Download The Magic Flute

The Magic Flute
STUDY GUIDE
THE STUDENT OPERA EXPERIENCE
Index
The Student Experience Part 1: preparing for the opera experience
The Student Experience Part 2: activities and projects
The Student Experience Part 3: characters, synopsis, Mozart & cast
biographies
The Student Experience Part 4: language and history of opera
Introduction
Lights, music, curtain! This is the fantastic world of opera. Calgary Opera is excited to be
presenting Mozart’s The Magic Flute at your school.
Opera is a unique and exciting art form that combines the disciplines of music, drama,
literature, dance, visual, and technical arts like no other. The Opera in Schools Tour is a
unique opportunity to bring all of this, along with Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artists, to your
school.
This guide, divided into separate sections for students and teachers, will give you the
backstage tour of all that is opera - terminology, jobs, inside information from the conductor,
the history behind the opera and the composer, ideas for preparing students and engaging
them in relevant discussions, and a link to obtain musical highlights from the opera. All of
this is designed to make The Magic Flute an unforgettable experience for you and your
students.
We hope that this guide will provide you with a departure point through which you can
explore The Magic Flute with your students, and deepen their understanding and
enrichment of the arts through opera. A study of the performing and fine arts helps students
develop critical analysis and problem solving skills, perseverance, and a drive for excellence.
The creative skills students develop through the arts carry them toward new ideas, new
experiences and new challenges. Plus, there’s nothing like the excitement and magic of a live
professional performance!
Thank you for giving your students this special opportunity.
Emily Forrest
Education and Outreach Coordinator
Calgary Opera
Phone (403) 262-7286, direct line (403) 802-3404
[email protected]
Education Sponsor
Community Outreach Sponsor
Emerging Artist Development Program
Emerging Artist Development Program is funded in part through the Arts Training Fund
The Student Opera Experience Part 1: preparing for the opera
experience
The more students are prepared for this experience, the more they will get out of it.
Knowing the story, the life and times of the composer and the music is very important to
make their opera experience a sensational one!
Before the Opera
Teachers should review the study guide and all of the suggested activities and discussions, to
decide which parts students will be engaged with. Some of the activities/discussions should
be started prior to seeing the opera. Preparing students ahead of time gives them a chance
to view the opera within the context of what they will be working on after i.e. history,
reviewing, character studies, discussions, etc.
 Read the enclosed synopsis of The Magic Flute, which provides a background and
helps familiarize students and teachers with the story.
 Listen to the music excerpts found in the downloadable zip file or linked directly in
this document.
 Read the history of the opera, composer and director, and familiarize your group with
opera terms (all items in the guide can be reproduced).
 Familiarize students with the characters and their opera voice types (i.e. soprano,
bass, and tenor) so that students can identify which is which during the opera.
 Discuss the characters and plot, and engage students in discussion around the
suggested themes.
 You may wish to assign students to write a review on the opera – a guideline for
writing reviews is included in this study guide.
During the Opera
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Turn off all cell phones, iPods, and other electronic devices. The use of cameras or
recording devices is strictly forbidden.
Think about what makes a good audience member
Leave food and drinks at your class, and don’t bring them with you to the gymnasium.
Applaud the cast as they take their bows after the performance - if you feel one person
did an exceptional job, it is permissible to shout “Bravo!” for a man, “Brava!” for a
woman, and “Bravi!” for the whole performance (most people say “Bravo!”).
The Student Experience Part 2: activities and projects
1. Write a review or critique of the performance
One of the best ways to encourage critical thinking of a performing arts production is to
encourage students’ honesty and draw out detailed opinions. A productive evaluation
session - spoken, written, visual or dramatized - should follow this basic ‘how-to’ outline
below.
On the Internet, students can find many reviews of The Magic Flute from other opera
companies’ performances to use as a guideline or follow this sample review.
Sample Review
BRING THE KIDS TO THIS “SUNNY MID-WINTER TREAT.”
Look out for dancing bears and dinosaurs as into the enchanted forest we go! Lyric’s inspired
production reflects the composer himself — seamlessly blending emotional profundity with
slapstick humor that appeals to the kid in us all.
With a hapless and endearing bird catcher as his sidekick, Prince Tamino is searching for the
girl of his dreams. The mysterious Queen of the Night says her daughter’s the one — and just
waiting to be rescued from the evil wizard, Sarastro. But it turns out he’s not the evil one at
all!
A young couple’s journey to adulthood, the search for universal truths, Masonic rituals and
religious allegory — Flute gives us much to ponder, and music that’s a wondrous joy!
- Chicago Sunday Times
Guidelines for writing a review
When writing a theatre review you must remember four main components: the acting, the
singing, the technical, and the overall view. The acting and singing are probably the most
important aspects of the opera. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the opera and its
characters before you see it.
Make sure you know all of the characters and the singers who are playing them; the study
guide or the Calgary Opera website is an ideal place in which to find all this information. Did
the singers bring life to the music? What did they do to bring their particular character to
life? Could you see and hear the emotion while they sang? Did they interact well with others
on stage? Did any particular performer stand out to you and why? Keep in mind that
everyone has a very unique style of acting and maybe comment on that. How well are they
giving and taking focus? Is there any one person who sticks out in your head as “hogging” all
the attention?
The next aspect to look at is the technical. This includes everything from the lights and sound
to the costumes and make-up. In a school performance, control over the lighting is minimal,
and the set has to be simple in order to be transported from school to school. How well do
you think the set works given its limitations? Do the costumes properly illustrate the story
and the characters?
The costumes and set should portray the time period and part of each character’s
personality. The make-up should do the same, but keep a look out for shadows and lines on
the face. All these things are very important to the performance of the show. Again,
familiarizing yourself with the opera before you go will assist with making these decisions.
The appeal of the music is often a matter of opinion because everyone likes different kinds
of music; however, it should accent the style and format of the performance.
The overall view of the theatre will give the reader a feel of exactly how well you enjoyed
your experience at this production. The audience is also a major part of your theatre
experience. Was the audience big? Did your classmates seem to enjoy the show? Did the
singers interact with the audience at all? Remember, you shouldn’t make this the main
point, but it would be good to comment on it. This entire portion should convey your opinion
and feeling of how the show went.
So in conclusion, remember the singing and acting, the technical, and the overall view, and
you’ll have written a successful theatre review. Oh, and one more thing: don’t ever lie so as
not to hurt someone’s feelings. Constructive criticism can be helpful. Keep all these things in
mind when writing your review and it will be great. Have fun!
2. Engage students in meaningful discussions using the following points of
departure
Mozart was known for being an outlandish and fun-loving composer, with The Magic Flute
being his most bizarre and unprecedented composition.
 If you were to make your own version of The Magic Flute, where would it take place?
What sort of a person would the protagonist (Tamino) be?
 If you could write your own original fantasy opera, what would it be about? What
sorts of crazy characters would you include? Who would be your antagonist and
why?
3. Creative writing project
The Magic Flute starts part way through Tamino’s story when he encounters the dangerous
serpent and it is never revealed to the audience how he got in that position.
 Write the story of what happens to Tamino that leads up to the first scene in the
opera.
4. Research and report on fairy tales
The Magic Flute is a fairy tale story about Prince Tamino and his quest to find and free
Princess Pamina.
 What elements of the story make it a fairy tale?
 What other fairy tales can you describe? What do they have in common with The
Magic Flute?
 Why do you think people love fairy tales and continue to tell them hundreds of
years after they were first written?
 What modern movies can you find that have the basic elements to make it a fairy
tale?
5. Mozart History Projects
Of all the famous composers, Mozart stands out as both infamous and talented. He
composed over 600 works during his lifetime, including 22 operas.
 Research Mozart’s life and what made him such an exceptional historical figure
 Mozart spent the most productive years of his life in Vienna. Research Vienna in the
late 1700s. What was it like to live and work there?
6. Analyzing the music
Listen to the included tracks from the opera, and discuss the following:
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Discuss the emotions within the music. How does the melody support these
emotions or ideas?
What do you think the composer was trying to convey? Do you think the music fits
the subject manner?
Does the music make you feel anything?
Why do you think Mozart’s music is so popular even today?
Queen of the Night Aria (Queen of the Night)
Such Loveliness Beyond Compare (Tamino, Three Ladies)
Prince Tamino gazes upon a portrait of Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night, and
sings that if he could but meet this lovely creature he would declare his love and she would
be his forever.
Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm! (Papageno, Tamino, Three Ladies)
Papageno, his mouth fastened by a padlock for lying, attempts to explain his predicament to
Tamino. Three Ladies (Soprano, Mezzo-soprano and Alto), enter and free him, and giving a
magic flute to Tamino and a set of magic bells to Papageno, set them on a quest to find
Pamina.
7. Become an opera star
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Find out what it’s like to be an opera star by playing this fun improvisation game with
students.
Form a team of 3 - 5 people.
Ask for a fairy tale from the audience (ie. Cinderella, The Three Little Pigs).
Act out the story by singing all of the lines with everyone picking a character to play.
Experiment with different tones and melodies. Don’t be afraid to use songs you
know, but try to make up your own tunes too!
8. Learn more about Calgary Opera
Visit Calgary Opera’s website to learn more about Calgary Opera and the history of opera.
9. Opera composer word search
The word search puzzle is located at the end of this guide. For more word search puzzle
activities, visit http://www.musicwithease.com/word-search-composers-b.html
10. Research and report on fairy tales
Fairy tales and legends are told in every language in every country across the world.
Storytelling is the most ancient form of recording history; before human beings could read or
write, they could speak and communicate. Stories were passed down from parents to
children, from generation to generation. Some prominent examples of modern fairy tales in
popular culture are Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Common characteristics of
a fairy tale include:
 It takes place long ago and far away.
 Some of the characters are good and some are evil.
 There is always a problem to solve.
 Someone makes a plan to solve the problem.
 There is a transformation in the story, i.e. frog to prince, zero to hero.
 There is usually magic in the story.
 There are often objects, people or events that happen in threes.
 Often has a happy ending.
 There is often a reward at the end.
 It teaches a lesson or demonstrates values that are important to a certain culture.
THE STUDENT OPERA EXPERIENCE: PART 3 –
characters, synopsis, Mozart and cast biographies
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART - composer
1756-1791
His early life
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Vohlf-gahng Ah-mah-day-us
–Moht-sahrt), Christened Johannes Chrysostomus
Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was born in Salzburg. His
father, Leopold Mozart, was a famous musician and
composer in his own right, but he came to realize that
even at a tender age, Wolfgang was uniquely musically
gifted.
Wolfgang was definitely a child prodigy. At the age of
three, he already sat in front of the harpsichord attempting to find harmonic successions of thirds, and his
voice cried out joyfully when he succeeded. Soon he
began producing minuets and sonatas for violin and
harpsichord.
Wolgang’s older sister, Maria Anna (called Nannerl) was
also greatly talented and Leopold presented them in an
extensive tour of the concert halls and royal courts of
Europe. Whenever he performed, the charm of his personality and his incredible genius
conquered the hearts of music lovers.
His musical gifts
The Frankfurt newspaper announced: “He will play a concerto for the violin, and will
accompany symphonies on the clavier, the manual or keyboard being covered with a cloth,
with as much facility as if he could see the keys: he will instantly name all the notes played at
a distance, whether singly or in chords as on the clavier or any other instrument. He will
finally, both on the harpsichord and the organ, improvise as long as may be desired and in
any key.”
By age 13, he found a job as concertmaster of the orchestra and organist of the court of the
Archbishop of Salzburg where he worked for 12 years. Throughout his life he composed
masterpieces of chamber music, choral works, and symphonies. When he moved to Vienna,
the center of musical activity, he had a hard time finding steady work and began getting
commissions to write operas.
His operas
In 1780 he was commissioned to write an opera, Idomeneo, which was a great success. He
followed with The Abduction from the Seraglio and went on to write Don Giovanni, Cosi fan
Tutte, La Clemenza di Tito and The Magic Flute, as well as a Requiem. His operas have always
been among the most popular in the repertoire.
Musically this was a time of change and exploration. Composer Franz Joseph Haydn first met
Mozart in 1781 and they became life long friends. That same year, an 11 year old boy was
growing up in a little house in Bonn-and six years later came to Vienna to study with Mozart
and Haydn-his name was Ludwig van Beethoven.
Mozart the Mason
Freemasonry is the activity of closely united men who, employing symbolic forms, work for
the welfare of mankind. It expanded in the 1700s and the most distinguished and learned
men belonged to the society. Mozart joined in 1785, the last year of the golden age of
masonry. In 1791 there was news that the Imperial Court would suppress it. That the opera
is a barely veiled Masonic allegory cannot be doubted.
There is much evidence of Masonic symbolism in The Magic Flute: the trials and tests of
Pamina and Tamino are similar to the rituals for entry into the Masonic order; the Masonic
rule of three: the triple chords, the three ladies, the three spirits etc. the main themes of
good vs. evil; enlightenment vs ignorance; evocation of the four elements: earth, air, fire,
and water.
Mozart also wrote a great deal of music for the Masons, some of which is still used in their
ceremonies. However, although this is a fascinating study, it may only have meaning for the
Masons, as they view the opera.
Amadeus
The stage play Amadeus by Peter Shaffer was performed at Calgary’s Alberta Theatre
Projects, in September/October 2005. It was also made into a movie. Although different in
form they both focus on Mozart’s relationship with rival court composer Antonio Salieri
Emanuel Schikaneder – Librettist
Emanuel Johann Joseph Schikaneder was born on September
1, 1751 in Straubing, Germany. Although little is known of his
life in Germany, Schikaneder was very well known in Vienna
(especially among the middle class audiences that he
endeavored to attract to the theatre). Today, Schikaneder
remains a rather obscure character.
Schikaneder was a dramatist, singer, composer, dancer, and
actor. He was famous for his Shakespearian roles (known best
for his excellent portrayal of Hamlet), yet he was also adept at
performing the lowest of comedy – and often did. To pull in
crowds, he did not hesitate to make use of spectacular special
effects. The term “Schikanederei” was coined to describe
those impressive productions.
In 1778-1785 Schikaneder directed a traveling theatre troupe (the troupe visited Salzburg in
1780), for which he also wrote plays and librettos. After directing several other companies,
he finally settled at the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden where he assembled one of the
most talented groups of singers ever to perform in Vienna. At this theatre he produced his
own plays and commissioned settings of his operas and Singspiel librettos (such as The
Magic Flute.)
Synopsis for The Magic Flute
The opera opens to Prince Tamino attempting to escape from a serpent. He trips in running
and falls unconscious. Hearing his cries for help, Three Ladies suddenly appear and defeat
the serpent. They leave the handsome youth, who, on recovering consciousness, sees
dancing towards him an odd-looking man, Papageno, a bird-catcher. He tells the astonished
Tamino that this is the realm of the Queen of the Night. Seeing that the serpent is dead, he
boasts that it was he who killed the monster. For this lie he is immediately punished. The
Three Ladies, attendants on the Queen of the Night, reappear and place a padlock on his
mouth. Then they show Tamino the miniature portrait of a maiden, whose magical beauty at
once fills his heart with ardent love.
The Queen of the Night enters and tells Tamino the portrait is that of her daughter, Pamina,
who has been taken from her by a wicked sorcerer, Sarastro. She tells Tamino to deliver the
maiden and as a reward he will receive her hand in marriage. The Three Ladies return and,
removing the padlock from Papageno’s mouth, give him a set of bells and Tamino a flute.
These magical instruments will help them escape any perils they encounter on their quest.
In what appears to be Sarastro’s palace a servant, Monastatos, is pursuing Pamina with
unwelcome attentions. The appearance of Papageno puts him to flight. The bird-catcher
recognizes Pamina as the daughter of the Queen of the Night, and assures her that she will
soon be rescued. In the meantime in another part of the palace, Tamino discovers that
Sarastro is no tyrant or sorcerer, as the Queen had warned him, but a man of wisdom and of
noble character.
The sound of Papageno’s voice leads Tamino forth as he hastens to call his companion by
playing on his flute. Papageno is trying to escape with Pamina, but is prevented by the
appearance of Monostatos. Papageno sets Monastatos dancing by playing on his magic
chimes and Pamina explains to Sarastro that she was trying to escape the unwelcome
attentions of Monastatos.
Tamino, Pamina, and Papageno are told that they must prove themselves worthy of higher
happiness with a series of tests of their virtue.
In the succeeding scenes we see these fabulous ordeals, which Tamino, with the assistance
of his magic flute and his own purity of purpose, finally overcomes in company with Pamina.
Although he cannot measure up to the nobility of purpose of Tamino and Pamina, Papageno
is rewarded in his own way and finally discovers his Papagena. Darkness is banished, all is set
right and the young couple.
Characters
Name
Kevin Myers
Jason Ragan
Andrea Núñez
Stephanie Tritchew
Melissa Peiou
David Diston
Chelsea Van Pelt
Nathan Keoughan
Role
Tamino/Monostatos*
Tamino/Monostatos*
Queen of the Night
Second Lady
Third Lady
Papageno
Pamina/Papagena
Sarastro
Voice Type
Tenor
Tenor
Soprano
Mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-soprano
Baritone
Soprano
Bass-baritone
*Alternate performances
Cast & Production Biographies
Candace Maxwell - Stage Director
Nick Blais - Set Designer
Nick Blais is a freelance theatre designer. A graduate of the
University of Alberta’s Theatre Design Program. He
exhibited work in both the student exhibit and the
professional portfolio archive at the Prague Quadrennial
Exhibition for Scenography (PQ). Blais is excited to bring his
vigor for theatre, internationally and locally, back to
Canada. His experiences at PQ have deeply inspired him to
devote his design efforts to bringing emotive and
transformative visuals to life through the never-ending
experimentation and exploration of creative risk. Blais lives
to collaborate closely and build exciting and treasured
relationships with equally passionate risk-takers. Recent
credits include A Steady Rain and RACE (Ground Zero
Theatre), Death of the Freak Show (Swallow a Bicycle) and
Merrily We Roll Along (MacEwan University).
-Costume Designer
Mel Kirby – Music Director
Mel Kirby brings to his role as coordinator of Calgary Opera’s
Emerging Artist Development Program over 30 years of
professional experience as a performer, teacher, conductor
and highly respected member of the Calgary music
community. He joined Calgary Opera in 2006 creating the
curriculum and goals for the Emerging Artist Program, which
oversees the annual post-graduate training and transition to a
professional working career of an ensemble
of young singers from across Canada. Mel has also served as
Artistic Director of The Festival Chorus since 1991, conducting
performances of major works with orchestra by
J.S. Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, and Brahms.
Evan Mounce – Pianist
Evan Mounce is a pianist and coach and was the music
director for The Bachelor and The Sound of Music
(Cowtown Opera), Annie, A Christmas Carol, and Anne
(Central Memorial), and pianist for Hansel and Gretel
(Calgary Opera) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream
(Opera on the Avalon). He also did programs with
Opera NUOVA, COSI, and the Vancouver International
Song Institute and as an apprentice coach at St.
Andrew’s Opera Workshop, and répétiteur at Opera on the Avalon.
Andrea Núñez, Soprano
Praised for her “bell-like, bright-timbred voice,” Canadian
soprano, Andrea Núñez is quickly making her mark as an
emerging young artist. She has performed the roles of Ellen in
Lakmé (Calgary Opera), Norina in Don Pasquale (Jeunesses
Musicales Canada, UofT Opera) and Yniold in Pelléas et
Mélisande (Against the Grain Theatre). She made her debut
with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and then joined the
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singer Program
where she performed the roles of the Page in Rigoletto and
Laura in the world premiere of Cold Mountain composed by
Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon.
Chelsea Van Pelt, Soprano
Chelsea Van Pelt is a graduate from the U of T. A student of Wendy
Nielsen; she performs in both opera and concert including
Schubert’s Mass in G, Vivaldi’s Gloria and Magnificat,
Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Vespers, Jenkins Mass for Peace,
Mozart’s Missa Brevis and Haydn’s Creation. Opera roles include
Cendrillon in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Dido in Purcell’s Dido and
Aeneas and Mme. Lidoine in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites.
She has also trained with COSI, Opera NUOVA, The Bach Festival of
Canada, the Halifax Summer Opera Festival, and St. Andrews Opera
Workshop. Ms. Van Pelt performed Rose in Calgary Opera’s 2015
production of
Lakmé.
Melissa Peiou, Mezzo –Soprano
Melissa Peiou is a creative and imaginative young artist on opera and
concert stages and. Her flexible, agile voice and musicality have led to
performances that have been praised
by critics and audiences alike. This season she will sing Third Lady in
Mozart’s The Magic Flute for Calgary Opera’s school tours as well as
Christmas at the Opera. Ms. Peiou has
also performed Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring and was a “lively and
flirtatious” Nancy in Flotow’s Martha. Melissa has a degree from the
University of Western Ontario and a M.Mus. in Opera Performance
from the University of Toronto Opera School.
Stephanie Tritchew, Mezzo -Soprano
Stephanie Tritchew is currently in her second year of the
Emerging Artist program at Calgary Opera. She has an Opera
Diploma from the University of Toronto Opera School as well
as a BMus and an MMus from the University of Western
Ontario. Operatic roles include Mercédès Carmen, Madeleine
Audebert Silent Night, Nancy Albert Herring, Mrs. Grose Turn
of the Screw, Cherubino Le Nozze di Figaro, Prince Orlovsky
Die Fledermaus, and Mère Marie de l’incarnation Dialogues
des Carmélites. She is excited to perform with Calgary Opera
this season and as a member of Gerdine Young Artist Program
at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in 2016.
Kevin Myers, Tenor
Kevin Myers has a degree from McGill University where he studied with
Stefano Algieri and Sanford Sylvan and played Lysander in Britten’s A
Midsummer Night’s Dream and Tamino
in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. He also studied with Louise Pelletier, Esther
Gonthier and Michael McMahon and was selected as a laureate of the
Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques in 2012 and toured China with them. In
2013, he performed the role of Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore
with Opera NUOVA (Edmonton) and in 2014 he won the grand prize at
the Festivale de Musique du Royaume. In 2015, he performed Hadji in
Calgary Opera’s Lakmé.
Jason Ragan, Tenor
Jason Ragan completed a Masters of Music from the University
of Western Ontario under the tutelage of Theodore Baerg. His
performance credits include Gonzalve L’heure Espagnole,
Ramiro La Cenerentola, Male Chorus Rape of Lucretia (UW
Opera), Don Ottavio Don Giovanni (Accademia Europea
Dell’Opera), the title role in Britten’s Albert Herring (Opera
NUOVA), as well as Eisenstein Die Fledermaus, and Tamino The
Magic Flute (University of Lethbridge Opera
Workshop). Mr. Ragan has also been a featured soloist in
Handel’s Messiah with both the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra
and the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra.
David Diston, Baritone
David Diston is a graduate in Opera Performance from the
University of Toronto. His performance credits include: Mr.
Gedge Albert Herring, Dr. Dulcamara L’Elisir d’amore and
Dr. Malatesta Don Pasquale (UofT), Don Giovanni (Opera
NUOVA), Guglielmo Così fan tutte (Toronto Summer Opera
Workshop), Falke Die Fledermaus and Count Almaviva Le
Nozze di Figaro (Western University), and Don Alfonso Così fan
tutte and Leporello Don Giovanni (Accademia Europea
Dell’Opera in Milan). In concert, he made his Toronto
Symphony Orchestra debut as baritone soloist in C. Nielsen’s
Symphony No. 3. He joined Calgary Opera as an ensemble
member in Candide (Opera in the Village).
Nathan Keoughan, Bass -Baritone
Nathan Keoughan spent his summers at the theatre
in Anne & Gilbert and studied voice at UPEI. He
continued studies at New England Conservatory
(Boston) where he performed Speaker & Sarastro
The Magic Flute, Pangloss/Voltaire Candide, Figaro La
Nozze de Figaro, The Mayor Doctor Miracle and Le
Viceroy La Périchole. He is a participant of Highlands
Opera Studio as Colline La Bohème, Sarastro Die
Zaubeflöte, Luka The Bear, Angelotti Tosca and
Figaro Le Nozze di Figaro. Other credits include
Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage Ensemble
Competition, Raimondo Lucia di Lammermoor
(Opera by Request, Toronto) and Colline La Bohème
(Cowtown Opera, Calgary).
THE STUDENT OPERA EXPERIENCE Part 4: language and the history
of opera
The History of Opera
Theatrical performances that use music, song and dance to tell a story can be found in many
cultures. Opera is just one example of music drama. Have you ever wondered where opera
got its start? Back in the late 1500s during the height of the Renaissance, a group of men
called the Florentine Camerata got together to create a new and moving theatrical
experience. They wanted to recreate what the ancient Greeks did during their legendary
dramas. The result was something entirely new – opera!
Most of the early operas were based on Greek myths. The first opera that we know of was
called Dafne by Jacopo Peri in 1598, but the most famous opera of this early period that is
still performed today is Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo (1607). Certain basic ingredients were
included in opera: songs, instrumental accompaniments, costumes, dance, and scenery. We
still use all of these ingredients today! The early operas were first performed in the grand
courts of Italian nobility, but soon opera became popular with the public, too. As it became
all the rage, productions became more lavish.
Soon, theatres began to be built just to mount operas. These theatres had elaborate stage
machinery to create special effects like flying actors or crumbling buildings. Not everyone
embraced the new form of theatre. Some critics thought that all of the stage antics in opera
detracted from the music and drama. Some people even believed that seeing too much
comedy in opera could make you immoral.
During the Baroque period (about 1600 to 1750), Italian
opera spread all over Europe. The Italian style of opera was
so popular that even non-Italians wrote in this style. For
example Léo Frederic Handel (1685–1759) was a Germanborn composer who lived and worked in England. His
operas, like Julius Caesar (1724), were written in the Italian
language and used an Italian style of music. The only nation
to create its own national operatic style was France. Ballet
Léo Frederic Handel (1685-1759)
played a large role in the French culture, and operas often
included ballets in the middle of the opera. The most
famous French Baroque opera composers were Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632- 1687) and JeanPhilippe Rameau (1683-1764).
The 18th century was full of change for both Europe and opera. This time period was known
as the Age of Enlightenment. People were starting to talk about new forms of government
and organization in society, especially the ever-growing middle class. Music displayed this
new thinking as composers dropped the Baroque era’s complicated musical style for simpler,
more emotional music. In less-flashy music, characters could express their thoughts and
feelings more believably. One of the first operas to use this new style was Christoph Willibald
Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice (1762).
In 1789 the French Revolution changed the world. The first modern democracies were born,
and to match the times in which they were created, audiences wanted to see characters like
themselves on stage, not gods and goddesses. They also wanted to see issues that were
important to them. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (1786) featured a
timely story of aristocratic class struggles that had both servants and nobility in lead roles.
The ideals of the Enlightenment also came to the stage in Ludwig van Beethoven‘s only
opera, Fidelio, a story about equality and freedom.
In the 1800s opera continued to grow. The Italian tradition continued in the bel canto
movement, which literally translates to “beautiful singing.” These
operas asked performers to sing complicated groups of fast notes in
the melodies. The most famous bel canto composers were
Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868), Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848), and
Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835). Their operas, like Rossini’s popular
comedies The Barber of Seville (1816) and Cinderella (1817), are still
some of the most popular operas performed today. By the middle of
the century, the Romantic Movement led many composers to
champion their own national identities. As a result, operas in
languages other than Italian became more common; new works
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
often reflected pride in a country’s people, history, and folklore.
German operas like Carl Maria von Weber’s Der Freischütz (1821), Russian operas like
Mikhail Glinka’s A Life for the Tsar (1836) and French operas like Léos Meyerbeer’s Les
Huguenots (1836) started to be performed across Europe. By using nationalism in his operas
like Nabucco (1842), Italian Giuseppe Verdi became a national hero.
In Germany Richard Wagner took
Romanticism to the extreme in a four-part
operatic miniseries based on Norse
mythology, The Ring of the Nibelung (1876),
Johanna Heinze, Mezzo-Soprano, 1907
which takes over 15 hours to perform! The operatic stereotype of the singer in the Viking
helmet comes from these operas.
Opera in 20th century became even more experimental. Composers like Léos Delibes (La
Bohème, 1896), Claude Debussy (Pelléas et Mélisande, 1902), Richard Strauss (Salome,
1905), and Benjamin Britten (Peter Grimes, 1945) evolved their national styles. Others,
horrified by the destruction of World War I (1914-1919) and other aspects of modern life,
created music that was new and drastically dissonant. These operas often explored either
dark psychological topics (Wozzeck by Alban Berg, 1925), or simple and absurd (The Rake’s
Progress by Igor Stravinsky, 1951). American opera had a huge hit with Léo and Ira
Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (1935), which included jazz and blues musical styles.
Not only did American composers embrace popular music in opera but also a repetitive,
hypnotic style called minimalism. American composer Philip Glass’s Einstein on the Beach
(1976) is the popular example of minimalism in opera.
Opera in Canada
At Calgary Opera, we have been more than fortunate to be able to expose our patrons to
several new Canadian operas. New operas, though not rare, are expensive and very labour
intensive to create.
Opera came to Canada with the first French settlements. Samuel de Champlain organized
an opera performance even before he founded Quebec in 1608. As the railroads moved
westward in the 19th Century, so did opera. Each province eventually established at least
one opera company.
There is evidence of light operas being performed in Canada from 1914 onward, but there
was a real outburst of activity in the early 1940s due to the patronage of the burgeoning
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Many operas were written for radio, such as Healy
Willan’s Transit through Fire, which was broadcast in 1942. Canada’s 100th birthday in
1967 marked a high moment of Canadian nationalism, so it is not surprising that Canadian
opera flourished. Government money through the Canada Council was made available for
new commissions and there was an explosion of new productions, such as Murray
Adaskin’s Grant, Warden of the Plains, Raymond Pannell’s The Luck of Ginger Coffey, and
perhaps the best known, Mavor Moore and Harry Somers’ Louis Riel.
Louis Riel was first performed at the O’Keefe Centre in Toronto in 1967 and had a revival as
a McGill University student production in 2005. Harry Somers, in collaboration with Rod
Anderson, has also written Mario and the Magician, based on Thomas Mann’s novel of the
same name, which was performed by the Canadian Opera Company at the Elgin Theatre in
Toronto in 1992.
The Golden Ass, written by Randolph Peters and the late Robertson Davies, was performed
at the O’Keefe Centre to great acclaim in 1999. Pacific Opera Victoria produced Mavor
Moore and Louis Applebaum’s Erewhon in 2000. Tapestry Music Theatre produced Chan Ka
Nin’s The Iron Road, an opera about Chinese labourers on the Western Canadian Railway.
Another exciting operatic venture about Canada’s little discussed history of slavery is the
passionate tale of Beatrice Chancy by James Rolfe and Léo Elliot Clarke.
In 2003, Calgary Opera embarked on our first full-length new work, a co-commission with The
Banff Centre, Filumena. The opera told the true story of Filumena, a young immigrant woman
hanged for the death of an RCMP officer. It was presented to standing ovations and rave
reviews, so in 2007 Calgary Opera and The Banff Centre reunited the creative team - John
Estacio, John Murrell, Kelly Robinson, Harry Frehner, Sue LePage - to create Frobisher.
Frobisher tells a story of love, loss, and adventure in Canada’s North. Set against the backdrop
of the Northern Lights and the forbiddingly beautiful Arctic landscape, the story weaves back
and forth in time, with powerful parallel stories of exploration and discovery, 500 years apart.
Who best to receive new Canadian works but children? Many new works that have been
created are geared towards the younger generation, an audience virtually ignored in the
history of opera. In 2008 Hannaraptor, by Allan Gilliland and Val Brandt, was created.
Taking place in the rugged landscape of the Drumheller area, Hannaraptor followed the
emotional story of a young girl who discovers a fossil of a yet undiscovered dinosaur. The
production struck a chord with young people as it toured to communities and schools
throughout southern Alberta. Hannaraptor was remounted in Calgary Opera’s 2012-13
season and toured to communities in and around Calgary as well as towns as far reaching
as Lac la Biche and Bonnyville in northern Alberta.
Dean Burry’s The Hobbit and The Brothers Grimm have been produced across Canada. The
Brothers Grimm toured with our own Emerging Artists in March 2007 and again in March
2011. By 2012 it had been performed over 500 times, making it the most performed new
Canadian work of all time. Vancouver Opera has toured Naomi’s Road and the Canadian
Children’s Opera chorus has generated Dr. Cannon’s Cure and A Mid-Winter Night’s Dream.
In 2009 Calgary Opera performed Vancouver Opera’s production of The Barber of
Barrhead, a Canadian adaptation of The Barber of Seville.
Reuniting Calgary Opera’s creative team of John Murrell and John Estacio, Vancouver
Opera recently entered onto the new work front with Lillian Alling, the story of an intrepid
yet mysterious woman searching for a man she scarcely knew, wherever it might take her.
In 2011, Calgary Opera presented the world premiere of Bramwell Tovey and John Murrell’s
The Inventor, the story of the black sheep nephew of the famous Keith brewing family.
Most recently, Calgary Opera has embarked on a new venture with, What Brought Us Here
- A New Community Opera, by Arthur Bachmann and Clem Martini, created from the
collected stories of new immigrants to Canada. This new opera premiered in September
2012 at the Arrata Opera Centre with a hugely positive response.
In the landscape of opera, new Canadian operas are alive and well, and we hope that they
will continue to flourish.
The Language of Opera
Act - Main sections of a play or opera.
Aria - A solo song sung in an opera.
Audience - People who watch a
performance and sit in the “house” or
auditorium.
Ballet - Dance set to music within an
opera.
Blocking - Action on stage.
Character - Person who is part of the
opera’s story.
Chorus - Music composed for a group of
singers or the name of a group of singers
in an opera.
Conductor - Person who rehearses and
leads the orchestra.
Duet - A song performed by two singers.
Libretto - the words of the opera.
Opera - a musical work in one or more
acts, made for singers and
instrumentalists.
Opera Buffa - Funny, light opera.
Opera Seria - Serious, dramatic opera.
Orchestra - A group of musicians who
play together on various musical
instruments.
Overture - A piece of instrumental music
played at the beginning of an opera.
Program - Booklet that contains
information about the opera, composer,
performers, and the opera company.
Recitative - Words that are sung in the
rhythm of natural speech.
Rehearsal - Time when singers/actors
practice with or without the orchestra;
time when musicians practice together
with the conductor.
Scene - Segments of action within the
acts of an opera.
Types of Singers
Soprano - Highest pitched female voice.
Mezzo-Soprano - Female voice between
soprano and contralto.
Contralto – Lowest pitched female voice
Tenor - Highest pitched male voice.
Baritone - Male voice between tenor and
bass.
Bass - Lowest pitched male voice.
Activity Sheet: The Language of Opera
Connect the terms
1. Opera Seria
2. Baritone
3. Opera
4. Ballet
5. Orchestra
6. Libretto
7. Duet
8. Aria
9. Soprano
10. Chorus
11. Act
12. Contralto
13. Tenor
14. Opera Buffa
15. Recitative
16. Bass
17. Overture
A. Dance spectacle set to music.
B. Highest pitched woman’s voice.
C. Dramatic text adapted for opera.
D. Low female voice.
E. Comic opera.
F. A dramatic or comedic musical work
in which singing is the essential factor;
very little is spoken.
G. Opera with dramatic and intense
plots.
H. Music composed for a singing group.
I. A song written for two performers to
sing together.
J. A group of musicians who play
together on various musical
instruments.
K. Highest pitched man’s voice.
L. A musical style in which the words are
spoken in the rhythm of natural speech.
M. Male voice between bass and tenor.
N. A piece of music originally designed
to be played before an opera or musical
play.
O. Deepest male voice.
P. Elaborate solo in an opera or
oratorio.
Q. Main division of a play or opera
Opera composer word search
Many, many people have written music for operas. Can you find the names of 16 of the most
famous opera composers in the puzzle grid below? Hint: Some words are written right to left, some
are bottom to top, and some are on a diagonal going any of four different directions.
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