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Opera is a form of theatre that primarily relies on spoken dialogue to convey its narrative.
Answer: False
Opera is fundamentally a theatrical art form wherein music serves as the primary vehicle for narrative and emotional expression, with roles performed by singers. While it integrates elements like acting, scenery, and costume, it is distinguished by its reliance on sung music rather than spoken dialogue for its core dramatic conveyance.
The Italian word 'opera' translates to 'performance' in English.
Answer: False
The Italian term 'opera' literally translates to 'work.' This designation aptly reflects the complex, collaborative nature of the art form, which integrates music, drama, visual arts, and performance into a singular artistic endeavor, rather than simply meaning 'performance'.
Opera typically incorporates acting, scenery, costume, and music, but rarely includes dance.
Answer: False
Opera commonly integrates acting, scenery, and costume, alongside its fundamental musical component. Dance or ballet is also frequently incorporated as an expressive element within operatic productions.
Musical theatre and opera are considered the same art form due to their shared use of music and drama.
Answer: False
While musical theatre and opera share the use of music and drama, they are distinct genres. Opera is a specific form within Western classical music, often characterized by continuous musical structure, specific vocal techniques, and a different historical lineage compared to musical theatre.
Opera originated in Germany around the late 16th century.
Answer: False
Opera originated in Italy during the late 16th century, with Florence being a key center for its early development. The earliest known opera, Peri's 'Dafne,' premiered there around 1597.
The 'libretto' of an opera refers to the musical score composed for the orchestra.
Answer: False
The 'libretto' is the text or script of an opera, containing the words that are sung. It is distinct from the musical score, which comprises the orchestral and vocal music.
Recitative is a singing style in opera characterized by highly melodic and structured songs for emotional expression.
Answer: False
Recitative is a style of singing that imitates the rhythm and inflection of speech, primarily used to convey dialogue and advance the plot. It is characterized by its speech-like quality, contrasting with the more melodic and structured nature of an aria, which is used for emotional expression.
An aria is primarily used in opera to move the plot forward through speech-like singing.
Answer: False
An aria is a solo song within an opera, typically characterized by its melodic structure and focus on expressing a character's emotions or inner thoughts. The function of moving the plot forward through speech-like singing is characteristic of recitative, not aria.
What is the fundamental characteristic of opera as an art form?
Answer: It is a theatrical form where music is a fundamental component, performed by singers.
Opera is fundamentally a theatrical art form wherein music serves as the primary vehicle for narrative and emotional expression, with roles performed by singers. While it integrates elements like acting, scenery, and costume, it is distinguished by its reliance on sung music rather than spoken dialogue for its core dramatic conveyance.
What does the Italian word 'opera' literally translate to, and what does this signify about the art form?
Answer: 'Work'; signifying its collaborative and multifaceted nature.
The Italian term 'opera' literally translates to 'work.' This designation aptly reflects the complex, collaborative nature of the art form, which integrates music, drama, visual arts, and performance into a singular artistic endeavor, rather than simply meaning 'performance'.
Which of the following is NOT typically incorporated into an opera?
Answer: Film projection
While opera traditionally incorporates acting, scenery, and often dance, film projection is a relatively modern medium not typically considered a standard element of operatic performance, especially in historical contexts.
What distinguishes opera from musical theatre, according to the source?
Answer: Opera is a specific genre within Western classical music, often with a continuous musical structure and specific vocal techniques.
Opera is distinguished as a specific genre within Western classical music, frequently characterized by a continuous musical structure, specific vocal demands, and a historical lineage distinct from musical theatre, which often incorporates more spoken dialogue and different stylistic conventions.
In which country did opera originate, and around what time period?
Answer: Italy, late 16th century
Opera originated in Italy during the late 16th century, with Florence being a key center for its early development. The earliest known opera, Peri's 'Dafne,' premiered there around 1597.
What was the function of 'recitative' in traditional opera?
Answer: To advance the plot through speech-inflected singing.
Recitative is a style of singing that imitates the rhythm and inflection of speech, primarily used to convey dialogue and advance the plot. It is characterized by its speech-like quality, contrasting with the more melodic and structured nature of an aria, which is used for emotional expression.
What is the 'libretto' in the context of opera?
Answer: The text or words of the opera.
The 'libretto' is the text or script of an opera, containing the words that are sung. It is distinct from the musical score, which comprises the orchestral and vocal music.
Claudio Monteverdi's 'L'Orfeo' is recognized as the earliest opera ever composed.
Answer: False
While Claudio Monteverdi's 'L'Orfeo' (1607) is considered the earliest surviving opera that is still regularly performed, Jacopo Peri's 'Dafne' (c. 1597) predates it as the first opera composed, though its music is now lost.
In traditional 'number opera,' recitative was used for expressing emotions, while arias advanced the plot.
Answer: False
In traditional 'number opera,' recitative served the function of advancing the plot through speech-inflected singing, whereas arias were the sections dedicated to expressing characters' emotions and reflections through more melodic and structured songs.
Genres like Singspiel and Opéra comique are known for replacing sung recitative with spoken dialogue.
Answer: True
Indeed, genres such as the German Singspiel and the French Opéra comique are characterized by their incorporation of spoken dialogue in place of sung recitative. This structural divergence from continuous musical drama allows for distinct pacing and dramatic emphasis.
During the Baroque period, 'secco' recitative was accompanied by the full orchestra.
Answer: False
'Secco' recitative, meaning 'dry,' was typically accompanied only by basso continuo (instruments like harpsichord, lute, or organ). 'Accompagnato' recitative, in contrast, was supported by the orchestra.
The opening of public opera seasons in Venice in 1637 made opera exclusively accessible to the aristocracy.
Answer: False
The establishment of public opera seasons in Venice in 1637, supported by ticket sales, marked a significant shift towards making opera accessible to a broader audience, moving beyond exclusive aristocratic patronage.
'Opera seria' was criticized for prioritizing dramatic purity over vocal embellishment.
Answer: False
'Opera seria' was frequently criticized precisely for the opposite reason: its perceived artificiality, excessive vocal embellishment, and prioritization of singers' virtuosity and spectacle over dramatic coherence and emotional depth.
Christoph Willibald Gluck's reforms aimed to make music and staging subservient to the drama in opera.
Answer: True
Christoph Willibald Gluck advocated for a return to dramatic principles in opera, seeking to restore 'beautiful simplicity' by ensuring that music, staging, and other theatrical elements served the drama rather than overshadowing it.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is primarily known for his German comic operas, not his Italian ones.
Answer: False
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is renowned for both his Italian operas, such as 'The Marriage of Figaro,' 'Don Giovanni,' and 'Così fan tutte,' and his German operas, like 'The Abduction from the Seraglio' and 'The Magic Flute.' His Italian works are particularly central to the operatic repertoire.
Heinrich Schütz's 'Dafne' is the first German opera and its music score is still available.
Answer: False
Heinrich Schütz's 'Dafne' (1627) is indeed recognized as the first German opera. However, its musical score has unfortunately been lost and is not available.
Jean-Baptiste Lully founded the French operatic tradition with 'tragédie en musique.'
Answer: True
Jean-Baptiste Lully, an Italian-born composer, was instrumental in establishing the distinct French operatic tradition at the court of Louis XIV, primarily through his development of the genre known as 'tragédie en musique,' which emphasized dance and choral elements.
'Opéra comique' is a French genre that exclusively uses sung recitative and avoids spoken dialogue.
Answer: False
'Opéra comique' is characterized by its alternation of sung arias and ensembles with spoken dialogue, distinguishing it from genres that employ continuous sung recitative.
John Blow's 'Venus and Adonis' is considered the first true English-language opera.
Answer: True
'Venus and Adonis,' composed by John Blow around 1683, is widely regarded as the first significant work in the English language that fully embodies the characteristics of opera.
Henry Purcell successfully established serious opera in England, with many works surviving today.
Answer: False
Henry Purcell made significant contributions to English opera, but he often worked within the constraints of 'semi-opera,' integrating music into spoken plays. While his opera 'Dido and Aeneas' is a masterpiece, the conditions in England at the time limited the establishment of a continuous tradition of full-scale serious opera, and many of his operatic projects were incomplete or curtailed.
Thomas Arne's 'Artaxerxes' was the first attempt at an English 'opera buffa.'
Answer: False
Thomas Arne's 'Artaxerxes' (1762) is noted as the first attempt at an English 'opera seria,' a serious opera in the Italian style, rather than an 'opera buffa' (comic opera).
Ballad operas, like John Gay's 'The Beggar's Opera,' used original music and complex orchestral arrangements.
Answer: False
Ballad operas, exemplified by 'The Beggar's Opera,' were characterized by their use of pre-existing popular tunes, often with new lyrics, rather than original music, and typically featured simpler arrangements compared to grand opera.
The role of the conductor in opera evolved from leading the orchestra from the harpsichord.
Answer: False
While early musical direction in opera was often provided by the harpsichordist (continuo player) or concertmaster, the modern role of the conductor, leading the orchestra from a podium with a baton, evolved over time, particularly with the rise of larger orchestras and more complex scores.
The 'basso continuo' provided the main melodic lines in Baroque operas.
Answer: False
The 'basso continuo' served as the harmonic foundation and rhythmic support in Baroque music, typically played by a bass instrument and a chordal instrument. The main melodic lines were carried by the vocalists and, at times, solo instruments.
Operetta is typically more serious and dramatically complex than opera.
Answer: False
Operetta is generally considered a lighter, often comedic or romantic, form compared to opera. It frequently incorporates spoken dialogue and dance, distinguishing it from the more dramatic and continuous musical structure typical of opera.
Castrati were male singers who retained a high vocal range due to surgical intervention before puberty.
Answer: True
Castrati were male singers who underwent castration before puberty, a procedure that prevented the voice from deepening and allowed them to retain and develop exceptionally high vocal registers, making them prominent performers, particularly in 18th-century opera seria.
Which composer's work is considered the first opera still regularly performed today?
Answer: Claudio Monteverdi
While Jacopo Peri's 'Dafne' is the earliest known opera, Claudio Monteverdi's 'L'Orfeo' (1607) is recognized as the first opera that remains in the active performance repertoire today.
Which of the following opera genres typically replaces recitative with spoken dialogue?
Answer: Singspiel
Genres such as the German Singspiel and the French Opéra comique are characterized by their incorporation of spoken dialogue in place of sung recitative, distinguishing them from genres like opera seria or verismo.
How did 'secco' recitative differ from 'accompagnato' recitative during the Baroque and Classical periods?
Answer: 'Secco' was accompanied only by basso continuo, while 'accompagnato' involved orchestral support.
'Secco' recitative, meaning 'dry,' was typically accompanied only by basso continuo (instruments like harpsichord, lute, or organ). 'Accompagnato' recitative, in contrast, was supported by the orchestra, providing a richer texture.
What significant change occurred with the emergence of public opera seasons in Venice in 1637?
Answer: Opera became accessible to a wider audience through ticket sales.
The establishment of public opera seasons in Venice in 1637, supported by ticket sales, marked a significant shift towards making opera accessible to a broader audience, moving beyond exclusive aristocratic patronage.
What were the main criticisms leveled against 'opera seria' that led to reforms?
Answer: Artificiality, excessive vocal embellishment, and prioritizing spectacle over drama.
'Opera seria' was frequently criticized precisely for its perceived artificiality, excessive vocal embellishment by singers, and prioritization of spectacle over dramatic coherence and emotional depth, which spurred reform movements.
Christoph Willibald Gluck advocated for opera reforms that emphasized:
Answer: A return to dramatic basics, with music subservient to the drama.
Christoph Willibald Gluck advocated for a return to dramatic principles in opera, seeking to restore 'beautiful simplicity' by ensuring that music, staging, and other theatrical elements served the drama rather than overshadowing it.
Which of these is NOT among Mozart's famous operas mentioned in the source?
Answer: The Barber of Seville
While 'The Marriage of Figaro,' 'Don Giovanni,' and 'The Magic Flute' are renowned operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 'The Barber of Seville' is a famous opera by Gioachino Rossini.
What is the status of Heinrich Schütz's 'Dafne,' the first German opera?
Answer: Its music score is lost.
Heinrich Schütz's 'Dafne' (1627) is indeed recognized as the first German opera. However, its musical score has unfortunately been lost and is not available.
Who founded the French operatic tradition, and what was his primary genre?
Answer: Jean-Baptiste Lully; Tragédie en musique
Jean-Baptiste Lully, an Italian-born composer, was instrumental in establishing the distinct French operatic tradition at the court of Louis XIV, primarily through his development of the genre known as 'tragédie en musique,' which emphasized dance and choral elements.
What is a key characteristic of French 'opéra comique'?
Answer: It alternates arias with spoken dialogue.
'Opéra comique' is characterized by its alternation of sung arias and ensembles with spoken dialogue, distinguishing it from genres that employ continuous sung recitative.
Which of the following was an antecedent to opera in 17th-century England?
Answer: The Masque
In 17th-century England, the 'masque,' a form of courtly entertainment featuring music, dance, and elaborate staging, served as a significant antecedent to the development of opera.
John Blow's 'Venus and Adonis' is significant because it is often considered:
Answer: The first true English-language opera.
'Venus and Adonis,' composed by John Blow around 1683, is widely regarded as the first significant work in the English language that fully embodies the characteristics of opera.
What constraint did Henry Purcell often face when trying to establish serious opera in England?
Answer: Working within the 'semi-opera' format with spoken plays.
Henry Purcell often worked within the 'semi-opera' format, where musical numbers were integrated into spoken plays, limiting the development of full-scale, continuous operatic narratives in England during his time.
Thomas Arne is credited with reviving interest in English opera and composing the first attempt at an English:
Answer: Opera seria
Thomas Arne composed 'Artaxerxes' (1762), which is noted as the first attempt at an English 'opera seria,' contributing to a revival of interest in English opera.
What characterized ballad operas, exemplified by 'The Beggar's Opera'?
Answer: Use of popular tunes, often with satirical or comic plots.
Ballad operas, exemplified by 'The Beggar's Opera,' were characterized by their use of pre-existing popular tunes, often with new lyrics, and typically featured satirical or comic plots, distinguishing them from grand opera.
How did the role of the conductor evolve in opera?
Answer: The conductor emerged as a distinct role, leading large orchestras from a podium, evolving from earlier leaders like concertmasters.
Initially, musical direction in opera was often provided by the harpsichordist or concertmaster. The modern role of the conductor, leading large orchestras from a podium, evolved over time, becoming crucial for unifying performances as musical complexity increased.
What was the primary function of the 'basso continuo' in Baroque and early Classical opera?
Answer: To offer harmonic support and establish the underlying chords.
The 'basso continuo' served as the harmonic foundation and rhythmic support in Baroque and early Classical music, typically played by a bass instrument and a chordal instrument, providing the essential harmonic structure for the ensemble.
Which statement best describes the difference between opera and operetta?
Answer: Operetta is generally lighter, often including spoken dialogue and dance, unlike the more dramatic opera.
Operetta is generally considered a lighter, often comedic or romantic, form compared to opera. It frequently incorporates spoken dialogue and dance, distinguishing it from the more dramatic and continuous musical structure typical of opera.
What role did castrati famously play in 18th-century opera seria?
Answer: They typically sang the male heroic roles, retaining high vocal ranges.
Castrati were male singers who underwent castration before puberty, a procedure that prevented the voice from deepening and allowed them to develop exceptionally high vocal registers, making them prominent performers, particularly in the male heroic roles in 18th-century opera seria.
The 'bel canto' style emphasizes simple, unadorned melodies requiring minimal vocal technique.
Answer: False
The 'bel canto' style, prominent in the early 19th century, is characterized by florid, intricate vocal lines that demand exceptional agility, precise pitch control, and virtuosic technique from the singer.
Giuseppe Verdi dominated German opera in the mid-to-late 19th century.
Answer: False
Giuseppe Verdi was the dominant figure in Italian opera during the mid-to-late 19th century. Richard Wagner was the preeminent composer of German opera during the same period.
The 'verismo' era in Italian opera focused on sentimental and realistic melodrama.
Answer: True
The 'verismo' movement in Italian opera, emerging in the late 19th century, embraced themes of everyday life, often depicting passionate and realistic melodrama, moving away from the idealized subjects of earlier opera seria.
Verdi's opera 'Falstaff' moved away from short motifs towards long, sustained melodies.
Answer: False
Verdi's late opera 'Falstaff' represented a stylistic departure by utilizing short, recurring motifs and a more continuous musical fabric, rather than relying predominantly on long, sustained melodies characteristic of earlier operatic conventions.
Richard Wagner's concept of 'Gesamtkunstwerk' involves the separation of music, poetry, and visual arts.
Answer: False
Richard Wagner's concept of 'Gesamtkunstwerk' (total work of art) aimed for the opposite: the complete integration and synthesis of music, poetry, drama, and visual arts into a unified and immersive theatrical experience.
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a leading exponent of French 'grand opera,' known for spectacular stage effects.
Answer: True
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a highly influential composer in the development of French 'grand opera,' a genre celebrated for its elaborate staging, large choruses, ballet sequences, and dramatic spectacle.
Georges Bizet's 'Carmen' was initially unpopular due to its realistic themes and blend of styles.
Answer: False
While 'Carmen' presented a blend of realism and Romanticism that was novel for its time, it ultimately achieved immense popularity once audiences accepted its compelling narrative and musical innovations. Its initial reception was mixed, but it rapidly became one of the most performed operas.
Mikhail Glinka is known as the father of German opera.
Answer: False
Mikhail Glinka is widely recognized as the father of Russian opera, not German opera. His works 'A Life for the Tsar' and 'Ruslan and Lyudmila' are foundational to the Russian operatic tradition.
Bedřich Smetana's 'The Bartered Bride' is a foundational work of Czech opera.
Answer: True
'The Bartered Bride' by Bedřich Smetana is indeed a cornerstone of Czech opera, celebrated for its integration of folk elements and its significant contribution to establishing a national operatic identity.
Zarzuela is a Spanish operatic form characterized by a blend of spoken dialogue and musical numbers.
Answer: True
Zarzuela is indeed a distinctive Spanish theatrical genre that combines spoken dialogue with sung musical numbers, representing a significant tradition within Spanish musical theatre.
In early opera, the orchestra's role was primarily to provide narrative commentary through leitmotifs.
Answer: False
In early opera, the orchestra's role was primarily to provide accompaniment and harmonic support. The use of leitmotifs for narrative commentary became a significant feature much later, particularly in the operas of Richard Wagner during the Romantic era.
The 'bel canto' opera movement of the early 19th century is best characterized by:
Answer: Florid and intricate vocal lines requiring great agility.
The 'bel canto' style, flourishing in the early 19th century, is characterized by florid, intricate vocal lines that demand exceptional agility, precise pitch control, and virtuosic technique from the singer.
Who were the dominant composers of Italian and German opera, respectively, in the mid-to-late 19th century?
Answer: Verdi (Italian), Wagner (German)
Giuseppe Verdi was the dominant figure in Italian opera during the mid-to-late 19th century, while Richard Wagner was the preeminent composer of German opera during the same period.
What style of Italian opera emerged after the bel canto period, focusing on sentimental and realistic melodrama?
Answer: Verismo
The 'verismo' movement in Italian opera, emerging in the late 19th century, embraced themes of everyday life, often depicting passionate and realistic melodrama, moving away from the idealized subjects of earlier opera seria and bel canto.
How did Verdi's opera 'Falstaff' represent a shift in operatic style?
Answer: It moved towards using short motifs instead of long, sustained melodies.
Verdi's late opera 'Falstaff' represented a stylistic departure by utilizing short, recurring motifs and a more continuous musical fabric, rather than relying predominantly on long, sustained melodies characteristic of earlier operatic conventions.
Richard Wagner's concept of 'Gesamtkunstwerk' aimed to:
Answer: Fuse music, poetry, and visual arts into a unified whole.
Richard Wagner's concept of 'Gesamtkunstwerk' (total work of art) aimed for the complete integration and synthesis of music, poetry, drama, and visual arts into a unified and immersive theatrical experience.
How did Richard Wagner change the role of the orchestra in opera?
Answer: He made the orchestra a central narrative voice using leitmotifs.
Richard Wagner significantly expanded the orchestra's role, employing complex orchestration and leitmotifs (recurring musical themes) to create a central narrative voice that commented on and enriched the dramatic action, moving beyond mere accompaniment.
Which composer is considered the most famous exponent of French 'grand opera'?
Answer: Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a highly influential composer in the development of French 'grand opera,' a genre celebrated for its elaborate staging, large choruses, ballet sequences, and dramatic spectacle.
What made Georges Bizet's opera 'Carmen' a significant work?
Answer: It successfully blended Romanticism and realism, becoming highly popular.
'Carmen' became immensely popular due to its compelling narrative, blend of realism and Romanticism, and musical innovations, establishing it as a landmark work in the operatic repertoire.
Who is considered the father of Russian opera?
Answer: Mikhail Glinka
Mikhail Glinka is widely recognized as the father of Russian opera, not German opera. His works 'A Life for the Tsar' and 'Ruslan and Lyudmila' are foundational to the Russian operatic tradition.
Bedřich Smetana's opera 'The Bartered Bride' is important as:
Answer: A foundational work of Czech opera that gained international popularity.
'The Bartered Bride' by Bedřich Smetana is indeed a cornerstone of Czech opera, celebrated for its integration of folk elements and its significant contribution to establishing a national operatic identity, achieving international recognition.
What is 'zarzuela'?
Answer: A Spanish form of opera blending spoken dialogue and music.
Zarzuela is indeed a distinctive Spanish theatrical genre that combines spoken dialogue with sung musical numbers, representing a significant tradition within Spanish musical theatre.
How did the orchestra's role evolve from accompanying singers to becoming a more prominent narrative element?
Answer: It evolved from primarily accompanying singers to becoming a central narrative voice, especially with techniques like leitmotifs.
Richard Wagner significantly expanded the orchestra's role, employing complex orchestration and leitmotifs (recurring musical themes) to create a central narrative voice that commented on and enriched the dramatic action, moving beyond mere accompaniment, a trend that continued to develop in later opera.
Leoš Janáček synthesized his studies of German folk music into his operas.
Answer: False
Leoš Janáček uniquely synthesized his extensive studies of Czech folk music and speech patterns into his operas, creating a highly original and distinctive musical language.
Atonality, moving away from traditional tonal harmony, is a key feature of modernism in opera.
Answer: True
Atonality, which abandons the traditional system of tonal harmony, represents a significant characteristic and innovation of modernist music, including its application within opera, as composers sought new means of expression.
Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg pioneered dodecaphony and explored atonality in their operas.
Answer: True
Arnold Schoenberg and his prominent student Alban Berg were indeed pivotal figures in the development of modernist opera. They were instrumental in pioneering atonality and the dodecaphonic (twelve-tone) technique, radically expanding the expressive possibilities of operatic composition through chromatic harmony and dissonance.
Neoclassicism in opera emerged as an extension of atonality, embracing its complexity.
Answer: False
Neoclassicism in opera often emerged as a reaction against the perceived excesses and complexity of atonality. It sought to re-engage with elements of earlier musical periods, such as clarity of form and tonal structures, albeit often in a modern context.
During the 20th century, opera composers generally favored using larger, more expansive orchestras.
Answer: False
A notable trend in 20th-century opera was the move towards smaller orchestras, often employed as a cost-saving measure or as a deliberate stylistic choice by composers seeking different sonic textures and greater clarity.
How did Leoš Janáček synthesize Czech folk music into his operas?
Answer: By integrating his studies of Czech folk music into a modern, original style.
Leoš Janáček uniquely synthesized his extensive studies of Czech folk music and speech patterns into his operas, creating a highly original and distinctive musical language that became characteristic of his mature works.
Which compositional technique is a primary manifestation of modernism in opera?
Answer: Development and use of atonality.
Atonality, which abandons the traditional system of tonal harmony, represents a significant characteristic and innovation of modernist music, including its application within opera, as composers sought new means of expression.
Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg were pioneers in modernist opera, known for their work with:
Answer: Atonality and dodecaphony.
Arnold Schoenberg and his prominent student Alban Berg were indeed pivotal figures in the development of modernist opera. They were instrumental in pioneering atonality and the dodecaphonic (twelve-tone) technique, radically expanding the expressive possibilities of operatic composition through chromatic harmony and dissonance.
Neoclassicism in opera emerged partly as:
Answer: A reaction against the perceived excesses of atonality.
Neoclassicism in opera often emerged as a reaction against the perceived excesses and complexity of atonality. It sought to re-engage with elements of earlier musical periods, such as clarity of form and tonal structures, albeit often in a modern context.
What trend regarding orchestra size was common in 20th-century opera?
Answer: The use of smaller orchestras, often as a cost-saving measure.
A notable trend in 20th-century opera was the move towards smaller orchestras, often employed as a cost-saving measure or as a deliberate stylistic choice by composers seeking different sonic textures and greater clarity.
Contemporary historical operas often dramatize events from the distant past, like ancient myths.
Answer: False
Contemporary historical operas typically focus on dramatizing events from recent living memory or the more immediate recorded past, often featuring characters who were alive during the period depicted, rather than ancient myths.
Opera companies are trying to attract younger audiences by lowering ticket prices significantly.
Answer: False
While attracting younger audiences is a goal, strategies often involve utilizing modern media like live cinema transmissions and online streaming, alongside targeted programming, rather than solely relying on significant price reductions.
Supertitles are projected translations designed to hinder audience comprehension of the opera's text.
Answer: False
Supertitles (or surtitles) are projected translations of the opera's text, intended to enhance audience comprehension and engagement by providing real-time access to the libretto, not to hinder it.
Most opera houses outside the United States are primarily funded by ticket sales and private donations.
Answer: False
Outside the United States, opera houses often rely significantly on public subsidies provided by national or local governments, in addition to ticket sales and private funding. This public support model differs from the predominantly private funding structure common in the U.S.
Gian Carlo Menotti's 'Amahl and the Night Visitors' was the first opera composed specifically for American television.
Answer: True
'Amahl and the Night Visitors' by Gian Carlo Menotti holds the distinction of being the first opera specifically commissioned and composed for American television, premiering in 1951.
Live high-definition video transmissions have decreased the reach of opera globally.
Answer: False
Live high-definition video transmissions to cinemas and online streaming platforms have significantly expanded the global reach of opera, making it accessible to wider audiences beyond traditional opera house attendees.
The internet has had minimal impact on opera consumption due to its traditional format.
Answer: False
The internet has profoundly impacted opera consumption by facilitating online downloads, live streaming, and digital archives, thereby increasing accessibility and transforming how audiences engage with operatic works.
What defines 'contemporary historical operas'?
Answer: Dramatizations of events from recent living memory.
Contemporary historical operas typically focus on dramatizing events from recent living memory or the more immediate recorded past, often featuring characters who were alive during the period depicted, rather than ancient myths or distant history.
Which strategy is mentioned for attracting younger audiences to opera?
Answer: Utilizing modern media like live cinema transmissions and online streaming.
While attracting younger audiences is a goal, strategies often involve utilizing modern media like live cinema transmissions and online streaming, alongside targeted programming, rather than solely relying on significant price reductions or exclusively contemporary works.
What is the primary purpose of 'supertitles' in opera?
Answer: To display translations of the opera's text for audience comprehension.
Supertitles (or surtitles) are projected translations of the opera's text, intended to enhance audience comprehension and engagement by providing real-time access to the libretto, not to hinder it.
How are most opera houses outside the United States typically funded?
Answer: Largely through public subsidies provided by taxpayers.
Outside the United States, opera houses often rely significantly on public subsidies provided by national or local governments, in addition to ticket sales and private funding. This public support model differs from the predominantly private funding structure common in the U.S.
What impact have live high-definition video transmissions to cinemas had on opera?
Answer: They have significantly expanded opera's reach to global audiences.
Live high-definition video transmissions to cinemas and online streaming platforms have significantly expanded the global reach of opera, making it accessible to wider audiences beyond traditional opera house attendees.
How has the internet influenced the consumption of opera?
Answer: It has transformed consumption through online downloads and live streaming.
The internet has profoundly impacted opera consumption by facilitating online downloads, live streaming, and digital archives, thereby increasing accessibility and transforming how audiences engage with operatic works.