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19th  Century Italian Opera

18th century

Handel wrote dozens of Italian operas; opera in early 18th

 century was Italianaair in most countries

Opera is about plot, and singing, the latter of which does not often interact withothers

Aria character tells us how they are feeling, recitati!e ad!anced actions

Da capo aria (aria con da capo) A " A

Opera culture in the frst hal 19th century

1##$ Italy was uni%ed and politically independent as we &now it

Italy become independent and uni%ed in 18'1

• (ombardy and )anetian controlled more of less by Austrian empire

• *ingdom of +ardinia was independent &ingdom under house of sa!oy

• entral Italy under the control of the central roman church

• +outh Italy under control of "ourbons &ingdom of - +icilys

.olitical fragmentation, opera was one of the unifying aspects of the country, anopera or composer who was successful would !isit the dierent states

+ingers, composers, poets, librettists percei!ed as being /Italian0, no politicalfragmentation

ongress of )ienna 181 after 2apoleon had uni%ed some states under /&ingdomof Italy0

3reat fondness of opera at the time, dichotomy of culture and entertainment4thin& 5hree 5enors6

+ocial grounds occupied similar space as cinema

Opera houses run by impresario

3oing to the opera today is a little li&e going go to a museum7 2ewcommissions7

"arber of +e!ille initially a op

 5urned into cult

Opera at that time was li&e today0s %lm culture new ones made, despitepopularity, then fade

How did opera composers ma&e them so 9uic&ly7

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:rite only - hours of music instead of when the da capo aria was theprecedent

Rossinian “Double Aria”

 5ancredi 41816 was his d<but, libretto by 3aetano =ossi> ?stablished him asleading opera composer of the time, and was circulated by opera houses widely>

Versi sciolti 4free !erse alternation of @ and 11 syllable lines; no %ed rhymescheme6

Versi lirici 4lyric !erse, not shaped li&e a da capo aria6

=ecitati!e accompanied by orchestra, %nd both secco recitati!e andaccompagnato recitati!e

+pea&ing utterances and cantabile sections in aria

hord signals beginning or !ersi sciolti

Arias in this period become for one main character, not Bust one character>In!ol!ement often from other minor characters or chorus>