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LET THE SHOW BEGIN!!!
There are SO MANY parts that
make up an opera! Opera is the
most extensive and expensive art
form today.
WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF
THE OPERA???
THE LIBRETTO and
LIBRETTISTS
A strange word for
people who have great
imaginations and write
terrific stories that are
made into musical
performances.
THE COMPOSER
OH, YEAH!
The one that
writes the actual
music, based on
the libretto.
Sometimes, he
or she will even
change the story
a bit! He he he
THE SINGERS
The actors and actresses who use
their voices to sing the music the
composer writes based on the
libretto. And yes, it is always
memorized. And if you
forget??? There is someone
whose job it is to shout your
words at you. They sit in a little
box under the stage – you can
just see their head! They are
called the prompter. What a
BORING JOB!
I KNOW WHAT
YOUR WORDS ARE,
I KNOW WHAT
YOUR WORDS
ARE!!!
THE CHORUS
The many actors and
actresses that portray
large scenes with their
voices that were set by
the composer based on
the libretto. They get
to carry spears around.
They have to make
sure NOT to trip over
the prompter’s box.
THE ORCHESTRA
A group of musicians
that play the music
that the composer
wrote based on the
libretto. Orchestral
players are buried in
the pit. It is deep and
dark and smells funny.
THE CONDUCTOR
The BOSS – and don’t
you EVER FORGET
IT. He or she tells
everybody when they
sing, play, eat, sleep –
well, you get the idea.
P.S. Don’t be afraid of
the whip. He really
uses a baton!
THE CHOREOGRAPHER
The boss of the
dancers who doesn’t
even dance. He or she
stands nervously
backstage and gets his
exercise by pacing
back and forth as he
watches his dancers.
THE DANCERS
Once in a while, the
beautiful and elegant
dancers appear on
stage. They usually
always move in packs,
kind of like wolves.
THE STAGE DIRECTOR
This is truly the person
who runs the show.
He or she is the one
that has deep, dark
rings under their eyes.
Their job is to tell
EVERYONE what to
do and to worry that
none of it will work.
THE SCENERY
AAAHHHHHH!!! The
Scenery! Expensive, but
beautiful and usually thrown
out after the show is over! The
artists that make the scenery
spend months on it. They have
to paint and build and design
and decorate and make it look
real. But if you look from
backstage – it is REALLY
AWFUL. There are only bars
and metal and wood and
canvas.
THE COSTUMES
Costumes are made by
professional sewers. First,
they draw a picture of
what they want, then they
pick out fabric and cut it
to fit on a mannequin.
Then they call in the
singers for a try-on.
Costumes come in all
shapes and sizes! They
can be modern or old
fashioned.
An example of costumes for the
opera. This one is “I Pagliacci”.
This opera
is “Gianni
Schicchi”.
This opera is “La
Boheme”.
This Operetta (almost
like an opera!) is
called “Boccaccio”.
MAKE-UP
The Make-Up artists
have lots to do.
Sometimes they have
to attach beards, or
mustaches, or wigs to
the singers. Then,
they put on the facial
make-up, including
false eyelashes. YES,
THE BOYS WEAR
MAKE-UP TOO!!!
PROPS
Down a deep dark
tunnel, in a creepy,
spooky room are rows
and rows and rows of
THINGS! Swords,
cups, trays, guns, ropes,
balls, fireworks – YOU
NAME IT. It is the prop
room. The props are the
items the singers use to
make the play look more
real.
LIGHTING
The lighting people
make sure that the
audience can see the
action. Don’t EVER
make the lighting crew
mad, or you may
suddenly find yourself
singing in the dark!
CREW
The backstage crew makes
sure that sets get moved
on and off and that the
props are in the correct
place. The whole show
would fail if they weren’t
there! Imagine the poor
singers pushing around
scenery…. I DON’T
THINK SO!
PUBLICITY
These are the people
who get the word out
about the upcoming
production. They also
make the program
including the synopsis
(plot) and the cast.
How many pieces of the puzzle
can you name???
Stage Director
Libretto
Props
Composer
Costumes
Publicity
Choreographer
Chorus
Orchestra
Lighting
Conductor
Singers
Scenery
Crew
Make-Up
Dancers
THE END!!!
Created by Patty Oeste
2003