Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Update on Concert Dates
Final
plans for this spring: we will have two concerts.
- Saturday, May 17, 8 pm,
at the Crowden School (Rose @ Sacramento, Berkeley)
- Sunday, May 18, 5 pm,
at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (114 Montecito, Oakland)
There
will be no concert on Saturday, May 24.
A Brief Vocabulary of Musical Storytelling
This semester’s material includes a song cycle as well as excerpts from works variously described as “musical,” “operetta,” “opera,” “comic opera,” and various points in between. A quick review of terminology may be helpful.[*]
v Song cycle.
A
group of songs that share a common theme or central idea and which have been
designed to be presented as a unit. Examples: Brahms, Liebeslieder;
Callaway, Songs from the Gardener.
v Musical. Theatrical performance using popular` music to augment the story line,
developed in 20th century America and England. Similar to the European operetta
in that it contains spoken dialogue, a dramatic story line, songs in the
popular style of the day, ensembles, and dance.
v Opera.
A drama set to music, usually sung
throughout, originating in 17th century Italy. It combines music, drama,
scenery, costumes, dance, etc., to create a complete art form. (Mussorgsky’s Boris
Godunov, Verdi’s Nabucco.)
v Operetta. A less serious form of opera including
spoken dialog, songs, and dances, and typically written to have a popular
appeal to the audience of its day. The modern operetta had its beginnings in
the 19th century with the works of Jacques Offenbach who composed more than
90. The line between “operetta” and
“comic opera” is often blurred.
v Comic
opera derived from short entertaining scenes (typically with funny
servants) played between the acts of serious opera in the early to mid 17th
century. Comic opera is an outgrowth of these scenes and developed into a
completely independent genre. Varieties include Italian opera buffa,
French opéra bouffe (example: Offenbach, Orpheus in the
Underworld), English ballad opera, and German Singspiel
(example: Mozart, The Magic Flute).
v Opéra comique. French comic opera that is not necessarily sung throughout. Early opéra comique had spoken dialogue interspersed with songs, and was mainly comic, but by the late 19th century the music was usually continuous, and they were not necessarily humorous (for example, Bizet's Carmen).
"Shameless Plugs"
♫ Matthew
Edwards in Recital. Old
First Church, 1751 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, January 26 at 4:00
pm. Tickets are $12 general admission,
$9 students/seniors, and $6 for series members. Details at 415-474-1608 or www.oldfirstconcerts.org.
♫ Pippin Pocket Opera: Don Giovanni. With Marcelle Dronkers as Donna Anna. Saturday, January 25 at 7:30 pm (Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek); Sunday, February 2 at 3:00 pm (Martin Meyer Auditorium at Temple Emanu-El, San Francisco); and Sunday, June 1 at 2:00 pm (Florence Gould Theatre, Legion of Honor, San Francisco). Tickets are $32 general/$16 student. Call 1-800-303-1677 or see www.pocketopera.org for details.
♫ Duruflé Requiem, Revisited. The Arlington Community Church in Kensington
has begun rehearsing the Duruflé Requiem (which Bella just sang) and
welcomes additional singers. If
interested, contact director Leslie Moorjani at 510-843-7745, or just show up. Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings from
8-9:30 pm at the church, 52 Arlington Avenue.
♫ Speaking of
Singers. . . Bella Musica’s spring program has room for a
few more voices, particularly on the lower parts (alto, tenor, bass). If you know someone who might enjoy the
music we’re performing, it’s not yet too late! Please encourage singing
friends/relatives/enemies/strangers to contact Arlene (510-525-5393) by the end
of January.
♫