Italian opera

Italian opera can be divided into three periods, thethrough which individual artists gained prominence and
Baroque, the Romantic and the modern. The Baroquefortune so that they no longer depended upon court
appeared first, at the beginning of the seventeenthpatronage.
century, and approximately 200 years later, theAmong the favoured opera composers of the
Romantic. The word opera is a shortened form of theseventeenth century were Domenico Gabrielli
Italian opera in musica (work in music); an English(1651-1690) and Giovanni Bononcini (1670-1747).
dictionary in 1656 stated, "In Italy it signifies a tragedy,Bononcini enjoyed immense success in Naples. His Il
tragi-comedy, or pastoral which is not acted after theTrionfo di Camilla (1697) made him famous, well
vulgar manner, but performed by voices in that way,beyond the Italian peninsula. His operas were
which the Italians term, 'recitative', being likewiseconducted and performed under her leadership in
adorned with scenes by perspective, andVienna and London.
extraordinary advantage by music."Romantic period
Not only the term, but the art of opera, came fromRomantic opera, which placed emphasis on the
Italy. The first opera for which music has survived wasimagination and the emotions began to appear in the
performed in 1600 at the wedding of Henry IV ofearly 19th century, and because of its arias and music,
France and Marie de Medici at the Pitti Palace ingave more dimension to the extreme emotions which
Florence. The opera, Euridice, from an Italian poem bytypified the theater of that era. In addition, it is said that
Ottavio Rinuccini, set to music by Jacopo Peri andfine music often excused glaring faults in character
Giulio Caccini, recounted the story of Orpheus anddrawing and plot lines. Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868)
Eurydice. The style of singing favored by Peri andinitiated the Romantic period. His first success was an
Caccini was a heightened form of natural speech,"opera buffa" (comic opera), La Cambiale di Matrimonio
dramatic recitation supported by instrumental string(1810). His reputation still survives today through his
music; a technique developed in Florence in the 1580sBarber of Seville. But he also wrote serious opera,
known as monody. Recitation thus preceded theOtello (1816) and Guilliame Tell (1829).
development of arias, though it soon became theRossini's successors in the Italian bel canto were
custom to include separate songs and instrumentalVincenzo Bellini (1801–35), Gaetano Donizetti
interludes during periods when voices were silent. The(1797–1843) and Giuseppe Verdi
theme attracted Claudio Monteverdi(1813–1901). It was Verdi who transformed
(1567–1643) who wrote his first opera, Lathe whole nature of operatic writing during the course
Favola d'Orfeo (The Fable of Orpheus), in 1607, whichof his long career. His first great successful opera,
is still performed.Nabucco (1842), caught the public fancy because of
Monteverdi gave a new dramatic life to thethe driving vigour of its music and its great choruses.
instrumental music, insisting on a strong relationshipVa, pensiero, one of the chorus renditions, was
between the words and the instrumental music. Wheninterpreted and gave advantageous meaning to the
it was performed in Mantua, an orchestra of 38struggle for Italian independence and to unify Italy.
instruments, numerous choruses and recitatives wereAfter Nabucco, Verdi based his operas on patriotic
used to make a lively drama. It was a far morethemes and many of the standard romantic sources:
ambitious version than those previously performedVictor Hugo (Ernani, 1844); Byron (Il Duo Foscari, 1844);
— more opulent, more varied in recitatives,and Shakespeare (Macbeth, 1847). Verdi was
more exotic in scenery — with strongerexperimenting with musical and dramatic forms,
musical climaxes which allowed the full scope for theattempting to discover things which only opera could
virtuosity of the singers. Opera had revealed its firstdo. In 1877, he created Otello which completely
stage of maturity in the hands of Monteverdi.replaced Rossini's opera, and which is described by
In 1613, Monteverdi became the maestro da cappela atcritics as the finest of Italian romantic operas with the
St. Mark's in Venice. Though he did not write anytraditional components: the solo arias, the duets and
operas during his tenure, he wrote elaborate madrigalsthe choruses fully integrated into the melodic and
which were the bases for arias.dramatic flow.
In 1637, the first public opera house, Teatro SanVerdi's last opera, Falstaff (1893), broke free of
Cassiano, was opened in Venice with an enthusiasticconventional form altogether and finds music which
response. The opera flourished along with familiar lessfollows quick flowing simple words and because of its
sophisticated entertainment, the commedia dell'arte.respect for the pattern of ordinary speech, it created a
Monteverdi began to write opera again. Unknown tothreshold for a new operatic era in which speech
him, it was close to the end of his life. His two operas, Ipatterns are paramount.
Ritorno d'Ullise in Patria (The Return of Ullyses, 1637),Opera had become a marriage of the arts, a musical
and L'Incoronazione di Poppaea (The Coronation ofdrama, full of glorious song, costume, orchestral music
Poppaea, 1642) were met with great enthusiasm andand pageantry; sometimes, without the aid of a
survive in today's world. Both operas showed aplausible story. From its conception during the baroque
marked increase in musical flexibility with a mixture ofperiod to the maturity of the romantic period, it was the
recitatives, solos, duets and ensembles.medium through which tales and myths were revisited,
Monteverdi is said to be responsible for the introductionhistory was retold and imagination was stimulated. The
of bel canto and buffa styles. Bel canto is defined asstrength of it fell into a more violent era for opera:
operatic singing stressing ease, purity and eveness ofVerismo.
tone production and an agile and precise vocalSource: Dr. Anthony A. Abruzzese of the
technique; buffa when used to describe opera signifiesPIRANDELLO LYCEUM Institute of Italian American
comic complications, farcical and burlesque elements,Studies, Research and Cultural Disemmination.
the unusual and the unexpected. His works, whichModern period
reflected the moods and dramatic vividness of theThe greatest Italian operas of the twentieth century
libretto in his music, became a model for the operaticwere written by Giacomo Puccini
composers to follow.(1858–1924). These include Manon Lescaut,
From this time onward, opera became increasinglyLa boheme, Tosca, and Madam Butterfly. His final
prominent in musical life. Within forty years, Venice hadopera Turandot was left incomplete. Luciano Berio
ten opera houses. By the end of the century moreattempted a completion of the work. Berio also wrote
than 350 operas had been produced in the newoperas but none have endured on the stage. Luigi
theaters in Venice and an equal number by VenetianDallapiccola (1904–1975) wrote two operas
composers elsewhere in Italy. Wealthy families hadthat have stood the test of time, Ulisse
season tickets; inexpensive tickets brought in others;(1960–68), and Il Prigioniero
foreign visitors came to Venice for the music. Opera(1944–48, "The Prisoner").
performances and composition became the medium