Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s composed the opera Cosi fan Tutte in which is a musical classical masterpiece depicting the, story, strength, struggle and tests on love amongst individuals. A beautiful depiction of this opera took place at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City on May 3, 2014. The concept of Cosi fan Tutte has been that a man Don Alfonso is trying to persuade and prove to two young officers Ferrando and Guglielmo that their women are unfaithful. Don Alfonso claims that “a woman’s constancy is like the phoenix in which everyone talks about it but no one has actually seen it” (“Synopsis”). Throughout the progression of the opera sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella are blindsided and fooled by Alfonso, Ferrando, Guglielmo, and their maid Despina regarding in their attempt to get the young women to fall for other men (which are actually Ferrando and Guglielmo disguised) to prove that they are indeed unfaithful. The performing media included an orchestra that was conducted by conductor James Levine. The librettist who had written the libretto or text of this opera was Lorenzo Da Ponte. This classical orchestra contained instruments from the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings. The instrumentation consisted of 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, Timpani, and Strings including first violins, second violins, violas, violoncellos, and double basses. Preceding Act 1 of the opera, Levine conducted an overture that helped to transition into the beginning of the first act. Don Alfonso, Ferrando, and Guglielmo opened up the act otherwise known as trio. In both acts of the production, performers spoke in recitative, or speaking to music, to get their emotion and view across to the other performe...
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... as the music. James Levine, the conductor, as well as the entire orchestra really captured the essence of what each of the scenes in both acts were trying to convey as well the emotion. The orchestra played fantastically and the performers sang and acted beautifully. I thought the set, the scenery, and the costumes were very elaborate and decorative. I really enjoyed the story the opera told and the dramatics it involved. What really captivated me was that Cosi fan Tutte was also somewhat of a comedy. There were parts of the performance that made me laugh. I enjoyed the fact that it was not such a serious opera. The opera was light, enjoyable, somewhat comical, dramatic, and romance filled. The concert environment was intriguing. I really admired the Metropolitan Opera House. The design, architecture, overall appearance of the opera house. It was very exquisite.
I was impressed by the range of the pieces that were performed as they were from 18th century classical symphony arrangements to contemporary techno pieces. However, the pieces that moved me most were Mozart’s Molto Allegro, Oaken Sky by Chris Rogerson and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. In hindsight, I am surprised that the two pieces from the Classical Era had such an impact on me. Perhaps, “classical” pieces were what I expected to hear at a Symphony. Oaken Sky evoked the most imagery for me and the conductor’s introduction of the piece was perhaps partly responsible for my ability to go from the earth to the sky in my mind’s eye. Oaken Sky was definitely a pleasant surprise and very pleasing to all of my senses. I was fully engaged in body, mind and soul with Rogerson’s composition. Cielito Lindo was interesting and the soloist really enhanced the piece with a stellar performance. Warehouse Medicine caused an incongruent stirring in me; perhaps I was not prepared for electronics to be added to the symphony. Ravel’s composition, Le Tombeau de Couperin, was a moving piece, but did not engage my senses, only my intellect. This work essentially left me feeling confused and although I appreciated the description of the dedication of the work by the composer, this was my least favorite piece. The “CPCC” soloist, Juan Caljero’s, rendition of Cileito Lindo was mesmerizing. Charlotte
Porgy and Bess, America’s first opera opened on the 10th of October in 1936. Porgy and Bess chronicles the unlikely romance between Porgy and Bess and takes place in the fictitious town of “Catfish Row” in Charleston South Carolina. The opera is based on “Porgy”, a novel written by Dubose Heyward and the play also written by Heyward and his wife Dorothy Heyward.
Cosi uses a wide range of Dramatic elements, all through-out the play. This play particularly highlights The Tension, the Role and the way the characters portray their selves on stage. The use of these techniques allows the audience to accept more readily the intent of the play. It draws everyone into a world, that in many ways is foreign to us, but the human interaction, with the characters, makes it seem more real.
Overall I truly enjoyed myself at the opera. It gave me a new perception on plays and operas, before I went I thought it would be cut and dry and I would be ready to leave as soon as I got there, but it was the complete opposite of that. I laughed, I wanted to cry (but I didn’t), and I felt the energy from the stage. I did recommend this opera to some of my friends and I will recommend it to more people because it was really, really good. All of the music was well executed and performed beautifully. I can see myself checking out more operas and plays here at USC, they are really good way to spend an evening enjoying classical music and a good show.
The music of course was the main focus and for me I really enjoyed The fountains of Rome. This piece was near the end but I found myself to really enjoy The Fountains of the valle Giulia at Dawn which opened up with an oboe, and sounded like I was right near a fountain in the morning. Birds were chirping as the day started with a beautiful peaking of the sun beginning. The Triton Fountain in the Morning had an interesting beginning that started off with a high pitch. At first the horn frightened me but it set the tone with the violins mixed with some sort of symbol as if we were jumping right into the morning. It contained so much excitement in it, like a bursting ray of emotion. However, I did dislike one piece due to it contrasting too much to my favorite piece of the symphony. From The Pines of the Villa Borghese it came at me like a sudden rush, it abruptly ruined the subtle calm feeling I was experiencing too quickly and made it feel like I had an orchestra chasing after me. My favorite piece from the symphony was The Fountain of Rome was La fontana di villa Medici al tramonto. This one particularly caught my interest because it felt like it tied everything together by stringing emotion along. The entire songs presence was calming and subtle as everything was slowed down with a softer dynamic. What really drew me in was
The element that stood out the most to me was how effectively the music and the footwork corresponded. The best examples of this are seen through the dancers solos. Especially Albrecht's solo, his feet glide on the stage at the same tempo as the music. Similarly, Giselle's graceful footwork is truly amazing. I really like the similarities between the choreographed footwork and the music, it makes Giselle seem much more elegant and beautiful. This also seems to make the work look more put together and in sync because the dancers are dancing in harmony with the orchestra. The choreography by itself is amazing. The footwork is rapid and intricate, however, at the same time it is delicate and graceful. The ballerina (Giselle) made it look very easy to do the choreography, when it rea...
The above thoughts are about a very complex piece of music. The fact that it appears to be simple , is a result of the genius of Mozart and his incredibly ability to write music. This opera works so well because Mozart made it so accessible to regular people. He achieved this simplicity through his meticulous detail to each characters personality. He made sure that Don Giovanni sounded like he should sound; bold , cocky ,and charming. Mozart truly wrote an opera that almost performs itself. I feel that if a person can sing the notes , then most of the point has gotten across. If the singer is boring , the listener can still understand the character through his or her melodic line or the rhythmic patterns of the part. Overall , Mozart composed the perfect music for each character.
The book's intend is not to illustrate politics as the major cause or result of opera but that the influence exist and to refute the common downplay and negligence of politics in opera from critics. In all chapters, the author follows a similar pattern in presenting his arguments.
I can say with absolute certainty that I have always been intrigued by and totally enamored with cultures that were different from my own. I believe this is because I fancy myself to be an imaginative dreamer that has always wished for changes to take place in the world so that it may one day become the way it was supposed to be when the creator of the universe imagined it all those centuries ago.
What are the similarities between the plot of Cinthio’s work and Shakespeare’s Othello? (the main themes and conflicts)
Othello, the Moor of Venice is one of the major tragedies written by William Shakespeare that follows the main character, Othello through his trials and tribulations. Othello, the Moor of Venice is similar to William Shakespeare’s other tragedies and follows a set of specific rules of drama. The requirements include, following the definition of a tragedy, definition of tragic hero, containing a reversal of fortune, and a descent from happiness. William Shakespeare fulfills Aristotle’s requirements in this famous play.
Opera is a unique genre of spoken word and song accompanied by music. The music takes one through ascending and descending ranges of emotions. Mozart's Don Giovanni is a perfect example of how this genre emits a wide variety of feelings and attitudes. This "dark comedy seems to convey Mozart's feeling that events have both comical and serious dimensions…" (Kerman, 205). The opera, as a whole, is neither exclusively comedic nor entirely tragic.
With the Romantic era taking a foothold in the nineteenth century, the rise of the German opera was nourished with the rise of nationalism in music. Due to the comparative nature of the German language versus the Italian language, early German language operas were imitative but could not effectively compete with Italian language operas. “Traditional operatic singing was a function, an outgrowth of the Italian language, the nature of its vowels, and consonants, and its ability to sustain melisma. As long as German language opera attempted to compete with Italian opera on its own artistic turf without one embracing the unique character of German language vocal music and two, by employing plot elements that would somehow distinguish it from
With more than four and half million Italian immigrants arriving to American between the years of 1876-1924, traditions, food, literature and an immense amount of Italian culture was slowly spread nationwide. With that, Italian music was also brought across seas. Music in New York City began developing rapidly during the nineteenth century as the number of immigrants and residents steadily increased. Italian music has become popular genre with many subdivisions. Italian music has also become an influential genre of music on other types of popular music.
The Phantom of the Opera directed by Joel Schumacher is the 2004 adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1986 musical of the same name. The Phantom of the Opera stars Gerard Butler as the Phantom, Emmy Rossum as Christine Daaé, and Patrick Wilson as Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny, who are embroiled in a love triangle. The film was met with generally mixed and negative reviews: Schumacher’s use of mise-en-scène, cinematography and editing, as well as symbolism contributes to the production of The Phantom of the Opera.