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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome to Access Opera!
GETTING TO KNOW OPERA
Access Opera FAQs
A Little Opera History
What is Opera?
Anatomy of Opera
The Operatic Voice
ACTIVITY: Opera is Everywhere!
GETTING TO KNOW The Flying Dutchman
Richard Wagner – composer
The Story Behind the Dutchman
Austin Opera Cast and SYNOPSIS
The Leitmotif
ACTIVITY: What’s Your Theme Song?
EVALUATION
A Short History of Opera
Opera as an art form began with the inclusion of incidental music performed during the tragedies and
comedies popular during ancient Greek times. The tradition of including music as an integral part of
theatrical activities expanded in Roman times and continued throughout the Middle Ages. Traditional
view holds that the first completely sung musical drama (or opera) developed in Florence in the 1570s by
an informal group of composers, musicians and artists known as the Florentine Camerata, which led to
the musical setting of Rinuccini’s drama, Dafne, by composer Jacopo Peri in 1597.
In the 17th century, Italian masters Giulio Caccini and Claudio Monteverdi developed a kind of musical
entertainment where a story – including the events, conversations, and characterizations – is told through
singing and orchestral accompaniment. Two key components of these entertainments became hallmarks
of opera: recitative sections and arias. Recitatives are song-speech, and the words are sung but with little
or no recognizable melody, and with a rhythm that imitates those of speech. Recitatives function to
further the storyline of the drama. Arias (Italian for “air”) are main songs that reveal both the emotion of
the characters, and the qualities of the soloists’ voices. Additionally, there were groups of singers called
the chorus, who played background characters of the story. Their songs were usually a comment on the
action, much like the chorus from ancient Greek drama.
Opera gained popularity throughout Europe in the late 17th and 18th centuries and Italian composers
dominated the field (this is why operatic terms are often Italian words). German opera followed the lead
of Italian opera through much of the 18th century, with composers actually producing operas to be sung
in Italian. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, an Austrian composer, wrote some of the first German-language
operas in the mid 18th century, and also brought the technique of singspiel (“sing play” where spoken
dialogue is used instead of recitative) to greater attention. Giaochino Rossini was the most popular
composer at the turn of the 19th century, and his best-known works were comic operas (known as opera
buffa). Giuseppe Verdi, the most prolific and influential operatic composer in the 19th century, emerged
from the Italian bel canto and opera buffa styles to a new kind of opera, which focused on great emotion
and dramatic portrayal of character, and began the path to realism in operatic stories.
Also in the 19th century, German composer Richard Wagner introduced the idea of through-composed
operas, in which the distinctions between aria and recitative were to be blurred entirely. He also used
leitmotif (wherein musical motives and phrases represent characters, ideas, or themes, and are reintroduced throughout the work as a way of musically telling the story). At the turn of the 19th century,
Giacomo Puccini followed his hero Verdi into the world of verismo opera, and told stories of common
people with a depth of emotion and transcendence of musical lines that has not been surpassed. In
France, George Bizet’s operas likewise focused on realistic characters and plots. Also at the turn of the
20th century, Austrian, British, and Spanish composers were extremely popular for their light operas (and
operettas).
Today opera continues to grow, both in new staging and productions, and in the creation of new works.
American composers such as John Adams and Philip Glass are credited with breathing new innovation
into the art form, and Aaron Copeland took American history for the sources of his operatic works. John
Estacio, an Edmonton composer and John Murrell (an Albertan playwright) recently created an opera
called Filumena, which tells the story of the last woman executed in Alberta, and it was performed by
Edmonton Opera in 2005. Opera may be 500 years old, but it continues to captivate audiences and tell
important stories today!
Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
4
What is Opera?
The word opera is the plural form of the Latin word opus (which translates quite
literally as work). Today we use the word opera to refer to a theatrically based musical art form
in which the drama is sung (without microphones!), rather than spoken, and is accompanied by
a full symphony orchestra.
Opera was born out of the belief that drama can be better expressed by music and text than by
text alone. One of the unique things about opera is how it combines so many different art forms
(music, drama, and visual arts) to create an artistic spectacle. Of course, the use of many art
forms means that there are many people involved in the creation and production of an opera.
These may include:
Composer: Writes the music
Librettist: Chooses a story, writes or adapts the words
Conductor: Leads the musicians
Director: Blocks or stages the entire production
Principal Singers: Have the leading and supporting roles
Chorus: Sing as a group
Supernumeraries: Act but do not sing
Repetiteur: Accompanies singers during rehearsal, plays the whole orchestral score on
piano
Costume Designer: Designs the costumes for each character
Wardrobe/Costume Staff: fit, clean and repair costumes; help singers put costumes on
Wig Staff: Make wigs and prepare make-up
Make-up Staff: Apply make-up for principal singers, assist chorus with make-up
Set Designer: Designs the scenery for each scene
Lighting Designer: Designs lighting effects
Prop Builders: Build/buy all the set pieces that are not structural
Stage Manager: “Calls the show” -- cues scenery changes, lighting and actors so that
everything happens at the right time.
Stagehands: Move scenery; run lighting & sound cues
Front of House Staff: Work in the performance venue: seating patrons, operating coat
check
Artistic Director: Chooses which shows to produce and which artists to hire
Administrative Staff: Find funding (!); sell tickets; hire artists; take care of the business
side of opera.
Audience: Enjoys and appreciates opera from a seat in the hall!
Critic: Writes a critique of performance for newspaper, radio, or TV
Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
3
A Sound Anatomy of Opera
There are many different kinds of songs in opera. Performers may sing alone, in couples
(duets), trios, or larger groups, and there are also moments when no one sings at all – and each
composer develops his or her own preferred combinations of these options. The following are
the major musical components of an opera:
The Overture
An opera usually begins with an orchestral piece of music called the overture, which functions
as an introduction to the opera. The overture generally includes themes that will be heard
throughout the opera, and can be anywhere from five to twenty-five minutes long. Before 1800,
house lights were not dimmed while the overture played, and audiences would continue to
talk, drink, and even play cards. This changed in the nineteenth century when the overture
began to take its place as an integral part of the operatic performance. Usually, at the end of the
overture, the curtain rises and the story of the opera unfolds through a series of scenes, which
are usually organized into acts.
Arias
Italian for “air” or song. Arias are solos performed to the accompaniment of the orchestra. They
allow the character to express his or her feelings and reflect on the events of the drama. The
focus of an aria is emotions rather than actions, and provides an opportunity for the singer to
demonstrate his or her vocal or artistic skill. Some of the most successful composers of arias,
such as Mozart, Verdi and Puccini were able to achieve a remarkable balance between
memorable melodies that perfectly suit the human voice, and making the music reflect the
drama of the text.
Recitatives
Recitative is a type of singing unique to opera, and is used when characters are conversing, or
introducing an aria. The text is delivered quickly in a musical way that imitates speech, and has
a very limited melodic range. It has no recognizable melody and its rhythms follow those of the
spoken word. Recitative is meant to carry the action forward and can be accompanied either by
a full orchestra, or, as is often the case in opera written before 1800, by a harpsichord or
keyboard instrument.
Ensemble (“together”)
In operas, ensemble singing is when two or more voices of different ranges perform together.
These include duets, trios, quartets, quintets, and in one or two instances, even a sextet! In each
of these, the way the composer blends the voices will depend on the dramatic requirements of
the plot. For instance, in a duet where the characters singing are in love, a composer may show
this musically by having each performer sing different music at different times, and gradually
bring both lines of music together in harmony as the duet culminates. Conversely, if the
characters are in conflict, their music might never be brought together. Georges Bizet used this
technique in Carmen: if you listen to the duets sung by Carmen and Don José, you might notice
that their musical lines are never completely blended, and this foreshadows their tragic ends.
Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
8
Chorus
Most operas include music sung by a large group of singers (sometimes as many as 40 or more)
called a chorus. The chorus appears on stage most often in crowd scenes. The chorus can
provide a stunning contrast to solo or ensemble singing. In one opera by Benjamin Britten, the
chorus is played by a single male and a single female (this is in the tradition of ancient Greek
theatre).
Orchestral Music
The orchestra is an important part of any opera, and not only because it accompanies the
singing and introduces the opera in the overture. The themes (both musical and emotional) of
the opera can appear in orchestral introductions and conclusions to arias, recitatives, and
choruses, but sometimes the orchestra becomes a character in the story, and has music to play
by itself outside of the overture or introduction. One of the most famous of these instances is
the intermezzo (“in the middle”) from Cavalleria rusticana by Mascagni (this can be found on
youtube.com). In between the scenes of this one-act opera, the orchestra takes up the story
through incredibly expressive and lyrical (singing-like) melodies, and through the voices of
instruments rather than singers, brings to life the emotion of the characters, the foreboding
conclusion, and also a sense of hope.
The final (and finale) chorus of Falstaff from our 2007/2008 season
Photo credit: Ellis Brothers Photography
Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
9
The Operatic Voice
Being an opera singer is hard work! Singers need to be physically strong and have
superb technique in order to sustain long phrases (musical thoughts): this means they
have excellent control of both the inhalation and exhalation of their breath. Likewise,
their voices must maintain a resonance (using the cavities in the face to increase the
audibility of the voice, even when singing quietly) in both the head (mouth, sinuses)
and chest cavities. All this resonance is necessary to achieve the volume required to be
heard above the orchestra that accompanies the singers. Opera singers do not usually
use microphones, so they must project their voices throughout a whole theatre using
only their muscles and technique! All voices are defined by both the actual voice “type”
and the selection of repertoire for which the voice is ideally suited. The range, pitch,
and tone of a singer’s voice will determine what kind of role they will play in the opera.
Below are a list of the voice types (and ranges) commonly found in operas:
Female Voice Types
• Soprano (“sopra” = “over”)
The highest pitched female voice. Soprano voices vary by
sound type: there are coloratura sopranos, who
can sing very high notes and rapid passages with ease,
dramatic sopranos, whose voices have great power, and
lyric sopranos, whose voices have exceptional beauty and can sustain long passages.
Composers often (but not always) write the female lead role in an opera for a soprano.
• Mezzo-Soprano (“mezzo” = “medium”)
Lower than the soprano and higher than contralto. Usually
plays either the character of a young boy (this is called a
trouser role) or a complex character with energy
and awareness of life, or an evil character. Bizet’s Carmen is one of the most famous
mezzo roles in opera, and is a rare lead role for a mezzo.
• Contralto (“contra” = “against” & “alto” = “high”)
The lowest pitched female voice, these singers have a deep,
well rounded sound. Contraltos more rare than sopranos
or mezzos, and they are usually given the role of a maid,
mother, or grandmother. Olga in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene
Onegin is one such role.
Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
6
Male Voice Types
• Tenor (“tenere”= “to hold” - central notes of harmony)
The highest sounding male voice: often the leading role.
Tenors, like sopranos, can have lyric or dramatic sound
quality. Luciano Pavarotti was one of the world’s most
famous lyric tenors. Tenors typically play characters that
fall in love with Sopranos, such as Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata.
• Baritone (from the Greek term for “deep sounding”)
Theses voices are more mellow-sounding and slightly
lower than tenors. The roles sung by baritones are usually
father figures or counts and other nobles, and these are
often important roles in the story (like Rigoletto in Verdi’s
Rigoletto).
• Bass (“low”)
Basses are the lowest sounding human voices, and they
often play roles of wise and older characters in opera, like
kings, emperors, or gods. They can also play profoundly
evil characters, like Satan in Mephistopheles or Faust. The
basso profundo is the lowest voice in singing, and is commonly heard in Russian opera.
One of the most recognizable bass roles in opera is Leporello in W.A. Mozart’s
Don Giovanni.
Pol Plancon in the bass role of Ramfis in Verdi's Aida,
cartoon by tenor Enrico Caruso
Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
7
Activity: Teacher Resource
Opera is Everywhere!
Background:
We don’t called it the greatest and grandest of art forms for nothing… the stories, characters
and music from opera can be found in every corner of Western culture, from books and plays to
hip-hop and cartoons.
For students new to opera, a great starting point may be discovering all the places where they
may have heard music from opera without even realizing it.
Activity:
Choose a famous piece of operatic music (a list is provided below for help), and go exploring
with your students, to see where the themes, characters, and music appear in our culture today.
Good places to start looking are musicals (Rent, for example, is based directly on La Boheme),
cartoons (Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse were big opera fans), and movie scores, but the sky is
the limit – you’ll be surprised where you find opera these days! Websites like Wikipedia, the
Internet Movie Database, and “Opera goes to the Movies” are a great help, and can help to
begin discussions about how music is performed in and outside of its original context.
Some Questions to ask: What changes when opera is introduced in new places (like ads or
movies)? What stays the same? Even the important question of genre: is it still opera if it’s used
in a car commercial? And if not, what does it become?
Below are some very famous operatic pieces that can easily be found in popular culture
(and on youtube) today:
“Largo al Factotum” from The Barber of Seville by Rossini
“Habanera” from Carmen by Bizet
The Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana by Mascagni
“O mio babbino caro” from Gianni Schicci by Puccini
“The Flower Duet” from Lakmé by Delibes
“Un bel dì vedremo” from Madama Butterfly by Puccini
“Non più andrai” from The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
“La Donna é mobile” from Rigoletto by Verdi
“Nessun Dorma” from Turandot by Verdi
“The Anvil Chorus” from Il Trovatore by Verdi
“Overture – part 2” from William Tell by Rossini
Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
10
GETTING TO KNOW THE COMPOSER
RICHARD WAGNER (May 22, 1813-February 13, 1883)
By Franz Hanfstaengl - fr:Image:RichardWagner.jpg, where the source was stated as
http://www.sr.se/p2/opera/op030419.stm, Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55183
FACTS ABOUT RICHARD WAGNER
(May 22, 1813 - February 13, 1883)
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Born in Leipzig, Germany
Composer, Theater Director and Conductor
One of the finest composers of the 19th Century (along with Verdi)
Best known for writing operas, both the music and the libretto
Used a lot of leitmotifs – musical phrases associated with specific
characters, places or ideas
As a young boy he was very interested in books and loved the plays of
William Shakespeare
Lived in many European cities, including Paris, Lucerne, Zurich, London and
Venice
Died of heart trouble (in Venice, Italy)
His remains were transported by gondola and train to be buried in
Bayreuth, Germany
MAJOR WORKS:
The Flying Dutchman (Der fliegende Hollander)
The Ring of the Nibelungs (Der Ring des Nibelungen) – set of four operas
Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried, Götterdämmerrung
FAMOUS PIECES:
“Bridal Chorus” from Lohengrin (the famous tune “Here Comes the Bride”)
** Fun Fact: Queen Victoria’s daughter chose Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus” for
her wedding. That is why it is so popular at weddings today. It is normally
played when the bride enters the church.
“The Ride of the Valkyries” from Die Walküre ( check out the famous
cartoon with Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd)
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FACTS ABOUT WAGNER’S OPERAS:
They are very long – the longest lasting over five hours!
They are very difficult to perform. The performers need to have a lot of
energy and stamina.
The “Ring” is a set of four operas. They are intended to be performed
together over four consecutive days. Over 15 hours of music!!
Unlike most composers, Wagner also wrote all of the libretti for his operas.
OTHER INTERSTING FACTS ABOUT WAGNER:
 Wagner wanted new sounds in his music, so he designed some new
instruments to play them, such as the Wagner tuba. The Wagner tuba is
said to combine sounds like a French horn and a trombone.
 He became involved in politics at an early age.
 He was said to be arrogant (not very nice).
The Story Behind the Story
Like most great operas, The Flying Dutchman takes its story from somewhere else. In
this case, many somewhere elses! If you’ve seen The Pirates of the Caribbean movies with
Johnny Depp, you will have heard of the Dutchman and his cursed ship. The story is
part myth, part history, part biblical parable, so what follows are only a few
incarnations of a very popular story.
According to folklore, the Flying Dutchman is a ghost ship that can never go home and
must sail forever. Intriguingly, there is some confusion as to whether Flying Dutchman is
the name of the ship or the captain. Like most legends, different tellings contradict each
other and evolve over time. Here are a few early versions:
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The German version names Captain Falkenburg as the Dutchman, and states that
in a bet with the Devil, Falkenburg threw the dice and lost his soul, thereby being
condemned to sail the seas for all eternity.
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In the British telling, a Dutch vessel was attempting to navigate the Cape of
Good Hope when a terrible storm threatened to sink the ship. The Captain (in
this case Hendrik van der Decken) refused to return to port, and apparently
shouted, “May I be eternally damned if I do [return to port], though I should
beat about here till the day of Judgment” (Blackwood’s Magazine May 1821), and
he was cursed by the Devil to do just that.
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According to still other sources, the 17th century Dutch Captain Bernard Fokke is
the model for the legendary ghost. Fokke was known for the uncannily fast trips
he made from Holland to Java, and he was suspected of having made a deal with
the Devil in order to achieve his quick trips.
Even Wagner’s sources are muddled: in one instance he claimed to be inspired by a
stormy sea voyage he took in 1839, but in his autobiography he claims to have taken the
story from Heinrich Heine’s The Memoirs of Mister Schnabelewopski (or Aus den Memoiren
des Herrn von Schnabelewopski). This was a multi-layered fictional memoir in which a
young Polish man recalls his life in Germany and the Netherlands. In the course of the
story, the young man sees a play about the Dutchman, which some scholars believe was
actually Edward Fitzball’s 1826 play, The Flying Dutchman. Heine also introduces the
“Mrs. Dutchman” character, whose love would save the Dutchman from his curse.
Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
17
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN – CAST and SYNOPSIS
Composer and Librettist: Richard Wagner
Sung in German with English supertitles
Conductor: Richard Buckley
Stage Director: Eric Einhorn
Chorus Master: Julian Reed
Cast
The Dutchman — Wayne Tigges, baritone
Senta — Melody Moore*, soprano
Erik — Clay Hilley*, tenor
Daland — Peter Volpe, bass
*Austin Opera debut
SYNOPSIS
Act I
A violent storm has driven Daland’s ship several miles from his home on the Norwegian
coast. Sending his crew off to rest, he leaves the watch in charge of a young steersman,
who falls asleep as he sings a ballad about his girl (“Mit Gewitter und Sturm”). A ghostly
schooner drops anchor next to Daland’s ship. Its captain steps ashore and, with
increasing despair, reflects on his fate (“Die Frist ist um”): Once every seven years he
may leave his ship to find a wife. If she is faithful, she will redeem him from his
deathless wandering. If not, he is condemned to sail the ocean until Judgment Day.
When Daland discovers the phantom ship, the stranger, who introduces himself as “a
Dutchman,” tells him of his plight and offers gold and jewels for a night’s lodging. When
he learns that Daland has a daughter, the Dutchman asks for her hand in marriage.
Happy to have found a rich son-in-law, Daland agrees and sets sail for home.
Act II
Daland’s young daughter, Senta, is captivated by the portrait of a pale man in black—
the Flying Dutchman—while her friends sit spinning under the watchful eye of Mary,
Senta’s nurse. The girls tease Senta about her suitor, Erik, who is not a sailor but a
hunter. When the superstitious Mary refuses to sing a ballad about the Dutchman,
Senta sings it herself (“Traft ihr das Schiff im Meere an”). The song reveals that the
Dutchman’s curse was put on him for a blasphemous oath. To Mary and the girls’
horror, Senta suddenly declares that she will be the one to save him. Erik enters with
news of the sailors’ return, and Mary and the others hurry off. Erik reminds Senta of
her father’s intention to find her a husband and asks her to plead his cause, but she
remains distant (“Mein Herz, voll Treue bis zum Sterben”). Realizing how much the
Dutchman’s picture means to her, he tells her of a frightening dream in which he saw
her passionately embrace the Dutchman and sail away on his ship. Senta exclaims that
this is what she must do, and the despairing Erik rushes away. A moment later, the
Dutchman enters. Senta stands transfixed. Daland quickly follows and asks his
daughter to welcome the stranger, whom he has brought to be her husband (“Mögst
du, mein Kind”). After he has left, the Dutchman, who is equally moved by the meeting,
asks Senta if she will accept him as her husband (Duet: “Wie aus der Ferne”). Unaware
that she realizes who he is, he warns her of making a rash decision, but she ecstatically
vows to be faithful to him unto death. Daland returns and is overjoyed to learn that his
daughter has accepted the suitor.
Act III
At the harbor, the villagers celebrate the sailors’ return with singing and dancing
(Chorus: “Steuermann, lass die Wacht!”). Perplexed by the strange silence aboard the
Dutchman’s ship, they call out to the crew, inviting them to join the festivities. Suddenly
the ghostly sailors are heard, mocking their captain’s quest in hollow chanting. The
villagers run away in terror. Quiet returns and Senta enters, followed by the distressed
Erik. He pleads with her not to marry the Dutchman, insisting that she has already
pledged her love to him (“Willst jenes Tag’s”). The Dutchman, who has overheard them,
loses all hope of salvation and goes toward his ship. Senta tries to stop him but he
explains that since she has not yet proclaimed her vows before God, she will escape
eternal damnation—the fate of those who betray him. His crew prepares to cast off
and he declares that he is the Flying Dutchman of legend. Senta ecstatically replies that
she knows who he is. As the ship pulls away, she throws herself into the sea, crying that
she is faithful unto death, therefore redeeming the Dutchman.
Activity: Teacher Resource
Background: Leitmotif and the Composers Who Love Them
Long before the signature entrances of Indiana Jones, Jaws, and Darth Vader, there was
music that reminded audiences of a particular character, emotion, or theme. Short,
recurring motifs (from the French “motive” and translating as “short theme”) in
orchestral music began appearing in the 1700’s, although not in any extensive or
systematic way. Although these musical statements were usually short melodies, they
could be particular chord progressions or as simple as particular repeated rhythms.
Composers Carl Maria von Weber and Beethoven, among others, used this technique
(think of the opening movement in Beethoven’s fifth symphony – Beethoven’s
biographer suggested that the motif represents “fate knocking at the door.”)
The idea of a musical statement representing a particular feeling or theme was also used
by Hector Berlioz in his Symphonie Fantastique, wherein the recurring motif represents
the love of the central characters, even though there are no singers on stage
representing those lovers. Berlioz called this idea the idée fixe.
While this idea had been around for a number of years before Richard Wagner arrived
on the scene, it is he who is most often associated with the term leitmotif (loosely
translated meaning “leading motif”). He used leitmotif extensively in his music,
especially his operas and it is from this usage that they have become so intrinsically
linked to his name. He used them to represent characters, ideas, thoughts and feelings
in his work, and in his longest work, Der Ring des Nibelungen (or the Ring Cycle), there
are dozens of motifs!
Since Wagner, many other composers have used this technique in their works: Sergei
Prokofiev uses it in Peter and the Wolf, Verdi gave his title character one in Aida, and
stirred audiences with the music threatening the entrance of the “bad guy” Scarpia in
Tosca. Today, leitmotifs appear constantly in movies and plays, and the term is even
used in literary studies!
While Wagner never named his leitmotifs, one of his students went to the trouble of
identifying in some of his works all the motifs and naming each one after its idea or
them, such as the “fate motif.” There are several important leitmotifs in the Flying
Dutchman, and we have reproduced some of them on the following page.
Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
25
Student Handout
Leitmotifs from The Flying Dutchman
Please note: Wagner never titled his leitmotifs; the names below are included only to assist with classroom
identification and discussion.
Dutchman
Wanderer
Redemption / Senta’s theme
Fate
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Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
26
Activity: Teacher Resource
What’s your Theme Song?
Background:
Wagner’s use of leitmotifs are in the same vein as popular musical themes in plays and
movies today. Indiana Jones and Darth Vader always get their own refrain played
when they are doing something particularly “them” – For example when “Indy” is
escaping from an impossible situation, or whenever Vader marches in. In these cases,
the music reminds the audience about something important in the story (in the case of
Vader’s entry it usually means bad news for whoever is in the room). These are easily
identifiable examples of leitmotif, and clearly demonstrate how it is not just the title
track from the soundtrack that makes the theme, but something musical that speaks to
the character that makes this a leitmotif.
Activity:
Play some popular theme songs (“Jaws”, “Darth Vader’s March,” “Indiana Jones” etc.)
and discuss with students what they’re hearing and why it reminds them of the
character or idea. For music students, this is an opportunity to discuss how, in Western
music, ascending chord progressions can represent inspiration or triumph (among other
feelings) and how descending progressions and minor keys remind us of sadness or can
give us a sense of foreboding (Scarpia’s theme from Tosca is a great example of this). Of
course, in non-Western cultures and musical traditions, these musical “clues” may
signify something very different.
Discuss with students which aspects of each theme speak to them, and why (or why
not) they think the music works as part of the character, idea, or story it is meant to
represent.
Then pick your own! This can be done as a class, or individuals, depending on the level
of students. Identify a theme, character, idea, or person from, history, popular culture,
or another class unit, and either compose a theme on instruments available in the
classroom, or choose one from other music studied. Discuss what elements are
important to represent, and how each musical choice answers to those needs.
Education Guide
The Flying Dutchman
by Richard Wagner
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EVALUATION
Thank you for taking the time to give us some insights on how
we can provide you and your students with a rewarding opera
experience. You may fill out the following form and mail a copy
to
Debra Erck, Education Coordinator
[email protected]
or
Debra Erck, Education Coordinator
Austin Opera
3009 Industrial Terrace, Ste. 100
Austin, Tx. 78758
You are also welcome to email me directly at
[email protected] . We value your feedback to help us as
we access our current programs and look towards creating new
programs in the future.
EVALUATION FORM – ACCESS OPERA
1. Please share any feedback you have about the reservation process and the acquisition
of tickets for the event.
2. Please share any feedback you have about the provided study guide. What was most
valuable? What did you use with your students? What was missing? How can we make
your preparation for the opera performance easier?
3. Did you take advantage of the Opera Docent opportunity?
If so, please share any feedback you have about that experience.
4. Please share any feedback you have about your experience at the Long Center.
5. How likely are you to attend another Access Opera event?
Definitely!
Most likely
Maybe
Never
6. What other types of opera outreach programs would you like to see provided by Austin
Opera? (feel free to dream big!)
OPTIONAL (We would appreciate being able to contact you regarding your comments above.)
Name of School __________________________________ Your Name ____________________
Email ______________________________