Nashville Opera

Opera: 101Student Study Guide

2017

Opera is all Around You!

You probably know a lot more about opera than you think, and you probably recognize a lot more opera music than you realize. Opera has exploded into pop culture in the last decade. Opera is everywhere! Only, it has changed. Opera no longer belongs to the elite classes. Opera sells, as long as they cater to the wishes of a larger audience. For opera to sell to the masses that make up pop culture, it had to take on some of the characteristics of pop culture.

Read on and discover where else you might find opera in your everyday life:

CartoonsMany people were introduced to opera through Warner Bros. cartoons such as those featuring Bugs Bunny in "Rabbit of Seville" and "What's Opera, Doc?" The first featured the overture to Rossini's The Barber of Seville. Also, watching Elmer Fudd singing "Kill the wabbit...kill the wabbit" to the tune of a Wagner opera is for many a staple of youth. Toy Story 2 featured the overture to Rossini's William Tell, and Big Idea's VeggieTales released "Sumo at the Opera," which uses the operatic genre to tell how The Italian Scallion (played by Larry the Cucumber) learns the importance of perseverance.

Cartoons are not the only way children have been introduced to opera and musical theater. The Muppet Show and Sesame Street showcased several opera stars. Beverly Sills and Luciano Pavarotti are among the opera celebrities who have performed with the Muppets. In the 1980s, Placido Flamingo, a pink bird inspired by tenor Placido Domingo, appeared on Sesame Street as a regular character. More recently, Denyce Graves recorded "Elmo's Opera Lullaby."

Opera represents some of the hottest selling CDs on the market Katherine Jenkins, Josh Groban, Jackie Evancho, Charlotte Church, and blind tenor Andrea Bocelli are some of the hottest concert tickets and CDs around. There are popular artists who feature, or are based in opera, such as El Divo, and hip-hop artist Adrian Younge's recent project which features opera soprano Brooke deRosa, titled “Something About April.”

Opera inspires some of your favorite Broadway musicals Elton John and Tim Rice's Aïda is a retelling of Verdi's opera by the same name; Miss Saigon is based on Madama Butterfly and the smash hit Rent is based on La Bohème — and then of course there's The Phantom of the Opera, which is set at the Paris Opera House.

Opera is featured in many television commercials There are more than 65 companies that have used opera in their television ads, including Nike, Sony, Pepsi, Dunkin Donuts, Ford Motor Company, Pizza Hut and MasterCard.

Opera has been featured in major motion pictures Opera's dramatic elements and music lend themselves well to the movies and have been featured in movies too numerable to count, including Batman Begins, Lincoln, Fatal Attraction, Pretty Woman, Apocalypse Now, The Godfather and Quantum of Solace.

Did You Know that... Sandra Bullock and Mariah Carey's mothers were opera singers? That Salma

Hayek's sister is an opera singer? And that Mel Gibson's grandmother was an opera singer?

There is an opera called Jerry Springer the Opera, which premiered in the United Kingdom?

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters composed an opera called Ca Ira, which recently hit #1 on Billboard's Classical Traditional Chart.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE OPERAAre you unsure about how to act, what to wear or what you are going to see at the Opera? You are not the only one! Many others, students and adults, are apprehensive about their first trip to the opera. Read the truth behind some of the most popular opera myths and see if they answer some of your questions about the opera as well!

MYTH #1 OPERA IS BORING AND STUFFY.Not true! Operas tell some of the most interesting, scandalous, and beautiful stories of all time. It is not unusual to find love triangles, murders, fatal illnesses, and messages from beyond the grave. It’s like Days of Our Lives set to music!

MYTH #2 OPERA IS SUNG IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE SO I WON’T UNDERSTAND THE STORY.We can help! It is true that many operas are sung in languages other than English. Since most people in our audience do not speak Italian, we project English/Spanish translations, called supertitles, of the opera on screens above the stage. This way, you can follow along even if you do not understand the language. You also can read the synopsis of the opera before you arrive. Knowing the story will also help you follow along.

MYTH #3 I NEED TO WEAR A TUXEDO OR A BALL GOWN TO THE OPERA.While many people like to dress up when they go to the opera, it is definitely not required. Wear something that makes you feel comfortable, but remember that it is a special event and you may want to wear something a little nicer than ripped jeans and a sweatshirt!

MYTH #4 IF I’M A FEW MINUTES LATE, NO ONE WILL CARE. AFTER ALL THE OPERA IS SO LONG, IT DOESN’T MATTER IF I MISS THE FIRST FEW MINUTES.You don’t want to miss the beginning! At most opera houses, the ushers will not seat you if you arrive after the opera has begun, as it is disturbing to the rest of the audience and the performers. If you arrive late, you may need to wait until after the first act before you can enter the hall. And a lot happens in the first act!

HERE ARE A FEW MORE TIPS TO MAKE YOUR TRIP TO THE OPERA MORE COMFORTABLE.

Remember: the opera is a live performance. You can hear the performers on stage and that means they can hear you too! Please refrain from talking or whispering during the opera. It is distracting to others around you as well as to the singers. Please do not leave your seat during the performance.

If you have them, please turn off all cell phones, pagers, beeping watches and anything else that may go “beep” in the night!

Please do not take photographs or video or audio recordings of the performance.

After the orchestra has tuned, the auditorium will become quiet. The conductor will enter the pit. It is acceptable to applaud the maestro’s entrance.

If you like what you have seen and heard, let the performers know! It is okay to applaud at the end of songs, called arias, and at the end of a scene. If you really liked what you heard, call out “bravo” (to the men on stage), “brava” (to the women) and “bravi” (for all on stage). And of course, a standing ovation is always welcome!

OPERA: THEN AND NOW INTRODUCTIONOpera combines all of the fine arts: music, drama, visual art, and dance. The performance of an opera includes many craftspeople: costume designers, seamstresses, stagehands, makeup artists and wigmakers; the musicians in the orchestra, the singers in the chorus, and the dancers on stage; the artistic director, stage director and choreographer; the engineers running the computers and lighting. How have major inventions over the centuries affected the opera performances we see? Let’s find out!

FOREIGN LANGUAGES If so many operas are in foreign languages how can we understand the story, the humor, or the dramatic situations in which the characters find themselves? Throughout history, on-stage conventions have helped audiences understand the stories of their favorite operas. Period costumes, magnificent stage sets and elaborate dances describe the time and place in which the opera is set. The stage direction and choreography communicate elements of the story. The music conveys emotions and the subtexts of the story. Many opera companies, however, offer their audiences a little more help, with the aid of modern technology. Using large screens above or beside the stage, English translations are projected. These Supertitles do not include every word that is sung, but enough to understand the story. As the technology advances, opera companies have begun to move from using slide projectors to computers to project the Supertitles onto the screens.

THE SINGERSOver the years, the singers have changed, too! In early Italian operas, singers did very little acting onstage, focusing on showcasing their voices. Operas often resembled concerts, more than plays. By Mozart’s time in the late 18th century, however, singers were encouraged to play out the action in the story, adding the dramatic element that we see on stage today. At that time, the singers sometimes did not always “look the part” they were singing. The singers sometimes did not look like princesses or lovely young maidens, and the prince may not have looked young and handsome. The bel canto style of singing, which literally means “beautiful singing,” was favored in Italian opera, especially in the operas of Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti. This style focuses on the voice as the most important expressive element in the opera. It is more important than the words and even the orchestra. In later operas by Wagner and Berlioz, the orchestra became a partner with the singers, rather than an accompanist. This meant that the singers had to produce even more power to be heard over a large, rich symphonic orchestra.

THE ORCHESTRAAnd what about the orchestra in the pit? The orchestra provides a framework for the opera by playing

recurring themes and providing dramatic clues to the drama while accompanying the singing. But the orchestra wasn’t always as we see it today. In the 17th century, some operas were intended for entertainment at private parties, primarily at weddings. The principal accompanying instruments were a continuo (a small organ) or harpsichord and a few viols (stringed instruments). In the 18th century, Mozart began to write his operas for an orchestra of 20 musicians and harpsichord and he was the first composer to add clarinet to his opera orchestra. The small-scale accompaniment, however, was still often used during a recitative, a musical selection in which the singing imitates the sound of spoken words and helps to move along the story line. By Wagner’s 19th century, the opera orchestra had increased in size, mostly due to large symphonies composed by Beethoven (d. 1827).

Operatic VoicesCharacteristics of a “Trained” Voice Singing in Europe and America is now generally divided into two categories: classical and popular. What most people think of as operatic or classical singing developed in Europe hundreds of years ago. This style flourished during the seventeenth century as opera became a popular form of entertainment and operatic music increased in complexity. The most recognizable characteristics of a classically trained voice are:

an extensive range (the ability to sing both high and low) varying degrees of volume (loud and soft) resonance in the chest and sinus cavities (produces a “hooty,” “full” or “round”

sound) an ability to project or fill a large space without amplification

TrainingVery few people are born with the capability to sing this way. Classical singers take voice lessons about once a week and practice every day for many years in order to develop a beautiful operatic sound. In fact, most trained voices are not “mature” enough to perform leading roles on a big stage until they're at least 28 years old. Compare that with the most popular singers on the radio today...Miley Cyrus was 15 when her first album was released!

Two Tiny MusclesScience tells us that all sound is made by two things vibrating together. The same concept applies when we talk or sing. The sounds we make are really just the vibration of two little muscles called the vocal chords. The vocal chords are held in the larynx, which is sometimes called the voice box or (in boys) the Adam's apple. These two little folds of tissue vary in length but are typically between 1 and 2 inches long.

When you want to say something, your brain tells your vocal chords to pull together until they're touching lightly. Then, air pushes through them, and the vocal chords begin to vibrate, opening and closing very quickly. This vibration creates a sound. The pitches you sing are dependent on the speed at which the chords vibrate. A faster vibration creates a higher pitch. The length of the chords also affects the pitch of the voice. Longer chords equal a lower voice.

The rest of the bodyThe vocal chords are only a small component of a larger machine which creates a beautiful singing voice. That machine is the entire body, from the tip of the toes to the top of the head. In order to sing with ease, every muscle needs to be relaxed (but not lazy!).

If even one muscle is tense, it can throw off the entire machine, which is immediately obvious in a singer's vocal quality.

Breathing/SupportIn order to sing long phrases with a lot of volume and a good tone, singers must breathe in a specific manner, making use of the whole torso area (lungs, ribs, diaphragm and viscera). As they breathe in, each part of this network does its job: the lungs fill up, which forces the ribs to expand and the diaphragm (a flat muscle below the lungs) to move down. As the diaphragm descends, the viscera (stomach, intestines and other organs) are forced down and out. Singers describe this feeling as “fatness in the low stomach” or “filling an inner-tube” around their waist.

Expelling the air, or singing, is essentially a slow and controlled movement of those muscles. If all of the air escapes from the lungs quickly, the tone of the voice will sound breathy and will lack intensity. Successful opera singers must be able to isolate the diaphragm and ribs, controlling the rate at which they return to their original positions. This allows for a consistent stream of air that travels from the lungs, through the larynx and out of the mouth.

How’s your breathing? Laying flat on your back or sitting up straight, place your hands on your waist so that your fingers point in towards your belly button. Inhale slowly and try to fill up your stomach from the bottom to the top, enough to notice your stomach pushing out and your waist and chest expanding. Exhale slowly and audibly, as if you are blowing out a candle.

Repeat this exercise, but inhale for a count of eight. Hold your breath for a count of twelve and then exhale. How long can you exhale your breath? A count of twelve? Sixteen? More?

ResonanceOne of the most obvious characteristics of an operatic voice is a full, resonant tone. Singers achieve this by lifting their “soft palate.” This is a part of the mouth that most people don’t ever think about and it can be difficult to isolate. Here are some simple exercises to feel where it is and hear the resonance in your voice when you lift it:

Start to yawn. Feel that lifting sensation in the back of your mouth? That’s the soft palate going up.

With a relaxed mouth, slide your tongue along the roof of your mouth, from your teeth back toward your throat. You should feel your tongue go up, then down (that’s your hard palate), then back up again. That soft, fleshy area at the very back is your soft palate.

Say the word “who” as you would say it in normal conversation. Now, say “hoooo” like a hoot owl. Can you hear the difference?

Say the sentence “How do you do?” as if you were an old British woman.

Lifting the soft palate is the foundation for the resonance in a singer’s voice. With a lot of practice, a singer can lift his or her palate as soon as they begin to sing, without even thinking about it.

Vibrato Proper breathing and full resonance are essential for producing a clear vocal tone with an even “vibrato” (the Italian word meaning “to vibrate”). Vibrato can be described as a “wiggle” in the voice or, technically, a consistent variation in the pitch of a tone. While many pop singers try to remove this element of singing for the sake of style, vibrato in an opera singer’s voice is a must – it increases the warmth and resonance of the tone and also allows for accurate tuning.

Registers of the VoiceHead Voice

Without getting too technical, the head voice is the higher register, which is achieved by tapping into the resonance in the sinus cavities. It’s called the head voice because you literally feel like your voice is coming out of your head rather than your throat or chest.

Chest Voice

This is where the natural speaking voice falls. If you put your hand on your chest and yell “Hey!” you can feel that this register resonates in the chest rather than the head. Broadway and pop singers use it frequently. Female opera singers tend to use it when they’re singing low notes. Men sing mostly in this voice.

Falsetto

This register applies to male voices only. Falsetto happens when the vocal chords do not vibrate fully, which creates a high, feminine sound. It is frequently used by male characters when they are imitating females.

A Comparison: Classical Training vs. Commercial TrainingSince we’ve already covered the characteristics of a classically trained voice, it may be interesting to see how they differ from those of a commercial voice. (It’s always important to be able to compare the differences between two things without implying that one is superior to the other) Singers of pop music, rock and roll, R&B, folk and country are often referred to as “commercial”. While their styles vary considerably, the way they use their voices seems to be relatively consistent.

Training

First of all, commercial singers don’t historically train like classical singers do. While there are schools like Belmont University that offer degrees in Commercial Voice, many of the

most successful non-classical singers of today are known more for their unique style, natural talent and personality than for their technical mastery of the voice.

Breathing/Support

Unlike classical singers, commercial singers usually breathe just as they would when they’re speaking normally. A long phrase might warrant a big breath, but studying the placement and movement of one’s internal organs is not usually done by pop singers.

Resonance

Most commercial singers are not concerned with creating a resonant tone. In fact, a pop song sung with a lot of resonance would probably sound pretty silly to most people.

Projection/Volume

Essentially all commercial singers depend upon microphones to be heard in a large performance space. This enables the singers to deliver their message in either a loud, dramatic style, or in an intimate, conversational style, with little physical effort. Opera singers, however, depend on the acoustics of the performance space and their ability to project their voices naturally to be heard. Microphones are rarely used in operatic performances.

A comparison: Classical Training vs. Musical Theatre Training Many people ask about the difference between an opera and a musical like Les Miserables or The Phantom of the Opera. Both classical (operatic) and musical theatre styles of singing require a good deal of training on the part of their singers. Though both styles stress many similar points, as good breath support, intonation, enunciation, acting ability, and projection, there are areas where the two styles diverge. For example:

Musical theatre voice stresses the use of belt voice (straight chest voice) and mix voice (combination of head and chest voice). Classical voice usually has a warmer, rounder sound while musical theatre voice, though just as full as classical, usually has a broader, harder, even sharper sound. You generally hear a greater use of vibrato in classical voice than in musical theatre voice.

Also, singers in musicals wear microphones hidden in their costumes or wigs to amplify their voices. As we stated above, microphones are rarely used in operatic performances.

Voice TypesAll classical singers fall into one of the categories listed below. A singer cannot choose his/her voice-type…it is something they are born with. Composers usually assign a voice type to a character based on his/her personality or age. Read these descriptions for specific examples.

Female Voices

Soprano: This is the highest female voice and has a range similar to a violin. In opera, the soprano most often plays the young girl or the heroine (sometimes called the Prima Donna), since a high bright voice traditionally suggests femininity, virtue and innocence. The normal range of a soprano is from middle C through two octaves above middle C, sometimes with extra top notes. Most women are sopranos.

Mezzo-Soprano: Also called a mezzo, this is the middle female voice and has a range similar to an oboe. A mezzo’s sound is often darker and warmer than a soprano’s. In opera, composers generally use a mezzo to portray older women, villainesses, seductive heroines, and sometimes even young boys (like Hansel in Hansel and Gretel). This is a special operatic convention called a “trouser role” or a “pants role.” The mezzo’s normal range is from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above it.

Contralto: This is the lowest female voice and has a range similar to a clarinet. Contraltos usually sing the roles of older females or special character parts such as witches and old gypsies. The range is two octaves from F below middle C to the top line of the treble clef. A true contralto is very rare – some believe they don’t exist at all!

Male VoicesCountertenor: This is the highest male voice, which was mainly used in very early opera and oratorio (a genre of classical vocal music similar to opera but generally based on a religious topic and accompanied by a choir). The voice of a countertenor sounds very much like a mezzo-soprano’s voice and they often sing the same repertoire. Like the contralto, true countertenors are very rare.

Tenor: This is usually the highest male voice in an opera. It is similar to a trumpet in range, tone, color, and acoustical ring. The tenor typically plays the hero or the love interest in an opera. His voice ranges from the C below middle C to the C above.

Baritone: This is the middle male voice and is close to a French horn in range and tone color. In opera buffa (comedic opera), the baritone is often the ring-leader of the comedy, but in opera seria (serious or tragic opera), he is usually the villain. The range is from the G that is an octave and a half below middle C to G above.

Bass: This is the lowest male voice and is similar to a trombone or bassoon in range and color. Low voices usually suggest age and wisdom in serious opera. In comic opera they are generally used for old characters that are foolish or laughable. The range spans from roughly the F above middle C down to the F an octave and a fourth below.

What’s your voice type?Discovering your voice-type is not as simple as having green eyes or blue. Singers often float between these categories, and some never really know where they fit. Sometimes, a

female singer starts out her training as a soprano and ends up singing mezzo roles a few years into her studies. Baritones with good high notes are often mistaken for tenors. Singing the wrong repertoire can lead to all sorts of vocal problems and can even shorten or end a singer’s career. That’s why it’s very important to have a good teacher whom you trust and to be selective in the jobs you choose.

Voice Types Based on Size and QualityVoices are also categorized according to size and quality. There are small, medium, medium-large and large voices in opera. The quality of a voice can be defined using the following terms:

Soubrette A soprano of very light vocal weight, comparatively small range, and has the looks of a young girl. Soubrette roles are often flirtatious and witty, and outsmart the rich and powerful by the end of the opera. Many soubrette roles have names that end in -ina: Despina (Mozart’s Cosí fan tutte), Adina (Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love), and Zerlina (Mozart’s Don Giovanni) are soubrettes.

Character

Singers with an exceedingly unique and not always beautiful sound can make a fine living singing character roles. While they don’t get the biggest paycheck, they do tend to get all the laughs. This classification is reserved for the lower voices (mezzo, tenor, baritone, and bass). Examples are Franz, the dancing butler (Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann), the stuttering lawyer Blind (Strauss’s Die Fledermaus), and the Witch in Hansel and Gretel (seen right).

Coloratura

Female singers described as coloraturas have great vocal agility, stunning high notes, and the ability to sing complicated vocal ornamentation. The Queen of the Night (Mozart’s The Magic Flute) is a coloratura soprano

Lyric Soprano

The word lyric generally describes a singer who specializes in long phrases and a beautiful tone. They can be broken down further into light-lyric, full-lyric and just plain old lyric. These titles can precede the general voice type of soprano, tenor and so on.

Dramatic

This describes the heaviest voices in any category except for bass. Dramatic singers are capable of sustained declamation and a great deal of power, even over the largest operatic orchestra of about 80 instruments. The title character in Puccini’s Turandot (right) is sung

by a dramatic soprano. Most of Verdi’s lead characters require a dramatic voice (e.g., Otello).

Helden

A German prefix meaning heroic, applied to a large voice capable of performing the most demanding roles, usually used in reference to roles

written by Richard Wagner. Brünnhilde (the character most often associated with braids and a horned helmet) is a helden-soprano role. Other roles which are helden sopranos include Isolde in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, Kundry in Wagner’s’ Parsifal and Elektra in Strauss’ Elektra.

A Checklist for Opera SingersA good opera singer must have:

Volume

Opera singers are trained to be heard in large theaters, such as Jackson Hall at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, without using microphones. Singers train for years to be able to sing loudly enough to be heard over other soloists, a chorus and a large orchestra of about 70

instruments. How loudly can an opera singer sing? When a jet takes off, the sound reaches 110 – 120 decibels, the human threshold level of pain. A powerful opera singer, singing very close to another person’s ear, could reach up to 110 decibels.

Stamina

Opera requires the ability to sing for two to three hours or even longer. Opera singers rarely perform on consecutive evenings because they are so physically exhausted by the performances. The Nashville Opera plans its schedule so that the artists can rest for a day or two between performances.

Range

Operatic music, as written, requires singers to have a large range – to be able to sing very low notes as well as extremely high notes.

Acting ability

Opera singers don’t just stand on stage and sing; they must be able to act, as well. Just like actors in a play, the singers must make the audience believe in their characters. For example, the Witch in Hansel and Gretel would not be as effective if the singer could not act well.

The right look

Just like an actor in a movie, it is important for an opera singer to look the part of the character he or she is portraying. For example, if a 25 or 30-year old soprano is portraying a girl of 12, she should look very young so we can believe that she’s a child.

Familiarity with different languages

Since opera was developed in Europe, most operas are written in languages other than English. A singer must be familiar with the

pronunciation of foreign languages as well as the meaning of each word that they sing. It is not unusual for an American singer to perform in Italian, French, German, or even Russian!

Opera Production

Opera is created by the combination of ALL THE ART FORMS. First and foremost are the actors who portray characters by revealing their thoughts and emotions through the singing voice. The next very important component is a full symphony orchestra that accompanies the singing actors and actresses, helping them to portray the full range of emotions possible in the operatic format. The orchestra performs in an area in front of the singers called the orchestra pit while the singers perform on the open area called the stage. Wigs, costumes, sets and specialized lighting further enhance these performances, all of which are designed, created, and executed by a team of highly trained artists.

The creation of an opera begins with a dramatic scenario crafted by a playwright or dramaturg who alone or with a librettist fashions the script o libretto that contains the words the artists will sing. Working in tandem, the composer and librettist team up to create a cohesive musical drama in which the music and words work together to express the emotions revealed in the story. Following the completion of their work, the composer and librettist entrust their new work to a conductor who with a team of assistants (repetiteurs) assumes responsibility for the musical preparation of the work. The conductor collaborates with a stage director (responsible for the visual component) in order to bring a performance of the new piece to life on the stage. The stage director and conductor form the creative spearhead for the new composition while assembling a design team which will take charge of the actual physical production.

Set designers, lighting designers, costume designers, wig and makeup designers and even choreographers must all be brought “on board” to participate in the creation of the new production. The set designer combines the skills of both an artist and an architect using “blueprint” plans to design the actual physical set which will reside on the stage, recreating the physical setting required by the storyline. These blueprints are turned over to a team of carpenters who are specially trained in the art of stage carpentry.

As the set is assembled on the stage, the lighting designer works with a team of electricians to throw lights onto both the stage and the set in an atmospheric as well as practical way. Using specialized lighting instruments, colored gels and a state of the art computer, the designer along with the stage director create a “lighting plot” by writing “lighting cues” which are stored in the computer and used during the actual performance of the opera.

During this production period, the costume designer in consultation with the stage director has designed appropriate clothing for the singing actors and actresses to wear. These designs are fashioned into patterns and crafted by a team of highly skilled artisans called cutters, stitchers, and sewers. Each costume is specially made for each singer using their individual measurements. The wig and makeup designer, working with the costume designer, designs and creates wigs which will complement both the costume and the singer as well as represent historically accurate “period” fashions. As the actual performance date approaches, rehearsals are held on the newly crafted set, combined with costumes, lights, and orchestra in

order to ensure a cohesive performance that will be both dramatically and musically satisfying to the assembled audience.

It Takes People to Make Opera! Who's Backstage?

Stage Director (1) directs the action of the show; helps the singers interpret characters; shows actors how to move and gesture; works with designers to create sets and costumes

Stage Manager (2) supervises singers and technical staff during rehearsals and performances

Lighting Designer (3) plans or designs the color, intensity, and frequency of the light onstage

Technical Director (4) coordinates the lighting, set, costumes, and the crews that handle those things

Costume Designer (5) plans or designs the costumes and supervises their construction

Costume Master or Mistress (6) assists with the costumes: how to

take care of them and how they are to be worn

Wigs and Make-up Designer (7) designs and oversees hairstyles, wigs, and make-up

Properties Manager (8) designs and oversees all moveable objects that are not part of the set or costumes (props)

Production Manager coordinates between the artistic and business aspects of production; insures that everything happens on time and within budget

Crew or Stagehands (12 & 13) assist in construction, installation, and changes of the set, costumes, lights, and props

Artistic Director the head of the opera company; makes all the final decisions

Choreographer invents dances and movements and teaches them to dancers and/or cast members

Dresser helps performers put on their costumes properly and change during the performance

Music Director instructs singers on singing and musical style; leads music rehearsals

Set Designer plans or designs the sets and scenery; supervises set construction

Who's on Stage?

Principal (11) a singer who performs a large or primary role in the opera

Actors performers who have dialogue but do not sing

Cast all performers, singers, and actors who appear onstage

Chorus a group of singers who mostly sing together

Comprimario the small or secondary character roles of opera, from the Italian, meaning "next to the first"

Dancers performers who dance instead of singing

Supernumeraries or Supers actors who participate in the action but do not sing or speak

Who’s in the Pit?

Conductor (9) interprets the composer’s score and makes sure the singers and the orchestra is together at all times

Orchestra (10) the musicians who play the musical instruments

Opera GlossaryAria - means “air” in Italian. This is a piece of music written for a one singer (soloist), usually with instrumental accompaniment.

Baritone - the middle singing range of the male voice

Bass - the lowest singing range of the male voice.

Bel Canto (Italian) — Literally, "beautiful singing" or "beautiful song". Bel canto passages are long, smooth and lyrical. While beautiful singing should occur in all operas, it is especially important in works of the nineteenth century such as Lucia di Lammermoor.

Bravo - a form of appreciation shouted by audience members at the end of a particularly pleasing performance. Technically, Bravo refers to a male performer, Brava refers to a female performer and Bravi refers to many performers.

Chorus - a group of singers of all vocal ranges, singing together to support the vocal leads. The chorus was originally an ancient Greek practice of underscoring portions of the drama through music. The chorus is often used for crowd scenes and to play minor characters.

Contralto - the lowest range of the female voice.

Encore - a piece that is performed after the last scheduled piece of a concert. An encore is usually performed because the audience wants to hear more music even though the concert is over.

Falsetto - the upper part of a voice in which the vocal cords do not vibrate completely. Usually used by males to imitate a female voice.

Finale - the last musical number of an opera or an act.

Interlude - a short piece of instrumental music played between scenes and acts.

Leitmotif - A theme or other musical idea the represents or symbolizes a person, object, place, idea, state of mind, supernatural force or some other ingredient in a dramatic work. An idea used widely throughout German opera, though associated with Richard Wagner in most of his operas.

Librettist - the writer of the opera’s text.

Libretto - Italian for the “little book”, it is the text or story of the opera.

Maestro - means “master” in Italian. Used as a courtesy title for the conductor (male or female).

Mezzo Soprano - the middle singing range for a female voice.

Opera - a dramatic presentation which is set to music, but not just a play with music. Almost all of it is sung, and the orchestra is an equal partner with the singers. Like a play, an opera is acted on stage with costumes, scenery, makeup, etc. Opera is the plural form of the Latin word opus, which means ‘work.’

Opera-comique (French) or Singspeil (German) - a form of opera which contains spoken dialogue.

Overture - an orchestral introduction to the opera played before the curtain rises. Usually longer than a prelude and can be played as a separate piece.

Pants Role - A young male character who is sung by a woman, usually a mezzo-soprano, meant to imitate the sound of a boy whose voice has not yet changed. Also called Trousers Role.

Prelude - a short introduction that leads into an act without pause.

Recitative - Lines of dialogue which are sung, usually with no recognizable melody. It is used to advance the plot.

Soprano - the highest range of the female singing voice.

Stage Director - the person in charge of the action on stage. He or she shows the singers, chorus and cast where and when to move and helps them create their characters. The stage director develops a concept for how the entire performance should look and feel. He or she works closely with the stage managers, lighting designer, set designers, costume designer and wig and make-up artists to make the vision into reality.

Stage Manager - the person who coordinates and manages elements of the performance.

Supernumeraries (Supers) - appear on stage in costume in non-singing and usually, non-speaking roles.

Surtitles - the English translations of the opera’s language that are projected above the stage during a performance to help the audience follow the story. Much like subtitles in a foreign film.

Synopsis - a short summary of what takes place in the story.

Tenor - the highest adult male voice.

Verismo - describes a realistic style of opera that started in Italy at the end of the 19th century.

Opera EtiquetteBefore bringing a group to the Opera, please go over etiquette with your students to ensure an enjoyable experience for all audience members.What to Wear?

Most people like to dress up when they go to the opera because it’s part of the fun! Nowadays you can pretty much wear whatever you want. However, an evening at the opera is usually considered to be a special occasion. We encourage dressing in layers so bring a sweater, wrap or jacket just in case.Arrive on TimeYou should always make sure you get to the opera house in plenty of time to find parking, get your tickets and be seated before the performance starts. Thirty minutes before start time (curtain) is usually sufficient. If you are late, the ushers may let you in after the overture, but, if there is not an overture, you may have to wait until intermission and miss the entire first act!Remain Quiet during the PerformanceThere is nothing worse than sitting near a chatterbox, someone text messaging or a ringing cell phone during a performance. Please turn off anything that can make noise or light. Save your comments for intermission and, by all means, do not sing along! Remember recording devices, video and photography is not permitted of any Virginia Opera performance.Applaud When AppropriateThe correct times to applaud are when the conductor takes the podium at the very beginning of the performance, after the overture, after a big aria, at the end of each act, and when the singers come out to take a bow . If you are unsure when those times are, it is best to wait and follow the lead of other audience members.Applaud AppropriatelyClapping while sitting or standing is always acceptable and you can yell “Bravo!” to show appreciation for a male singer, “Brava!” to show appreciation for a female singer, and “Bravi!” to show appreciation for a group of singers. Yelling out anything other than those three words, as well as screaming or whistling, is inappropriate.Why We Follow These Etiquette Rules:• Because it is respectful to the performers and the theater to dress nicely.

• Because it’s dangerous to try to step over people in the dark, and because it’s disrespectful to the performers and the other audience members.• Because the performers really can hear the whispers from on stage, and other people are trying to watch.• Gum, candy, and drinks make noise that will distract the performers, and are not permitted in the theatre

TOP TEN OPERAS PERFORMED THE MOST…La Traviata- VerdiCarmen- BizetLa Boheme- PucciniDie Zauberflote (The Magic Flute)- MozartTosca- PucciniMadama Butterfly- PucciniBarber of Seville- RossiniLe Nozze di Figaro- MozartRigoletto- VerdiDon Giovanni- Mozart

TOP TEN OPERA HOUSES IN THE WORLD…La Scala- Milan, Italy Sydney Opera

House, Sydney, AustraliaTeatro di San Carlo, Naples, Italy The Bolshoi, Moscow, RussiaTeatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Argentina Paris Opéra, Paris, FranceThe Royal Opera House, London, England Metropolitan Opera, USAOpéra Royal, Versailles Court Theater, France Vienna Staatsoper, Vienna,

Austria

Florencia en el AmazonasPresented by Nashville Opera

Music by Daniel CatánLibretto by Marcela Fuentes-Berain

Based on the writings of Gabriel Garcia MarquezFirst Performance: Houston Grand Opera on October 25, 1996

Cast John Hoomes, Stage Director

Dean Williamson, Conductor

Florencia Grimaldi Elizabeth Caballero, sopranoRosalba Zulimar López, sopranoPaula Kirstin Chávez, mezzo-sopranoArcadio Javier Abreu, tenorRiolobo Keith Miller, bass-baritoneÁlvaro Michael Corvino, baritoneCapitán TBD, bass-baritone

Study Guide ContributorsMelissa Meyers, Nashville Opera Intern

Chandra McKern, Director of Education and Outreach

Performances

Friday, January 23, 2015, 8:00 PMSunday, January 25, 2015, 2:00 PM

Tuesday, January 27, 2015, 7:00 PMJames K. Polk Theater

Tennessee Performing Arts CenterNashville, Tennessee

Tickets

Available at TPAC Box Office (615-782-4040)

OrThe Nashville Opera Offices

615-832-5242www.nashvilleopera.org