What is an opera in music, or A short excursion into an opera

Most often, the opera of an inexperienced listener is associated with loud music, strong voices and, to admit, an obscure text. As a rule, viewers use the libretto to understand what is being said. But few know that this concept is much deeper. What is an opera? In music, this term is used to refer to a number of genres associated with the exceptional role of music in the performance.

History of opera

Opera as a genre originated in Italy in the distant fifteenth century. It was part of theatrical performances on religious themes, music in which played a secondary role. Later there were pastoral songs, performed most often in chorus, he performed in performances, accompanying the actions of artists. And only after a hundred years theaters began to use solo performance of works - this is considered the birth of the genre, which was called the "musical opera".

The development of opera

Originally composers preferred to name the new genre in which they worked, a musical drama, but in the seventeenth century the term "opera" appeared. The first theater, working in this genre, appeared in the first half of the seventeenth century in the art of Venice. Prior to this viewers could only become high-ranking officials. The musical opera very soon went beyond Italy, penetrating most of the European countries. For half a century, seven theaters opened, for which about forty composers worked.

Opera in Russia

Russia adopted something new very reluctantly and with great delay. What is opera in music, the court of Empress Anna Ioannovna learned only in the eighteenth century, when the country was visited by Italian actors. The first Russian work in this genre (The Power of Love and Hatred) was translated from French. Twenty years it took to ensure that the Russian-language opera was written.

Nationalization of the opera

Mikhail Glinka is undeniably a brilliant composer who has done a lot for the development of music in Russia. He did everything possible to display in his works a national character, to show the soul of the Russian people. The operas of Glinka appeared in Italy, where he studied music, but even their names (Ivan Susanin, Ruslan and Lyudmila) indicate that the composer did not want to give up his roots in any case. Surprisingly, Glinka took part in writing the libretto, he was not afraid to challenge the canons, change the mood of his works, he was not afraid to experiment in his music. He used new instruments, previously only found in European productions. The operas of Glinka became a source of inspiration for such famous composers as Weber and Berlioz, later Wagner borrowed some ideas.

The continuer

After the success of Glinka, the opera no longer seemed to Russia so alien to the genre. Many famous composers tried their hand at this difficult genre, and Rimsky-Korsakov was no exception. The operas of this musician were considered magical, he was called the storyteller. The reason for such flattering reviews was the amazing talent of the musician, who was able to create in his works a stunning realistic atmosphere. But very soon he proved that he is capable not only of the scenic embodiment of fairy tales. Opera "Mozart and Salieri" demonstrated the development of personality, the contradictory nature of the characters, the intricacies of the feelings and emotions of the characters. It seems that Rimsky-Korsakov radically turned the notion of Russia about what an opera is in music, creating fifteen unique works that have entered the history of world art.

Opera Phrase

The genre of the opera is amazing because it combines elements of classical drama and choreography, most often represented by ballet, to which tremendous music is added with equally striking vocals. You can not imagine an opera without arias. Aria is the same as the monologue in the lyric work. It serves to enable the hero to reveal his thoughts and feelings, to tell about his attitude to what is happening. The word "aria" originates from the Italian "breath", it is explained by the fact that the entire musical phrase is sung in one breath. Researchers believe that such a technique gives drama to what is happening on stage. But at the same time, many arias have already gone beyond the scale of the theatrical scene. For example, the aria from the opera "Carmen", in the Russian analogue of the production, beginning with the words "love like a bird's wings," is known not only to connoisseurs of art, but also to ordinary people. The same applies to such famous musical works as arias from The Marriage of Figaro (the phrase from which "Figaro is here, Figaro is there" has already become a winged one) or "The heart of a beauty is inclined to betrayal" from "Rigoletto".

Conclusion

Opera is one of the most amazing and controversial music genres. On the one hand, you can not help admiring the perfect combination of dramatic plot, music, strong voices and amazing scenery. But on the other hand, sometimes it seems too difficult to perceive an unprepared listener. But it is worth paying tribute: in the world there is no other genre, so harmoniously combining everything that is valued by the theater. What is an opera in music? It is an endless storehouse of feelings and emotions, clothed in sound, the highest level of mastery of the composer, who was able to translate the whole world in his work, showing the smallest details in the sound of musical instruments. There is no genre equal in scale and complexity of the opera, which is why it is worthy of admiration and respect of listeners.