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early opera

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t-p
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« on: January 10, 2012, 07:44:01 pm »

Here is another company that is very intersting. I am amazed at interest to early opera.

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Neil McGowan
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« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2012, 05:04:36 pm »

Here is another company that is very intersting. I am amazed at interest to early opera.



I believe that's David Daniels there in the picture, alongside Kurt Streit (who is singing the aria). 

I took the opportunity to read Kenneth Clark's provocative book "Civilisation" over the holidays. For all its many quirks and occasional inaccuracies (especially about music, where he is very cavalier about dating) it's a marvellous book - because he dares to think in big ideas and wide horizons...  a view very out of fashion with today's nitpickers. But I mention this all because of one extraordinary remark he makes about baroque opera - that opera houses essentially replaced churches in society from the second decade of the C18th onwards.  Before this date there are almost no surviving opera houses, and the few we know of were usually conventional theatres, pressed into service to stage opera.  But from the 1720s purpose-built opera houses suddenly mushroom all over Europe - built at the same colossal cost as churches, and without regard to "profitability" in the modern sense. 

If Clark is right here - as I am sure he is - then it says something very important about the role opera played in the High Baroque era...  even in protestant countries who were theoretically immune to its felicities ;)
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« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2012, 07:10:46 am »

I took the opportunity to read Kenneth Clark's provocative book "Civilisation" over the holidays. For all its many quirks and occasional inaccuracies (especially about music, where he is very cavalier about dating) it's a marvellous book - because he dares to think in big ideas and wide horizons...  a view very out of fashion with today's nitpickers. But I mention this all because of one extraordinary remark he makes about baroque opera - that opera houses essentially replaced churches in society from the second decade of the C18th onwards.  Before this date there are almost no surviving opera houses, and the few we know of were usually conventional theatres, pressed into service to stage opera.  But from the 1720s purpose-built opera houses suddenly mushroom all over Europe - built at the same colossal cost as churches, and without regard to "profitability" in the modern sense. 

If Clark is right here - as I am sure he is - then it says something very important about the role opera played in the High Baroque era...  even in protestant countries who were theoretically immune to its felicities.

I had much the same idea after looking at this thread about opera houses of the world: http://artmusic.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,279.0.html

Here are some examples and they are indeed all very alike. The idea of the "stage" or "platform" is not at all dissimilar to that of the "altar" or "table." And the congregation, of course, come in both cases to worship (although worship of sopranos instead of worship of composers is somewhat of a perversion is it not).





It is significant that "opera houses" are erected not so as to celebrate the highest form of music, the absolute, but out of veneration for a somewhat lesser form, associated with a story.

In much the same way, I would maintain, were cathedrals erected not for the ends of true, absolute religion, but in order to disseminate a story.
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« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2012, 11:30:30 am »


It is significant that "opera houses" are erected not so as to celebrate the highest form of music, the absolute, but out of veneration for a somewhat lesser form, associated with a story.

Ah, Mr Grew!  I am sorry to hear your misgivings about opera still give you occasion to deny yourself some of the finest works in the musical repertoire!

It may be true that opera is a child born outside musical wedlock.  However, as a synthesis of music with literature, drama and the visual arts, the child has shown great promise so far, and enjoyed the active support, encouragement and contribution of its extended family :)
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t-p
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« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2012, 02:06:21 pm »

Baroque opera is really striving now!!!

I am listnening to Rameau's opera on radio 3 this afternoon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2K4fvXQZ_I&feature=related

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t-p
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« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2012, 03:57:57 pm »

Here is Lully's opera Atys. I found it by chance and want to share it if anyone is interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVX1He2kjcE&feature=socblog_th

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« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2012, 04:25:46 pm »

Here is Lully's opera Atys.

Atys!  Атас!  :)
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t-p
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« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2012, 10:04:44 pm »

Danielle de Niese was on In Tune today.

Here is promotion. I think the beginning is not her best performce.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKMd0AH0u3o&feature=related




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« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2012, 09:38:00 am »

Danielle de Niese was on In Tune today.

Aha!  Lady Christie to be :)

I agree, she shouldn't have sung Ombra m'ai fu. Lady Christie's De Niese's voice is essentially a pleasant soubrette, and ideally suited for many of the baroque roles she's sung at Glyndebourne and elsewhere. Serse was written for the alto castrato Caffarelli, and even mezzo-sopranos find it uncomfortably low when they attempt it. Although this particular aria - which opens the entire opera - doesn't lie so deeply as the rest of it, it doesn't lie comfortably for De Niese.  "Having the notes is one thing - making music with them is another" ;)
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