OPERA REFORM

Early 18th Century Opera was thought by some to be failing

á          Musical problems:

á          Highly conventionalized

á          Rigid succession of musical numbers (alternating recits and da capo arias)

á          Arias disrupted drama

á          ÒUnnatural declamationÓ

á          Plot/Libretto problems:

á          complexity made it impossible to follow

á          silly farcical scenes

á          spectacular visual effects

á          mythology seemed too far-fetched to current audiences (although it still is used!)

Some librettists and composers tried to make reforms, which led to development of Opera Seria,  a type of 18th century opera with characters from ancient history, and emphasizing moral choices; term especially applies to operas on librettos of Zeno and Metastasio

á          First major reformer was librettist was Apostolo Zeno (1668-1750). 

á          Used French dramas of Racine and Corneille as model

á          Often has 5 acts as French had 

á          Historical plots favored over mythology because history was more ÒrationalÓ

á          Reduced size of cast

á          This also simplifies plot

á          Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782).  Ironically, his reforms became conventions:

á          Aria texts that were ideally suited to da capo format

á          Arias served important purpose of clarifying emotional tenor at any given moment, but also perpetuated the exit aria

á          Explored psychological conflict as opposed to Òaction adventureÓ opera of later 17th century.  His libretti center on Òmoral struggle between duty and inclinationÓ

á          MetastasioÕs life coincides with major changes in musical style: (pre-)Classical

á          simplified harmonic motion, longer flowing phrases, simpler  texture

 

á          Theory vs. Practice: substitutions of arias (suitcase arias written for an individual singer)

á          Other Reformers:

á          Benedetto Marcello: Il Teatro all moda

á          Francesco Algoratti: Saggio sopra lÕopera in musica (1755)

á          Christoph Willibald von Gluck (1714-87) is the name most associated with reform of 18th century opera; he was part of a team with librettist Ranieri Calzabigi (1714-95), and several artists in related disciplines who had exposure to the ÒbestÓ aspects of opera traditions all over Europe

á          Gluck and Calzabigi collaborated on Orfeo ed Euridice, which was pretty experimental in some ways

á          GluckÕs Reforms

á          He rarely used da capo aria; instead used strophic forms, or his simplified small aria, a shorter, modified version of an ABA format, with much less repetition. 

á          He changed content of recits, made them short and to the point

á          Harmony in recits became more elaborate

á          He brought back the Chorus: he demanded a variety of style and affect from chorus, introduced dramatic action to the chorus; choruses would interpolate comments during recits; also had chorus dancing as well as singing (previously done by separate groups)