MUS 2310 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Mark Snow, Akira Kurosawa, The X-Files

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Music
• Course: MUS 2310
• Professor: Paul A Merkley

Document Summary

Wagner criticized opera of the 19th century because he did not think that the drama and music were well integrated. He said for example that one person in the audience might pay attention to the melody. Another to the staging and another to an elephant. He wanted his operas to integrate all elements and to captivate the audience. Thought opera should be a total artwork immersive art form. Start to associate motives with characters or events. Motive builds up as more instruments are added. Wagner made the idea of the total art work (german gesamtkunstwerk) He wanted the singing, orchestra, costumes and staging all to support the story. He placed all element of his operas under his own control, writing the story, teaching the singers a new style of performance, designing sets and costumes. Some, at the time, said this was impossible, so you shouldn"t buy a ticket.