MUS-0001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Machismo, Aria, Leitmotif
Document Summary
: walter scott, victor hugo: shakespeare stories, mythology, medieval themes also popular, realistic stories at end of the romantic era (around 1900, orchestra plays important role. Giuseppe verdi (1813 1901: most famous italian romantic opera composer, wrote around 40 operas (most in italian, wrote in bel canto (cid:894)(cid:862)(cid:271)eautiful si(cid:374)gi(cid:374)g(cid:863)(cid:895) st(cid:455)le. Mai(cid:374) fo(cid:272)us is o(cid:374) the si(cid:374)ge(cid:396)s, thei(cid:396) virtuosity: ve(cid:396)di"s ope(cid:396)as ha(cid:448)e a(cid:396)ias a(cid:374)d e(cid:374)se(cid:373)(cid:271)les. Passages like recitative for dialogue (no basso continuo, more declamatory, orchestra is minimal): different than the recitative we heard with handel and mozart, verdi wrote memorable/catchy melodies. Italian opera based on play by french romantic author victor hugo: set in 16th century italy. Story focuses on morally corrupt, womanizing duke of mantua, his (cid:272)ou(cid:396)t jeste(cid:396) rigoletto, a(cid:374)d rigoletto"s daughte(cid:396) gilda. Afte(cid:396) the duke sedu(cid:272)es gilda (in disguise), rigoletto plots revenge, hiring the assassin sparafucile to kill the duke. Tragically, the plot goes horribly wrong and gilda herself is killed by mistake: the story was quite controversial.
