an ensemble, can express several points of view on current events. Sometimes the choir acts as a commentator on the actions of opera characters. In general, the text in opera choirs is spoken relatively slowly, and phrases are often repeated to make the content understandable to the listener.
Not all operas can draw a clear line between recitative and aria. Wagner, for example, abandoned completed vocal forms, aiming at the continuous development of musical action. This innovation was taken up, with various modifications, by a number of composers. On Russian soil, the idea of a continuous “musical drama” was, independently of Wagner, first tested by A.S. Dargomyzhsky in “The Stone Guest” and M.P. Mussorgsky in “The Marriage” - they called this form “conversational opera”, opera dialogue.
7. Opera houses.
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Thus, opera ruled the whole world.
During Monteverdi's era, opera rapidly conquered the major cities of Italy.
Romantic opera in Italy
Italian influence even reached England.
Like early Italian opera, French opera of the mid-16th century. came from the desire to revive ancient Greek theatrical aesthetics.
If in France the spectacle was of paramount importance, then in the rest of Europe it was the aria. Naples became the center of operatic activity at this stage.
Another type of opera originates from Naples - opera buffa, which arose as a natural reaction to opera seria. The passion for this type of opera quickly spread to European cities - Vienna, Paris, London. Romantic opera in France.
Ballad opera influenced the development of German comic opera - Singspiel. Romantic opera in Germany.
Russian opera of the Romantic era.
“Czech Opera” is a conventional term that refers to two contrasting artistic movements: pro-Russian in Slovakia and pro-German in the Czech Republic.
Homework for students. Each student is given the task of familiarizing himself with the work of a composer (optional) in which opera flourished. Namely: J. Peri, C. Monteverdi, F. Cavalli, G. Purcell, J. B. Lully, J. F. Rameau, A. Scarlatti, G. F. Handel, G. B. Pergolesi, G. Paisiello , K.V.Gluck, W.A.Mozart, G.Rossini, V.Bellini, G.Donizetti, G.Verdi, R.Leoncavallo, G.Puccini, R.Wagner, K.M.Weber, L. Wang Beethoven, R. Strauss, J. Meyerbeer, G. Berlioz, J. Bizet, C. Gounod, J. Offenbach, C. Saint-Saens, L. Delibes, J. Massenet, C. Debussy, M. P. Mussorgsky, M.P. Glinka, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, A.P. Borodin, P.I. Tchaikovsky, S.S. Prokofiev, D. D. Shostakovich, Antonin Dvorak, Bedrich Smetana, Leos Janacek, B. Britten , Carl Orff, F. Poulenc, I. F. Stravinsky
8. Famous opera singers.
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9. Demand and modernity of opera.
Opera is a rather conservative genre by nature. This is due to the fact that there is a centuries-old tradition, determined by the technical capabilities of execution. This genre owes its longevity to the great effect it has on the listener through the synthesis of several arts that can produce an impression on their own. On the other hand, opera is an extremely resource-intensive genre; it is not for nothing that the word “opera” itself translated from Latin means “work”: of all musical genres, it has the longest duration, it requires high-quality scenery for production, maximum skill of singers for performance and a high level complexity of the composition. Thus, opera is the limit to which art strives in order to make the maximum impression on the public using all available resources. However, due to the conservatism of the genre, this set of resources is difficult to expand: it cannot be said that over the past decades the composition of the symphony orchestra has not changed at all, but the whole basis has remained the same. The vocal technique also changes little, due to the need for high power when performing opera on stage. Music is limited in its movement by these resources.
A stage performance in this sense is more dynamic: you can stage a classical opera in an avant-garde style without changing a single note in the score. It is generally believed that the main thing in an opera is the music, and therefore the original scenography cannot ruin the masterpiece. However, this usually doesn't work out that way. Opera is a synthetic art, and scenography is important. A production that does not correspond to the spirit of the music and plot is perceived as an inclusion alien to the work. Thus, classical opera often does not meet the needs of producers who want to express modern sentiments on the musical theater stage, and something new is required.
The first solution to this problem is a musical.
The second option is modern opera.
There are three degrees of artistic content in music.
The significance of modern opera lies precisely in the combination of modern technologies and fresh sound with the high artistic merits characteristic of opera in general. This is one way to reconcile the desire to express modern sentiments in art with the need to maintain the purity of the classics.
Ideal vocals, based on cultural roots, refract in their individuality the folk school of singing, and can serve as the basis for the unique sound of modern operas written for specific performers.
You can write a masterpiece that does not fit into the framework of any theory, but sounds great. But to do this, it still must satisfy the requirements of perception. The stated rules, like any others, can be broken.
Homework for students. Mastering the characteristic features of the compositional style of works by Russian composers, Western European and modern composers. Analysis of musical works (using the example of opera).
Used Books:
RUSSIAN OPERA. The Russian opera school - along with the Italian, German, French - is of global importance; This primarily concerns a number of operas created in the second half of the 19th century, as well as several works of the 20th century. One of the most popular operas on the world stage at the end of the 20th century. – Boris Godunov M.P. Mussorgsky, often also staged Queen of Spades P.I. Tchaikovsky (less often his other operas, mainly Eugene Onegin); enjoys great fame Prince Igor A.P. Borodin; of 15 operas by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov appears regularly The Golden Cockerel. Among the operas of the 20th century. most repertoire Fire Angel S.S. Prokofiev and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk district D.D. Shostakovich. Of course, this in no way exhausts the wealth of the national opera school. see also OPERA.
The appearance of opera in Russia (18th century). Opera was one of the first Western European genres to gain a foothold on Russian soil. Already in the 1730s, an Italian court opera was created, for which foreign musicians working in Russia wrote ( cm. RUSSIAN MUSIC); in the second half of the century, public opera performances appeared; operas are also staged in serf theatres. The first Russian opera is considered Miller - sorcerer, deceiver and matchmaker Mikhail Matveevich Sokolovsky to the text of A.O. Ablesimov (1779) - an everyday comedy with musical numbers of a song nature, which laid the foundation for a number of popular works of this genre - early comic opera. Among them, the operas of Vasily Alekseevich Pashkevich (c. 1742–1797) stand out ( Stingy, 1782; St. Petersburg Gostiny Dvor, 1792; Misfortune from the carriage, 1779) and Evstigney Ipatovich Fomin (1761–1800) ( Coachmen on a stand, 1787; Americans, 1788). In the genre of opera seria, two works were written by the greatest composer of this period, Dmitry Stepanovich Bortnyansky (1751–1825), based on French librettos - Falcon(1786) and The Rival Son, or Modern Stratonics(1787); There are interesting experiments in the genres of melodrama and music for dramatic performances.
Opera before Glinka (19th century). In the next century, the popularity of the opera genre in Russia increased even more. Opera was the pinnacle of aspirations of Russian composers of the 19th century, and even those of them who did not leave a single work in this genre (for example, M.A. Balakirev, A.K. Lyadov) pondered certain operatic works for many years. projects. The reasons for this are clear: firstly, opera, as Tchaikovsky noted, was a genre that made it possible to “speak the language of the masses”; secondly, the opera made it possible to artistically illuminate major ideological, historical, psychological and other problems that occupied the minds of Russian people in the 19th century; finally, in the young professional culture there was a strong attraction to genres that included, along with music, the word, stage movement, and painting. In addition, a certain tradition has already developed - a legacy left in the musical and theatrical genre of the 18th century.
In the first decades of the 19th century. court and private theater died out
The monopoly was concentrated in the hands of the state. The musical and theatrical life of both capitals was very lively: the first quarter of the century was the heyday of Russian ballet; in the 1800s, there were four theater troupes in St. Petersburg - Russian, French, German and Italian, of which the first three staged both drama and opera, the last - only opera; Several troupes also worked in Moscow. The Italian enterprise turned out to be the most stable - even in the early 1870s, the young Tchaikovsky, performing in the critical field, was forced to fight for a decent position for the Moscow Russian opera in comparison with the Italian one; Raek Mussorgsky, in one of the episodes of which the passion of the St. Petersburg public and critics for famous Italian singers is ridiculed, was also written at the turn of the 1870s.
Russian opera is a most valuable contribution to the treasury of world musical theater. Originating in the era of the classical heyday of Italian, French and German opera, Russian opera in the 19th century. not only caught up with other national opera schools, but also ahead of them. The multilateral nature of the development of the Russian opera theater in the 19th century. contributed to the enrichment of world realistic art. The works of Russian composers opened up a new area of operatic creativity, introduced new content into it, new principles for constructing musical dramaturgy, bringing operatic art closer to other types of musical creativity, primarily to the symphony.
The history of Russian classical opera is inextricably linked with the development of social life in Russia, with the development of advanced Russian thought. Opera was distinguished by these connections already in the 18th century, having emerged as a national phenomenon in the 70s, the era of the development of Russian enlightenment. The formation of the Russian opera school was influenced by educational ideas, expressed in the desire to truthfully depict people's life.
Thus, from its very first steps Russian opera has emerged as a democratic art. The plots of the first Russian operas often put forward anti-serfdom ideas that were characteristic of Russian dramatic theater and Russian literature at the end of the 18th century. However, these trends had not yet formed into a coherent system; they were expressed empirically in scenes from the life of peasants, in showing their oppression by landowners, in a satirical depiction of the nobility. These are the plots of the first Russian operas: “Misfortune from the Coach” by V. A. Pashkevich (c. 1742-1797), libretto by Ya. B. Knyazhnin (post, in 1779); “Coachmen on a stand” by E. I. Fomin (1761-1800). In the opera “The Miller - a sorcerer, a deceiver and a matchmaker” with text by A. O. Ablesimov and music by M. M. Sokolovsky (in the second edition - E. I. Fomin), the idea of the nobility of the work of the tiller is expressed and the noble swagger is ridiculed. In the opera “St. Petersburg Gostiny Dvor” by M. A. Matinsky - V. A. Pashkevich, a usurer and a bribe-taking official are depicted in a satirical form.
The first Russian operas were plays with musical episodes during the action. Conversation scenes were very important in them. The music of the first operas was closely connected with Russian folk songs: composers widely used the melodies of existing folk songs, processed them, making them the basis of the opera. In “Melnik,” for example, all the characteristics of the characters are given with the help of folk songs of various types. In the opera "St. Petersburg Gostiny Dvor" the folk wedding ceremony is reproduced with great accuracy. In “Coachmen on a Stand,” Fomin created the first example of folk choral opera, thereby laying the foundation for one of the typical Traditions of later Russian opera.
Russian opera developed in the struggle for its national identity. The policy of the royal court and the top of the noble society, who patronized foreign troupes, was directed against the democracy of Russian art. The figures of Russian opera had to learn operatic skills using the examples of Western European opera and at the same time defend the independence of their national direction. This struggle became the condition for the existence of Russian opera for many years, taking on new forms at new stages.
Along with opera-comedy in the 18th century. Other opera genres also appeared. In 1790, a performance was held at court under the title “Oleg’s Initial Management,” the text for which was written by Empress Catherine II, and the music was composed jointly by composers C. Canobbio, G. Sarti and V. A. Pashkevich. The performance was not so much operatic as oratorio in nature, and to some extent it can be considered the first example of the musical-historical genre, so widespread in the 19th century. In the work of the outstanding Russian composer D. S. Bortnyansky (1751-1825), the opera genre is represented by the lyrical operas “The Falcon” and “The Rival Son,” the music of which, in terms of the development of operatic forms and skill, can be put on a par with modern examples of Western European opera.
The opera house was used in the 18th century. very popular. Gradually, opera from the capital penetrated into estate theaters. Fortress theater at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. gives individual highly artistic examples of the performance of operas and individual roles. Talented Russian singers and actors are nominated, such as the singer E. Sandunova, who performed on the capital’s stage, or the serf actress of the Sheremetev Theater P. Zhemchugova.
Artistic achievements of Russian opera of the 18th century. gave impetus to the rapid development of musical theater in Russia in the first quarter of the 19th century.
The connections between Russian musical theater and the ideas that determined the spiritual life of the era were especially strengthened during the Patriotic War of 1812 and during the years of the Decembrist movement. The theme of patriotism, reflected in historical and modern plots, becomes the basis of many dramatic and musical performances. The ideas of humanism and protest against social inequality inspire and fertilize theatrical art.
At the beginning of the 19th century. It is still impossible to talk about opera in the full meaning of the word. Mixed genres play a major role in Russian musical theater: tragedy with music, vaudeville, comic opera, opera-ballet. Before Glinka, Russian opera did not know works whose dramaturgy was based only on music without any spoken episodes.
An outstanding composer of “tragedy on music” was O. A. Kozlovsky (1757-1831), who created music for the tragedies of Ozerov, Katenin, and Shakhovsky. Composers A. A. Alyabyev (1787-1851) and A. N. Verstovsky (1799-1862) successfully worked in the vaudeville genre, composing music for a number of vaudevilles with humorous and satirical content.
Opera of the early 19th century. developed the traditions of the previous period. A typical phenomenon was everyday performances accompanied by folk songs. Examples of this kind are the performances: “Yam”, “Gatherings”, “Bachelorette Party”, etc., the music for which was written by amateur composer A. N. Titov (1769-1827). But this far from exhausted the rich theatrical life of the era. The attraction to the romantic trends typical of that time was expressed in society’s fascination with fairy-tale and fantasy performances. The Dnieper Mermaid (Lesta), which had several parts, enjoyed particular success. The music for these operas, which formed like chapters of a novel, was written by composers S. I. Davydov and K. A. Kavos; The music of the Austrian composer Kauer was partly used. “The Dnieper Mermaid” did not leave the stage for a long time, not only because of the entertaining plot, which in its main features anticipated the plot of Pushkin’s “Mermaid,” not only because of the luxurious production, but also because of the melodic, simple and accessible music.
The Italian composer K. A. Cavos (1775-1840), who worked in Russia from a young age and put a lot of effort into the development of Russian opera performance, made the first attempt to create a historical-heroic opera. In 1815, he staged the opera “Ivan Susanin” in St. Petersburg, in which, based on one of the episodes of the struggle of the Russian people against the Polish invasion at the beginning of the 17th century, he tried to create a national-patriotic performance. This opera responded to the mood of a society that had survived the war of liberation against Napoleon. Kavos's opera stands out among modern works due to the skill of a professional musician, its reliance on Russian folklore, and the liveliness of the action. Yet it does not rise above the level of the numerous “salvation operas” of French composers who performed on the same stage; Kavos was unable to create in it the tragic folk epic that Glinka created twenty years later, using the same plot.
The largest composer of the first third of the 19th century. A. N. Verstovsky, mentioned as the author of music for vaudevilles, should be recognized. His operas “Pan Tvardovsky” (post, 1828), “Askold’s Grave” (post, 1835), “Vadim” (post, 1832) and others constituted a new stage in the development of Russian opera before Glinka. Verstovsky's work reflected the characteristic features of Russian romanticism. Russian antiquity, poetic traditions of Kievan Rus, fairy tales and legends form the basis of his operas. The magical element plays a significant role in them. Verstovsky's music, deeply rooted in folk art, has absorbed folk origins in the broadest sense. His heroes are typical of folk art. Being a master of operatic dramaturgy, Verstovsky created romantically colorful scenes of fantastic content. An example of his style is the opera “Askold’s Grave,” which has remained in the repertoire to this day. It showed the best features of Verstovsky - a gift for melody, excellent dramatic flair, the ability to create lively and characteristic images of characters.
Verstovsky's works belong to the pre-classical period of Russian opera, although their historical significance is very great: they generalize and develop all the best qualities of the previous and contemporary period of development of Russian opera music.
Since the 30s. XIX century Russian opera is entering its classical period. The founder of Russian opera classics M.I. Glinka (1804-1857) created the historical and tragic opera “Ivan Susanin” (1830) and the fairy-tale-epic opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila” (1842). These pillars laid the foundation for two of the most important trends in Russian musical theater: historical opera and magical-epic opera; Glinka's creative principles were implemented and developed by the subsequent generation of Russian composers.
Glinka developed as an artist in an era overshadowed by the ideas of Decembrism, which allowed him to raise the ideological and artistic content of his operas to a new, significant height. He was the first Russian composer in whose work the image of the people, generalized and deep, became the center of the entire work. The theme of patriotism in his work is inextricably linked with the theme of the people’s struggle for independence.
The previous period of Russian opera prepared the appearance of Glinka's operas, but their qualitative difference from earlier Russian operas is very significant. In Glinka's operas, the realism of artistic thought is not manifested in its individual aspects, but acts as a holistic creative method that allows us to give a musical and dramatic generalization of the idea, theme and plot of the opera. Glinka understood the problem of nationality in a new way: for him it meant not only the musical development of folk songs, but also a deep, multifaceted reflection in music of the life, feelings and thoughts of the people, the revelation of the characteristic features of their spiritual appearance. The composer did not limit himself to reflecting folk life, but embodied in music the typical features of the folk worldview. Glinka's operas are integral musical and dramatic works; they contain no spoken dialogues, the content is expressed through music. Instead of individual, undeveloped solo and choral numbers of a comic opera, Glinka creates large, detailed operatic forms, developing them with truly symphonic mastery.
In “Ivan Susanin” Glinka glorified the heroic past of RUSSIA. Typical images of the Russian people are embodied in the opera with great artistic truth. The development of musical dramaturgy is based on the opposition of various national musical spheres.
“Ruslan and Lyudmila” is an opera that laid the foundation for folk-epic Russian operas. The significance of “Ruslan” for Russian music is very great. Opera influenced not only theatrical genres, but also symphonic genres. The majestic heroic and mysteriously magical, as well as colorful oriental images of “Ruslan” fueled Russian music for a long time.
After Glinka, A. S. Dargomyzhsky (1813-1869), a typical artist of the era of the 40-50s, spoke. XIX century Glinka had a great influence on Dargomyzhsky, but at the same time, new qualities appeared in his work, born of new social conditions, new themes that came to Russian art. Warm sympathy for a humiliated person, awareness of the harmfulness of social inequality, a critical attitude towards the social order are reflected in Dargomyzhsky’s work, associated with the ideas of critical realism in literature.
Dargomyzhsky’s path as an opera composer began with the creation of the opera “Esmeralda”, based on V. Hugo (posted in 1847), and the composer’s central operatic work should be considered “The Mermaid” (based on the drama by A. S. Pushkin), staged in 1856 In this opera, Dargomyzhsky’s talent was fully revealed and the direction of his work was determined. The drama of social inequality between the miller's daughter Natasha and the Prince, who love each other, attracted the composer due to the relevance of the theme. Dargomyzhsky enhanced the dramatic side of the plot by diminishing the fantastic element. "Rusalka" is the first Russian everyday lyric-psychological opera. Her music is deeply folk; On a song basis, the composer created living images of heroes, developed a declamatory style in the parts of the main characters, and developed ensemble scenes, significantly dramatizing them.
Dargomyzhsky’s last opera, “The Stone Guest,” according to Pushkin (posted in 1872, after the composer’s death), belongs already. another period in the development of Russian oner. Dargomyzhsky set in it the task of creating a realistic musical language that reflects speech intonations. The composer here abandoned traditional operatic forms - aria, ensemble, chorus; the vocal parts of the opera prevail over the orchestral part, “The Stone Guest” marked the beginning of one of the directions of the subsequent period of Russian opera, the so-called chamber recitative opera, later represented by “Mozart and Salieri” by Rimsky-Korsakov, “The Miserly Knight” by Rachmaninov and others. The peculiarity of these operas is that they are all written on the unaltered full text of Pushkin’s “little tragedies”.
In the 60s Russian opera entered a new stage of its development. Works by composers from the Balakirev circle (“The Mighty Handful”) and Tchaikovsky appear on the Russian stage. During these same years, the creativity of A. N. Serov and A. G. Rubinstein developed.
The operatic work of A. N. Serov (1820-1871), who became famous as a music critic, cannot be counted among the very significant phenomena of Russian theater. However, at one time his operas played a positive role. In the opera “Judith” (post, 1863), Serov created a work of a heroic-patriotic nature based on a biblical plot; in the opera “Rogneda” (op. and post. in 1865), he turned to the era of Kievan Rus, wanting to continue the line of “Ruslan”. However, the opera was not deep enough. Of great interest is Serov’s third opera, “The Power of the Enemy,” based on A. N. Ostrovsky’s drama “Don’t Live the Way You Want” (posted in 1871). The composer decided to create a song opera, the music of which should be based on primary sources. However, the opera does not have a single dramatic concept, and its music does not rise to the heights of realistic generalization.
A. G. Rubinstein (1829-1894) began as an opera composer by composing the historical opera “Battle of Kulikovo” (1850). In the 60s. he created the lyrical opera "Feramors" and the romagic opera "Children of the Steppes". Rubinstein's best opera, "The Demon" after Lermontov (1871), remains in the repertoire. This opera is an example of Russian lyric opera, in which the most talented pages are devoted to expressing the feelings of the characters. The genre scenes of "The Demon", in which the composer used the folk music of Transcaucasia, bring local flavor. The opera “The Demon” was a success among contemporaries, who saw in the main character the image of a man of the 40s and 50s.
The operatic work of the composers “The Mighty Handful” and Tchaikovsky was closely connected with the new aesthetics of the era of the 60s. New social conditions put forward new tasks for Russian artists. The main problem of the era was the problem of reflecting folk life in works of art in all its complexity and inconsistency. The influence of the ideas of revolutionary democrats (most of all Chernyshevsky) was reflected in the field of musical creativity by a gravitation towards universal themes and plots, the humanistic orientation of the works, and the glorification of the high spiritual powers of the people. The historical theme takes on special significance at this time.
Interest in the history of one's people in those years was typical not only for composers. Historical science itself is developing widely; writers, poets and playwrights turn to historical themes; Historical painting is developing. The eras of revolutions, peasant uprisings, and mass movements arouse the greatest interest. An important place is occupied by the problem of the relationship between the people and the royal power. The historical operas of M. P. Mussorgsky and N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov are dedicated to this topic.
The operas of M. P. Mussorgsky (1839-1881) “Boris Godunov” (1872) and “Khovanshchina” (finished by Rlmsky-Korsakov in 1882) belong to the historical-tragedy branch of Russian classical opera. The composer called them “folk musical dramas”, since parod is at the center of both works. The main idea of “Boris Godunov” (based on Pushkin’s tragedy of the same name) is the conflict: the king - the people. This idea was one of the most important and acute in the post-reform era. Mussorgsky wanted to find an analogy with modernity in the events of Rus''s past. The contradiction between popular interests and autocratic power is shown in scenes of a popular movement turning into an open uprising. At the same time, the composer pays great attention to the “tragedy of conscience” experienced by Tsar Boris. The multifaceted image of Boris Godunov is one of the highest achievements of world operatic creativity.
Mussorgsky's second musical drama, Khovanshchina, is dedicated to the Streltsy uprisings at the end of the 17th century. The element of the popular movement in all its violent force is wonderfully expressed by the music of the opera, based on a creative rethinking of folk song art. The music of “Khovanshchina,” like the music of “Boris Godunov,” is characterized by high tragedy. The basis of the melodic theme of both operas is the synthesis of song and declamation principles. Mussorgsky's innovation, born of a new concept, and a deeply original solution to the problems of musical drama, force us to rank both of his operas among the highest achievements of musical theater.
The opera “Prince Igor” by A. P. Borodin (1833-1887) also belongs to the group of historical musical works (its plot was inspired by “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”). The idea of love for the motherland, the idea of unification in the face of the enemy is revealed by the composer with great drama (scenes in Putivl). The composer combined in his opera the monumentality of the epic genre with a lyrical beginning. Glinka’s behests were implemented in the poetic embodiment of the Polovtsian camp; in turn, Borodin’s musical paintings of the East inspired many Russian and Soviet composers to create oriental images. Borodin's remarkable melodic gift manifested itself in the widely chanting style of the opera. Borodin did not have time to finish the opera; “Prince Igor” was completed by Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov and, in their edition, staged on stage in 1890.
The genre of historical musical drama was also developed by N. L. Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908). The Pskov freemen rebelling against Ivan the Terrible (opera “Pskov Woman”, 1872) is depicted by the composer with epic grandeur. The image of the king is a canopy of genuine drama. The lyrical element of the opera, associated with the heroine Olga, enriches the music, introducing traits of sublime tenderness and softness into the majestic tragic concept.
P. I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), most famous for his psychological-psychological oneers, was the author of three historical operas. The operas "The Oprichnik" (1872) and "Mazepa" (1883) are dedicated to dramatic events from Russian history. In the opera “The Maid of Orleans” (1879), the composer turned to the history of France and created the image of the national French heroine Joan of Arc.
The peculiarity of Tchaikovsky's historical operas is their kinship with his lyric operas. The composer reveals in them the characteristic features of the depicted era through the fate of individual people. The images of his heroes are distinguished by their depth and truthfulness in conveying the complex inner world of a person.
In addition to folk historical musical dramas in Russian opera of the 19th century. An important place is occupied by folk fairy-tale operas, widely represented in the works of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. The best fairy-tale operas of Rimsky-Korsakov are “The Snow Maiden” (1881), “Sadko” (1896), “Kashey the Immortal” (1902) and “ The Golden Cockerel" (1907). A special place is occupied by the opera “The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia” (1904), written based on materials from folk legends about the Tatar-Mongol invasion.
Rimsky-Korsakov's operas amaze with the variety of interpretations of the folk fairy tale genre. Either this is a poetic interpretation of ancient folk ideas about nature, expressed in the wonderful fairy tale about the Snow Maiden, or a powerful picture of ancient Novgorod, or an image of Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. in the allegorical image of the cold Kashcheev kingdom, then real satire on the rotten autocratic system in fairy-tale popular images (“The Golden Cockerel”). In different cases, the methods of musical depiction of the characters and the techniques of Rimsky-Korsakov’s musical dramaturgy are different. However, in all his operas one can sense the composer’s deep creative insight into the world of folk ideas, folk beliefs, and the worldview of the people. The basis of the music of his operas is the language of folk song. Reliance on folk art, characterization of characters through the use of various folk genres is a typical feature of Rimsky-Korsakov.
The pinnacle of Rimsky-Korsakov's creativity is the majestic epic about the patriotism of the people of Rus' in the opera “The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia,” where the composer reached a tremendous height of musical and symphonic generalization of the theme.
Among other varieties of Russian classical opera, one of the main places belongs to the lyrical-psychological opera, which began with Dargomyzhsky’s “Rusalka”. The greatest representative of this genre in Russian music is Tchaikovsky, the author of brilliant works included in the world operatic repertoire: “Eugene Onegin” (1877-1878), “The Enchantress” (1887), “The Queen of Spades” (1890), “Iolanta” (1891) ). Tchaikovsky's innovation is associated with the direction of his work, dedicated to the ideas of humanism, protest against the humiliation of man, and faith in a better future for humanity. The inner world of people, their relationships, their feelings are revealed in Tchaikovsky's operas by combining theatrical effectiveness with the consistent symphonic development of music. Tchaikovsky's operatic work is one of the greatest phenomena of world musical and theatrical art of the 19th century.
Comedy opera is represented by a smaller number of works in the operatic works of Russian composers. However, even these few samples are distinguished by their national originality. There is no entertaining lightness or comedy in them. Most of them were based on Gogol’s stories from “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”. Each of the opera-comedies reflected the individual characteristics of the authors. In Tchaikovsky's opera "Cherevichki" (1885; in the first edition - "Blacksmith Vakula", 1874) the lyrical element predominates; in “May Night” by Rimsky-Korsakov (1878) - fantastic and ritual; in “Sorochinskaya Fair” by Mussorgsky (70s, unfinished) - purely comedic. These operas are examples of skill in realistically reflecting the life of the people in the genre of comedy of characters.
Russian opera classics are accompanied by a number of so-called parallel phenomena in Russian musical theater. We mean the work of composers who did not create works of lasting significance, although they made their feasible contribution to the development of Russian opera. Here we must name the operas of C. A. Cui (1835-1918), a member of the Balakirev circle, a prominent music critic of the 60-70s. Cui's operas "William Ratcliffe" and "Angelo", which do not leave the conventionally romantic style, are devoid of drama and, at times, bright music. Cui's later supports are of lesser importance ("The Captain's Daughter", "Mademoiselle Fifi", etc.). Accompanying classical opera was the work of the conductor and musical director of the opera in St. Petersburg, E. F. Napravnik (1839-1916). The most famous is his opera Dubrovsky, composed in the tradition of Tchaikovsky’s lyrical operas.
Of the composers who performed at the end of the 19th century. on the opera stage, we must name A. S. Arensky (1861-1906), author of the operas “Dream on. Volga", "Raphael" and "Nal and Damayanti", as well as M. M. Ishyulitova-Ivanov (1859-1935), whose opera "Asya", according to I. S. Turgenev, was written in the lyrical manner of Tchaikovsky. Standing apart in the history of Russian opera is “Oresteia” by S. I. Taneyev (1856-1915), according to Aeschylus, which can be described as a theatrical oratorio.
At the same time, S. V. Rachmaninov (1873-1943) acted as an opera composer, who, towards the end of the conservatory (1892), composed a one-act oneru “Aleko”, in the tradition of Tchaikovsky. Rachmaninov's later operas - Francesca da Rimini (1904) and The Miserly Knight (1904) - were written in the style of cantata operas; in them the stage action is maximally compressed and the musical-symphonic element is very developed. The music of these operas, talented and bright, bears the stamp of the unique creative style of the author.
Of the less significant phenomena of opera art at the beginning of the 20th century. let's name the opera by A. T. Grechaninov (1864-1956) “Dobrynya Nikitich”, in which the characteristic features of a fairy-tale-epic classical opera gave way to romance lyrics, as well as the opera by A. D. Kastalsky (1856-1926) “Klara Milich”, in which combines elements of naturalism with sincere, impressive lyricism.
The 19th century is the era of Russian opera classics. Russian composers created masterpieces in various genres of opera: drama, epic, heroic tragedy, comedy. They created innovative musical dramaturgy, born in close connection with the innovative content of operas. The important, determining role of mass folk scenes, the multifaceted characterization of the characters, a new interpretation of traditional opera forms and the creation of new principles of musical unity of the entire work are characteristic features of Russian opera classics.
Russian classical opera, which developed under the influence of philosophical and aesthetic progressive thought, under the influence of events in public life, became one of the remarkable aspects of Russian national culture of the 19th century. The entire path of development of Russian operatic creativity in the last century ran parallel to the great liberation movement of the Russian people; composers were inspired by the lofty ideas of humanism and democratic enlightenment, and their works are for us great examples of truly realistic art.
Tannhäuser: Dear PCs! Don’t be upset by the excessive abundance of posts in recent days... Soon you will have a wonderful opportunity to take a break from them...) For three weeks... Today I included this page about the opera in the Diary. There is text and pictures enlarged... It remains to select a few videos with opera fragments. I hope you like everything. Well, the conversation about opera, of course, does not end there. Although the sheer number of great works is limited...)
This is an interesting stage performance with a specific plot that unfolds to the music. The enormous work done by the composer who wrote the opera cannot be underestimated. But no less important is performing skill, which helps to convey the main idea of the work, inspire the audience, and bring music to the hearts of people.
There are names that have become an integral part of opera performance. The massive bass of Fyodor Chaliapin has forever sunk into the souls of fans of opera singing. Luciano Pavarotti, who once dreamed of becoming a football player, has become a real superstar of the opera stage. Enrico Caruso was told from childhood that he had neither hearing nor voice. Until the singer became famous for his unique bel canto.
It can be based on either a historical fact or mythology, a fairy tale or a dramatic work. To understand what you will hear about in the opera, a libretto text is created. However, in order to get acquainted with the opera, the libretto is not enough: after all, the content is conveyed through artistic images by musical means of expressiveness. Special rhythm, a bright and original melody, complex orchestration, as well as musical forms chosen by the composer for individual scenes - all this creates a massive genre of operatic art.
Operas are distinguished by their through and number structure. If we talk about the number structure, then the musical completeness is clearly expressed here, and the solo numbers have names: arioso, aria, arietta, romance, cavatina and others. Completed vocal works help to fully reveal the character of the hero. Annette Dasch, a German singer, performed such roles as Antonia from Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffmann", Rosalind from Strauss's "Die Fledermaus", Pamina from Mozart's "The Magic Flute". The audience of the Metropolitan Opera, the Theater on the Champs-Elysees, and the Tokyo Opera could enjoy the singer’s multifaceted talent.
Simultaneously with the vocal “rounded” numbers, musical declamation - recitative - is used in operas. This is an excellent combination between various vocal subjects - arias, choirs and ensembles. Comic opera is distinguished by the absence of recitatives and is replaced by spoken text.
Ballroom scenes in opera are considered non-core elements, inserted elements. Often they can be painlessly eliminated from the overall action, but there are operas in which the language of dance cannot be used to complete the musical work.
The opera combines vocals, instrumental music and dance. The role of orchestral accompaniment is significant: after all, it is not only an accompaniment to singing, but also its addition and enrichment. Orchestral parts can also be independent numbers: intermissions to actions, introductions of arias, choirs and overtures. Mario Del Monaco became famous thanks to his performance of the role of Radames from the opera “Aida” by Giuseppe Verdi.
When talking about an opera group, we should mention soloists, choir, orchestra and even organ. The voices of opera performers are divided into male and female. Female opera voices - soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto. Male - countertenor, tenor, baritone and bass. Who would have thought that Beniamino Gigli, who grew up in a poor family, years later would sing the role of Faust from Mephistopheles.
Historically, certain forms of opera have developed. The most classic version can be called grand opera: this style includes the works “William Tell” by Rossini, “The Sicilian Vespers” by Verdi, “Les Troyens” by Berlioz.
In addition, operas are comic and semi-comic. Features characteristic of comic opera appeared in Mozart’s works “Don Giovanni”, “The Marriage of Figaro” and “The Abduction from the Seraglio”. Operas based on a romantic plot are called romantic: this type includes Wagner’s works “Lohengrin”, “Tannhäuser” and “The Wandering Sailor”.
The timbre of an opera performer's voice is of particular importance. The owners of the rarest timbre - coloratura soprano are Sumi Yo , whose debut took place on the stage of the Verdi Theater: the singer performed the role of Gilda from Rigoletto, as well as Joan Elston Sutherland, who for a quarter of a century performed the role of Lucia from the opera Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti.
Ballad opera originated in England and is more reminiscent of alternating spoken scenes with folk elements of song and dance. Pepusch became the pioneer of ballad opera with The Beggars' Opera.
Since the world of music is quite multifaceted, opera should be discussed in a special language that is understandable to true lovers of classical art. You can find out about the best performers on world platforms on our website in the “Performers” section » .
Experienced music lovers will certainly be happy to read about the best performers of classical opera works. Such musicians as Andrea Bocelli became a worthy replacement for the most talented vocalists in the development of opera art. , whose idol was Franco Corelli. As a result, Andrea found the opportunity to meet his idol and even became his student!
Giuseppe Di Stefano miraculously avoided being drafted into the army thanks to his amazing timbre of his voice. Titto Gobbi intended to become a lawyer, but devoted his life to opera. You can learn a lot of interesting things about these and other opera singers in the “Male Voices” section.
Speaking about opera divas, one cannot help but recall such great voices as Annick Massis, who made her debut on the stage of the Toulouse Opera with a role from Mozart’s opera The Imaginary Gardener.
Danielle De Niese is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful vocalists, who during her career performed solo roles in operas by Donizetti, Puccini, Delibes and Pergolesi.
Montserrat Caballe. A lot has been said about this amazing woman: few performers have been able to earn the title “Diva of the World”. Despite the fact that the singer is of advanced age, she continues to delight the audience with her magnificent singing.
Many talented opera performers took their first steps in the Russian space: Victoria Ivanova, Ekaterina Shcherbachenko, Olga Borodina, Nadezhda Obukhova and others.
Amalia Rodrigues is a Portuguese fado singer, and Patricia Ciofi, an Italian opera diva, first participated in a music competition when she was three years old! These and other greatest names of beautiful representatives of the opera genre - opera singers can be found in the section “Women's Voices”.
The spirit of opera literally inhabits the theater, penetrates the stage, and the stages on which legendary performers performed become iconic and significant. How not to remember the greatest operas of La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, Bolshoi Theater, Mariinsky Theater, Berlin State Opera and others. For example, Covent Garden (Royal Opera House) suffered catastrophic fires in 1808 and 1857, but most of the elements of the present complex have been restored. You can read about these and other famous scenes in the “ Venues ” section.
In ancient times it was believed that music was born along with the world. Moreover, music relieves mental stress and has a beneficial effect on the spirituality of the individual. Especially when it comes to opera...
Opera is one of the most important musical and theatrical genres. It is a mixture of music, vocals, painting and acting, and is highly valued by devotees of the classical arts. It is not surprising that in music lessons, the first thing a child is given is a report on this topic.
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It begins with an overture. This is the introduction performed by a symphony orchestra. Designed to set the mood and atmosphere of the play.
The overture is followed by the main part of the performance. This is a grandiose performance, divided into acts - complete parts of the performance, between which there are intermissions. Intermissions can be long, so that the audience and participants in the production can rest, or short, when the curtain is lowered only to change the scenery.
The main body, the driving force of the whole thing, are the solo arias. They are performed by actors - characters in the story. Arias reveal the plot, character and feelings of the characters. Sometimes recitatives - melodious rhythmic cues - or ordinary colloquial speech are inserted between the arias.
The literary part is based on the libretto. This is a kind of script, a summary of the work . In rare cases, poems are written by composers themselves., such as Wagner. But most often the words for the opera are written by the librettist.
The finale of the opera performance is the epilogue. This part performs the same function as the literary epilogue. This could be a story about the further fate of the heroes, or summing up and defining morality.
Wikipedia has a wealth of information on this topic, but this article provides a condensed history of the musical genre mentioned.
The birthplace of opera is Italy. However, the roots of this genre go back to Ancient Greece, where they first began to combine stage and vocal art. Unlike modern opera, where the main emphasis is on music, in ancient Greek tragedy they only alternated between ordinary speech and singing. This art form continued to develop among the Romans. In ancient Roman tragedies, solo parts gained weight, and musical inserts began to be used more often.
The ancient tragedy received a second life at the end of the 16th century. The community of poets and musicians - the Florentine Camerata - decided to revive the ancient tradition. They created a new genre called "drama through music." In contrast to the polyphony popular at that time, camerata works were monophonic melodic recitations. The theatrical production and musical accompaniment were intended only to emphasize the expressiveness and sensuality of poetry.
It is believed that the first opera production was released in 1598. Unfortunately, from the work “Daphne”, written by the composer Jacopo Peri and the poet Ottavio Rinuccini, in our time only the title remains . But “Eurydice” belongs to them., which is the earliest surviving opera. However, this glorious work for modern society is just an echo of the past. But the opera “Orpheus,” written by the famous Claudio Monteverdi in 1607 for the Mantuan court, can still be seen in theaters to this day. The Gonzaga family, which ruled Mantua at that time, made a significant contribution to the emergence of the opera genre.
The members of the Florentine Camerata can be called "rebels" of their time. Indeed, in an era when the fashion for music is dictated by the church, they turned to the pagan myths and legends of Greece, renouncing the aesthetic norms accepted in society, and created something new. However, even earlier, the dramatic theater introduced their unusual solutions. This trend flourished during the Renaissance.
By experimenting and focusing on the audience's reaction, this genre developed its own style. Representatives of the drama theater used music and dance in their productions. The new art form was extremely popular. It was the influence of the dramatic theater that helped “drama through music” reach a new level of expressiveness.
Opera art continued develop and gain popularity. However, this musical genre truly blossomed in Venice, when in 1637 Benedetto Ferrari and Francesco Manelli opened the first public opera house, San Cassiano. Thanks to this event, musical works of this type ceased to be entertainment for courtiers and reached a commercial level. At this time, the reign of castrati and prima donnas in the world of music began.
By the middle of the 17th century, the art of opera, with the support of the aristocracy, had developed into a separate independent genre and accessible entertainment for the masses. Thanks to traveling troupes, this type of performance spread throughout Italy, and began to win audiences abroad.
The first Italian representation of the genre to be presented abroad was called Galatea. It was performed in 1628 in the city of Warsaw. Not long after, another work was performed at court - “La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina” by Francesca Caccini. This work is also the earliest extant opera written by women.
Francesco Cavalli's Jason was the most popular opera of the 17th century. In this regard, in 1660 he was invited to France for the wedding of Louis XIV. However, his “Xerxes” and “Hercules in Love” were not successful with the French public.
Antonio Cesti, asked to write an opera for the Austrian Habsburg family, had greater success. His grandiose performance “The Golden Apple” lasted two days. The unprecedented success marked the rise of the Italian operatic tradition in European music.
In the 18th century, opera genres such as seria and buffa gained particular popularity. Although both originated in Naples, the two genres represent fundamental opposites. Opera seria literally means "serious opera". This is a product of the era of classicism, which encouraged purity of genre and typification in art. The series is distinguished by the following qualities:
The most successful and famous librettist in this genre was Pietro Metastasio. Different composers wrote dozens of operas based on his best librettos.
At the same time, the buffa comedy genre was developing in parallel and independently. If the series tells stories of the past, then buffa devotes its plots to modern and everyday situations. This genre evolved from short comedy skits, which were staged during intermissions of the main performance and were separate works. Gradually this type of art gained popularity and was realized as full-fledged independent performances.
German composer Christoph Willibald Gluck firmly imprinted his name in the history of music. When opera seria dominated the stages of Europe, he persistently promoted his own vision of operatic art. He believed that drama should rule the show, and the task of music, vocals and choreography should be to promote and emphasize it. Gluck argued that composers should abandon spectacular performances in favor of "simple beauty." That all elements of the opera should be a continuation of each other and form a single harmonious plot.
He began his reform in 1762 in Vienna. Together with the librettist Ranieri de Calzabigi, he staged three plays, but they did not receive a response. Then in 1773 he went to Paris. His reform activities lasted until 1779, and caused a lot of controversy and unrest among music lovers . Gluck's ideas had a great influence on the development of the opera genre. They were also reflected in the reforms of the 19th century.
Over more than four centuries of history, the opera genre has undergone many changes and brought a lot to the musical world. During this time, several types of opera emerged:
