The English word opera is an abbreviation of the Italian phrase opera in musica work in music.

What is the text/story of an opera called. Claudio Monteverdi Mantua Italy c1607. The earliest Italian operas were called several things such as favola in musica fable in music and dramma per musica drama by means of music. In opera the aria is a solo melody performed with accompaniment during the body of the opera itself and Monteverdis 1607 opera LOrfeo was the first to employ aria as we know it.

This is believed to be the version now called Leonore No. Finally for the 1814 revival Beethoven began anew and with fresh musical material wrote what we now know as the Fidelio overture. The tessitura of these parts can sometimes be pretty high but without an excess of coloratura.

A soubrette soprano refers as much to an archetype of character as a voice type. A libretto Italian for booklet is the text used in or intended for an extended musical work such as an opera operetta masque oratorio cantata or musical. The unique thing in opera.

This last title is very close to the dictionary definition and is the correct basis for any discussion about opera. Interesting music dancing and dramatic ornaments to highlight important words in the libretto by Alessandro Striggio. The complete text of an opera but literally the little book that was published for operatic audiences beginning in the 18th century so that they could read the poetry during the performance.

Monteverdis version of the Orpheus story Orfeo written in 1607 is the first example of an early opera that is still popular today. These are cheeky coquettish parts sung by singers with sweet bright voices. Remember that arias didnt only refer to songs in an opera during the early 17th centurythey included a wide variety of strophic.

Aside from solo ensemble and choral singers onstage and a group of instrumentalists playing offstage the performers of opera since its inception have often included dancers. Perhaps his most popular opera is La Traviata which tells the story of Violetta a beautiful courtesan who is fatally ill with tuberculosis. A staged musical work in which some or all of the parts are sung.