It has come to the attention of those of us at the Arts Desk that a large portion of the University's population finds opera to be, shall we say, inaccessible and incomprehensible. So, with a new production opening this very evening, we offer a sort of abbreviated introduction to the world of opera and its various components in the hope that it may clear the fog just a bit.
THE MUSIC\nLibretto -- This technically isn't music, but it's just as important. The term libretto refers to the text that is being sung ('lyrics,' in today's musical theater) and is often, but not necessarily, poetry. One also finds that the meaning of the text might or might not have any bearing at all on the intentions of the composer, conductor or director.\nScore -- The score is the written music to which the libretto is set. It contains many musical components of which it is important to be aware: tempo (speed), dynamics (changes from loud to soft), melody (tunes) and accompaniment. You will hear all sorts of descriptive, and sometimes meaningless, phrases when it comes to the score -- things like "well-crafted," "majestic" or "over-inflated."\nAria -- An aria is a showcase number for characters within an opera. Arias are designed to display the best qualities of the performer's voice, thus singers have historically earned a reputation for sacrificing elements such as tempo and rhythm in the name of musical grandstanding. In one famous example, the soprano Geraldine Ferrar was rebuked by conductor Arturo Toscanini for deviating too far from the score. "Maestro," she said, "please remember I am a star," to which he replied "The place for stars is in heaven!"\nRecitative -- Recitatives come in advance of arias and are meant to set up whatever particular emotional state or plot twist is about to be expounded upon. They do not contain melody, per se, but are rhythmically closer to actual speech and often accompanied by thinner instrumentation.
THE MUSICIANS\nConductor -- This is the man, or, in a growing number of cases, woman in charge. Referred to as 'maestro,' in hushed, reverent tones, the conductor coordinates the music-making of both the singers on stage and the instrumentalists below. Matters of tempo, dynamic subtlety and overall flow of the performance are at the mercy of his seemingly inexplicable arm motions. \nOrchestra -- This is the group in the pit providing instrumental backup for the singers on stage. Orchestras vary in size depending on the opera, and their members often take advantage of the lowered visibility a pit environment can provide. \nSingers -- Singers are generally either members of the Chorus (described below), or are characters. Character types are divided into four main voice parts:
• Soprano -- the highest female voice, she is flighty, demanding and unforgivably self-worshipping; her on stage behavior is a different matter.\n• Mezzo-soprano -- the lower of the female voices, mezzo-sopranos are nearly always seen as witches, women of dubious reputation, or, in special cases, men.\n• Tenor -- the higher of the male voices, tenors sing the role of hero; their characters are generally handsome and can do no wrong.\n• Baritone/bass -- and finally, we come to the lowest of low, the voice that is almost universally applied to villains or oafish sidekicks\nChorus -- This group is on stage primarily to give toasts, enjoy festivals or repeat everything that is sung by the main characters. Their singing is often quite good and their facial expressions just plain funny.
THE VIEWERS\nCritic -- Music critics are generally divided into two groups: musicians who can write; and journalists who can understand music. I prefer to think I fit into the first category, though I'm certainly open to dissenting opinions. My responsibility is first to communicate to the reader my impressions of a production and second, in the event of a good show, encourage enthusiastic attendance or, in the event of a bad one, avoidance at all costs.\nAudience -- That's you. You are there to admire and appreciate both the masterful work of art being presented and, hopefully, the unbelievable talent and hard work that have gone into putting it on stage. A few basic responsibilities in the way of etiquette: \n• Turn off your cell phones, watches, children, anything that could possibly make noise -- the singers are making enough noise, they don't need your help.\n• If you absolutely must unwrap a mint, candy, god-knows-what-else, for heaven's sake do it quickly -- a slowly unwrapping candy is about as painful as a slowly peeled band-aid.\n• Applaud -- when performers do well, they deserve to know it.\nAnd a final piece of advice: enjoy yourself. Opera, at its best, can be wonderfully entertaining and fulfilling. Don't be afraid to like it.
