Opera seria
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
| Revision as of 10:46, 31 July 2010 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) ← Previous diff |
Revision as of 10:47, 31 July 2010 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) Next diff → |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{Template}} | {{Template}} | ||
| - | '''Comic opera''', or ''light opera'', denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a [[happy ending]]. | ||
| - | Comic opera first developed in 18th-century Italy as ''[[opera buffa]]'', an alternative to [[opera seria]]. It quickly made its way to France, where it became [[opera comique|opéra comique]], or ''opéra bouffe'', and finally French [[operetta]], with [[Jacques Offenbach]] as its most accomplished practitioner. | + | '''''Opera seria''''' (usually called ''[[dramma per musica]]'' or ''[[melodramma]] serio'') is an Italian musical term which refers to the noble and "serious" style of [[Italian opera]] that predominated in Europe from the 1710s to circa 1770. The term itself was rarely used at the time and only became common usage once ''opera seria'' became unfashionable, and was viewed as a historical genre. The popular rival to ''opera seria'' was ''[[opera buffa]],'' the 'comic' opera that took its cue from the improvisatory [[commedia dell'arte]]. |
| - | Both the Italian and French forms were major artistic exports to other parts of Europe. Many countries developed their own styles of comic opera, incorporating the Italian and French models along with their own musical traditions. Examples include Viennese operetta, German [[singspiel]], Spanish [[zarzuela]], Russian comic opera, English [[ballad opera]], and [[Savoy Opera]]. | + | Italian ''opera seria'' (invariably to Italian [[libretto]]s) was produced not only in [[Italy]] but also in [[Habsburg]] [[Austria]], [[England]], [[Saxony]] and other [[Germany|German states]], even in [[Spain]], and other countries. ''Opera seria'' was less popular in France, where the national genre of [[French opera]] was preferred. Popular composers of ''opera seria'' included [[Alessandro Scarlatti]], [[Johann Adolf Hasse]], [[Leonardo Vinci]], [[Nicola Porpora]], [[George Frideric Handel]], and in the second half of the 18th century [[Tommaso Traetta]], [[Christoph Willibald Gluck|Gluck]], and [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]]. |
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Revision as of 10:47, 31 July 2010
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
Opera seria (usually called dramma per musica or melodramma serio) is an Italian musical term which refers to the noble and "serious" style of Italian opera that predominated in Europe from the 1710s to circa 1770. The term itself was rarely used at the time and only became common usage once opera seria became unfashionable, and was viewed as a historical genre. The popular rival to opera seria was opera buffa, the 'comic' opera that took its cue from the improvisatory commedia dell'arte.
Italian opera seria (invariably to Italian librettos) was produced not only in Italy but also in Habsburg Austria, England, Saxony and other German states, even in Spain, and other countries. Opera seria was less popular in France, where the national genre of French opera was preferred. Popular composers of opera seria included Alessandro Scarlatti, Johann Adolf Hasse, Leonardo Vinci, Nicola Porpora, George Frideric Handel, and in the second half of the 18th century Tommaso Traetta, Gluck, and Mozart.
