chapter 31 making it real: mozart and classical opera

THE ENJOYMENT OF MUSICESSENTIAL LISTENING

EDITION

by

Kristine ForneyAndrew Dell’Antonio

Joseph Machlis

SECOND EDITION

Lecture Slides

Chapter 31 Making it Real:

Mozart and Classical Opera

Opera of the Classical Period

• Enjoyed by middle class and aristocracy.• Public opera houses were very popular.• Both Haydn and Mozart composed many operas,

thought most of Haydn’s are lost.• Although Haydn’s operas were in traditional Italian,

Mozart wrote some in German.– Mozart produced some in folk theaters, called singspiel, rather

than in opera houses.– Plots often attacked aristocracy or made fun of current figures

of the day.

Mozart and the Classical Opera

• Opera types

– Opera buffa and opera seria

– Opéra comique, Singspiel, ballad opera

– Castrato vs. buffo

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

• Master of Opera-wrote in both German & Italian

• Opera buffa-Italian, all composed to librettos by Lorenzo da Ponte

• The Marriage of Figaro-extremely successful

• Cosi fan tutte(They’re All Like That)

Don Giovanni

• Commissioned by Prague opera company

• Not popular with Viennese

• Blend of serious & comic opera, violence & the supernatural

• Based on tale of Don Juan

• Lengthy recitative

• Speechlike pattern

• Continuo instruments

Mozart’s Opera Don Giovanni

Don Giovanni

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBgnuxif4fY&index=112&list=PLD2FA7A1A4352F58A

by

Kristine ForneyAndrew Dell’Antonio

Joseph Machlis

Lecture Slides

THIRD EDITION

THE ENJOYMENT OF MUSICESSENTIAL LISTENING EDITION

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