Exploring Romantic Opera: Rossini and Wagner's Musical Masterpieces

1. Bell Ringer • NONE today because of the shortened class • (I want to make sure we get through all the notes.)

2. Romantic Music Opera: Rossini & Wagner

3. Opera • The perfect synthesis of all the arts – we’ll talk more specifically about dance and drama next week • Three countries dominated with opera: France, Italy, and Germany • Opera enjoyed great popularity among the rising and influential middle classes

4. Opera – bel canto • Bel canto: beauty of sound • Rossini epitomizes bel canto opera • The Barber of Seville takes melodic singing to new heights with light, ornamented and highly appealing vocal lines

5. The Barber of Seville • Based on Beaumarchais’s comedy • The prequel to the Marriage of Figaro • Premiered in 1816 • Premiered in New York in 1825

6. The Barber of Seville • Starts with Figaro – the Barber of Seville • Prequel to the Marriage of Figaro • He meets the Count for the first time, helps him win over Rosina (the future countess), who was engaged to Dr. Bartolo.

7. The Barber of seville • The Looney Tunes Adaptation (DVD) • Same music – much different story • Elmer Fudd chases Bugs Bunny into a theater that is performing the Barber of Seville • They end up on stage, and create their own opera based on the scenery and orchestra • The music is VERY recognizable! It’s currently used in a Doritoes commercial

8. Richard Wagner • 1813-1883, German • Master of Romantic opera • Drew heavily from German mythology • Music has the predominant role in Wagner’s operas

9. Wagner • Famous for leitmotifs • Leitmotif: a melody or theme that is tied to an idea, a person, or an object • Whenever that idea, person, or object appears on stage or comes to mind in the action, that theme is heard

10. Wagner - Leitmotifs • Leitmotifs are used today in movies • Example: Spiderman 3 • Hero Theme • Venom’s Theme • Sandman’s Theme • Hero Reprise • Can you name some other Leitmotifs?? • Tomorrow’s Project: selecting leitmotifs for characters

11. Wagner – the Ring • Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung) is a cycle of 4 epic operas • Often referred to as the Ring Cycle, or simply The Ring • Took 26 years to write, 1848-1874 • The 4 operas are: The Rhine Gold, The Valkyrie, Siegfried, & Twilight of the Gods

12. Wagner – the Ring • The plot is similar to that of the Lord of the Rings (drew from the same source material) • Revolves around a magic ring that grants the power to rule the world

13. Wagner – the Ring • Takes 18 hours to perform • Most opera companies will do a part of it at a time • Most famous piece: the Ride of the Valkyries • What is a Valkyrie? “chooser of the slain” – the Valkyrie’s bring their chosen to the afterlife

14. What’s Opera, Doc? • A Looney Tunes cartoon based on the music of Wagner’s Ring Cycle • Elmer Fudd is the ‘valkyrie’ • The Magic Helmet is ‘the ring’ • What's Opera, Doc?- http://www.spike.com/video-clips/i8ftl4/whats-opera-doc

15. Recognition Practice http://nohsbands.weebly.com Hover over “More” then “Arts & Humanities” then CLICK “The Romantic Period” All listening examples are there. (Make sure it starts at the right time – it’s listed next to the example on the webpage.) • Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 • Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2 • Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet • Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture • Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain • Berlioz’s SymphonieFantastique March to the Scaffold • Schubert’s “Unfinished Symphony” New • Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries • Rossini’s Barber of Seville

16. Piece Naming Practice • http://nohsbands.weebly.com