The Magic Flute

STUDY GUIDE

THE STUDENT OPERA EXPERIENCE

Index

The Student Experience Part 1: preparing for the opera experience

The Student Experience Part 2: activities and projects

The Student Experience Part 3: characters, synopsis, Mozart & cast

biographies

The Student Experience Part 4: language and history of opera

Introduction

Lights, music, curtain! This is the fantastic world of opera. Calgary Opera is excited to be

presenting Mozart’s The Magic Flute at your school.

Opera is a unique and exciting art form that combines the disciplines of music, drama,

literature, dance, visual, and technical arts like no other. The Opera in Schools Tour is a

unique opportunity to bring all of this, along with Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artists, to your

school.

This guide, divided into separate sections for students and teachers, will give you the

backstage tour of all that is opera - terminology, jobs, inside information from the conductor,

the history behind the opera and the composer, ideas for preparing students and engaging

them in relevant discussions, and a link to obtain musical highlights from the opera. All of

this is designed to make The Magic Flute an unforgettable experience for you and your

students.

We hope that this guide will provide you with a departure point through which you can

explore The Magic Flute with your students, and deepen their understanding and

enrichment of the arts through opera. A study of the performing and fine arts helps students

develop critical analysis and problem solving skills, perseverance, and a drive for excellence.

The creative skills students develop through the arts carry them toward new ideas, new

experiences and new challenges. Plus, there’s nothing like the excitement and magic of a live

professional performance!

Thank you for giving your students this special opportunity.

Emily Forrest

Education and Outreach Coordinator

Calgary Opera

Phone (403) 262-7286, direct line (403) 802-3404

eforrest@calgaryopera.com

Emerging Artist Development Program is funded in part through the Arts Training Fund

Education Sponsor Community Outreach Sponsor Emerging Artist Development Program

The Student Opera Experience Part 1: preparing for the opera

experience

The more students are prepared for this experience, the more they will get out of it.

Knowing the story, the life and times of the composer and the music is very important to

make their opera experience a sensational one!

Before the Opera

Teachers should review the study guide and all of the suggested activities and discussions, to

decide which parts students will be engaged with. Some of the activities/discussions should

be started prior to seeing the opera. Preparing students ahead of time gives them a chance

to view the opera within the context of what they will be working on after i.e. history,

reviewing, character studies, discussions, etc.

Read the enclosed synopsis of The Magic Flute, which provides a background and

helps familiarize students and teachers with the story.

Listen to the music excerpts found in the downloadable zip file or linked directly in

this document.

Read the history of the opera, composer and director, and familiarize your group with

opera terms (all items in the guide can be reproduced).

Familiarize students with the characters and their opera voice types (i.e. soprano,

bass, and tenor) so that students can identify which is which during the opera.

Discuss the characters and plot, and engage students in discussion around the

suggested themes.

You may wish to assign students to write a review on the opera – a guideline for

writing reviews is included in this study guide.

During the Opera Turn off all cell phones, iPods, and other electronic devices. The use of cameras or

recording devices is strictly forbidden.

Think about what makes a good audience member

Leave food and drinks at your class, and don’t bring them with you to the gymnasium.

Applaud the cast as they take their bows after the performance - if you feel one person

did an exceptional job, it is permissible to shout “Bravo!” for a man, “Brava!” for a

woman, and “Bravi!” for the whole performance (most people say “Bravo!”).

The Student Experience Part 2: activities and projects

1. Write a review or critique of the performance

One of the best ways to encourage critical thinking of a performing arts production is to

encourage students’ honesty and draw out detailed opinions. A productive evaluation

session - spoken, written, visual or dramatized - should follow this basic ‘how-to’ outline

below.

On the Internet, students can find many reviews of The Magic Flute from other opera

companies’ performances to use as a guideline or follow this sample review.

Sample Review

BRING THE KIDS TO THIS “SUNNY MID-WINTER TREAT.”

Look out for dancing bears and dinosaurs as into the enchanted forest we go! Lyric’s inspired

production reflects the composer himself — seamlessly blending emotional profundity with

slapstick humor that appeals to the kid in us all.

With a hapless and endearing bird catcher as his sidekick, Prince Tamino is searching for the

girl of his dreams. The mysterious Queen of the Night says her daughter’s the one — and just

waiting to be rescued from the evil wizard, Sarastro. But it turns out he’s not the evil one at

all!

A young couple’s journey to adulthood, the search for universal truths, Masonic rituals and

religious allegory — Flute gives us much to ponder, and music that’s a wondrous joy!

- Chicago Sunday Times

Guidelines for writing a review

When writing a theatre review you must remember four main components: the acting, the

singing, the technical, and the overall view. The acting and singing are probably the most

important aspects of the opera. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the opera and its

characters before you see it.

Make sure you know all of the characters and the singers who are playing them; the study

guide or the Calgary Opera website is an ideal place in which to find all this information. Did

the singers bring life to the music? What did they do to bring their particular character to

life? Could you see and hear the emotion while they sang? Did they interact well with others

on stage? Did any particular performer stand out to you and why? Keep in mind that

everyone has a very unique style of acting and maybe comment on that. How well are they

giving and taking focus? Is there any one person who sticks out in your head as “hogging” all

the attention?

The next aspect to look at is the technical. This includes everything from the lights and sound

to the costumes and make-up. In a school performance, control over the lighting is minimal,

and the set has to be simple in order to be transported from school to school. How well do

you think the set works given its limitations? Do the costumes properly illustrate the story

and the characters?

The costumes and set should portray the time period and part of each character’s

personality. The make-up should do the same, but keep a look out for shadows and lines on

the face. All these things are very important to the performance of the show. Again,

familiarizing yourself with the opera before you go will assist with making these decisions.

The appeal of the music is often a matter of opinion because everyone likes different kinds

of music; however, it should accent the style and format of the performance.

The overall view of the theatre will give the reader a feel of exactly how well you enjoyed

your experience at this production. The audience is also a major part of your theatre

experience. Was the audience big? Did your classmates seem to enjoy the show? Did the

singers interact with the audience at all? Remember, you shouldn’t make this the main

point, but it would be good to comment on it. This entire portion should convey your opinion

and feeling of how the show went.

So in conclusion, remember the singing and acting, the technical, and the overall view, and

you’ll have written a successful theatre review. Oh, and one more thing: don’t ever lie so as

not to hurt someone’s feelings. Constructive criticism can be helpful. Keep all these things in

mind when writing your review and it will be great. Have fun!

2. Engage students in meaningful discussions using the following points of departure Mozart was known for being an outlandish and fun-loving composer, with The Magic Flute

being his most bizarre and unprecedented composition.

If you were to make your own version of The Magic Flute, where would it take place?

What sort of a person would the protagonist (Tamino) be?

If you could write your own original fantasy opera, what would it be about? What

sorts of crazy characters would you include? Who would be your antagonist and

why?

3. Creative writing project

The Magic Flute starts part way through Tamino’s story when he encounters the dangerous

serpent and it is never revealed to the audience how he got in that position.

Write the story of what happens to Tamino that leads up to the first scene in the

opera.

4. Research and report on fairy tales

The Magic Flute is a fairy tale story about Prince Tamino and his quest to find and free

Princess Pamina.

What elements of the story make it a fairy tale?

What other fairy tales can you describe? What do they have in common with The

Magic Flute?

Why do you think people love fairy tales and continue to tell them hundreds of

years after they were first written?

What modern movies can you find that have the basic elements to make it a fairy

tale?

5. Mozart History Projects

Of all the famous composers, Mozart stands out as both infamous and talented. He

composed over 600 works during his lifetime, including 22 operas.

Research Mozart’s life and what made him such an exceptional historical figure

Mozart spent the most productive years of his life in Vienna. Research Vienna in the

late 1700s. What was it like to live and work there?

6. Analyzing the music

Listen to the included tracks from the opera, and discuss the following:

Discuss the emotions within the music. How does the melody support these

emotions or ideas?

What do you think the composer was trying to convey? Do you think the music fits

the subject manner?

Does the music make you feel anything?

Why do you think Mozart’s music is so popular even today?

Queen of the Night Aria (Queen of the Night)

Such Loveliness Beyond Compare (Tamino, Three Ladies)

Prince Tamino gazes upon a portrait of Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night, and

sings that if he could but meet this lovely creature he would declare his love and she would

be his forever.

Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm! (Papageno, Tamino, Three Ladies)

Papageno, his mouth fastened by a padlock for lying, attempts to explain his predicament to

Tamino. Three Ladies (Soprano, Mezzo-soprano and Alto), enter and free him, and giving a

magic flute to Tamino and a set of magic bells to Papageno, set them on a quest to find

Pamina.

7. Become an opera star

Find out what it’s like to be an opera star by playing this fun improvisation game with

students.

Form a team of 3 - 5 people.

Ask for a fairy tale from the audience (ie. Cinderella, The Three Little Pigs).

Act out the story by singing all of the lines with everyone picking a character to play.

Experiment with different tones and melodies. Don’t be afraid to use songs you

know, but try to make up your own tunes too!

8. Learn more about Calgary Opera

Visit Calgary Opera’s website to learn more about Calgary Opera and the history of opera.

9. Opera composer word search

The word search puzzle is located at the end of this guide. For more word search puzzle activities, visit http://www.musicwithease.com/word-search-composers-b.html

10. Research and report on fairy tales

Fairy tales and legends are told in every language in every country across the world.

Storytelling is the most ancient form of recording history; before human beings could read or

write, they could speak and communicate. Stories were passed down from parents to

children, from generation to generation. Some prominent examples of modern fairy tales in

popular culture are Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Common characteristics of

a fairy tale include:

It takes place long ago and far away.

Some of the characters are good and some are evil.

There is always a problem to solve.

Someone makes a plan to solve the problem.

There is a transformation in the story, i.e. frog to prince, zero to hero.

There is usually magic in the story.

There are often objects, people or events that happen in threes.

Often has a happy ending.

There is often a reward at the end.

It teaches a lesson or demonstrates values that are important to a certain culture.

THE STUDENT OPERA EXPERIENCE: PART 3 –

characters, synopsis, Mozart and cast biographies

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART - composer

1756-1791

His early life

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Vohlf-gahng Ah-mah-day-us

–Moht-sahrt), Christened Johannes Chrysostomus

Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was born in Salzburg. His

father, Leopold Mozart, was a famous musician and

composer in his own right, but he came to realize that

even at a tender age, Wolfgang was uniquely musically

gifted.

Wolfgang was definitely a child prodigy. At the age of

three, he already sat in front of the harpsichord at-

tempting to find harmonic successions of thirds, and his

voice cried out joyfully when he succeeded. Soon he

began producing minuets and sonatas for violin and

harpsichord.

Wolgang’s older sister, Maria Anna (called Nannerl) was

also greatly talented and Leopold presented them in an

extensive tour of the concert halls and royal courts of

Europe. Whenever he performed, the charm of his personality and his incredible genius

conquered the hearts of music lovers.

His musical gifts

The Frankfurt newspaper announced: “He will play a concerto for the violin, and will

accompany symphonies on the clavier, the manual or keyboard being covered with a cloth,

with as much facility as if he could see the keys: he will instantly name all the notes played at

a distance, whether singly or in chords as on the clavier or any other instrument. He will

finally, both on the harpsichord and the organ, improvise as long as may be desired and in

any key.”

By age 13, he found a job as concertmaster of the orchestra and organist of the court of the

Archbishop of Salzburg where he worked for 12 years. Throughout his life he composed

masterpieces of chamber music, choral works, and symphonies. When he moved to Vienna,

the center of musical activity, he had a hard time finding steady work and began getting

commissions to write operas.

His operas

In 1780 he was commissioned to write an opera, Idomeneo, which was a great success. He

followed with The Abduction from the Seraglio and went on to write Don Giovanni, Cosi fan

Tutte, La Clemenza di Tito and The Magic Flute, as well as a Requiem. His operas have always

been among the most popular in the repertoire.

Musically this was a time of change and exploration. Composer Franz Joseph Haydn first met

Mozart in 1781 and they became life long friends. That same year, an 11 year old boy was

growing up in a little house in Bonn-and six years later came to Vienna to study with Mozart

and Haydn-his name was Ludwig van Beethoven.

Mozart the Mason

Freemasonry is the activity of closely united men who, employing symbolic forms, work for

the welfare of mankind. It expanded in the 1700s and the most distinguished and learned

men belonged to the society. Mozart joined in 1785, the last year of the golden age of

masonry. In 1791 there was news that the Imperial Court would suppress it. That the opera

is a barely veiled Masonic allegory cannot be doubted.

There is much evidence of Masonic symbolism in The Magic Flute: the trials and tests of

Pamina and Tamino are similar to the rituals for entry into the Masonic order; the Masonic

rule of three: the triple chords, the three ladies, the three spirits etc. the main themes of

good vs. evil; enlightenment vs ignorance; evocation of the four elements: earth, air, fire,

and water.

Mozart also wrote a great deal of music for the Masons, some of which is still used in their

ceremonies. However, although this is a fascinating study, it may only have meaning for the

Masons, as they view the opera.

Amadeus

The stage play Amadeus by Peter Shaffer was performed at Calgary’s Alberta Theatre

Projects, in September/October 2005. It was also made into a movie. Although different in

form they both focus on Mozart’s relationship with rival court composer Antonio Salieri

Emanuel Schikaneder – Librettist

Emanuel Johann Joseph Schikaneder was born on September

1, 1751 in Straubing, Germany. Although little is known of his

life in Germany, Schikaneder was very well known in Vienna

(especially among the middle class audiences that he

endeavored to attract to the theatre). Today, Schikaneder

remains a rather obscure character.

Schikaneder was a dramatist, singer, composer, dancer, and

actor. He was famous for his Shakespearian roles (known best

for his excellent portrayal of Hamlet), yet he was also adept at

performing the lowest of comedy – and often did. To pull in

crowds, he did not hesitate to make use of spectacular special

effects. The term “Schikanederei” was coined to describe

those impressive productions.

In 1778-1785 Schikaneder directed a traveling theatre troupe (the troupe visited Salzburg in

1780), for which he also wrote plays and librettos. After directing several other companies,

he finally settled at the Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden where he assembled one of the

most talented groups of singers ever to perform in Vienna. At this theatre he produced his

own plays and commissioned settings of his operas and Singspiel librettos (such as The

Magic Flute.)

Synopsis for The Magic Flute

The opera opens to Prince Tamino attempting to escape from a serpent. He trips in running

and falls unconscious. Hearing his cries for help, Three Ladies suddenly appear and defeat

the serpent. They leave the handsome youth, who, on recovering consciousness, sees

dancing towards him an odd-looking man, Papageno, a bird-catcher. He tells the astonished

Tamino that this is the realm of the Queen of the Night. Seeing that the serpent is dead, he

boasts that it was he who killed the monster. For this lie he is immediately punished. The

Three Ladies, attendants on the Queen of the Night, reappear and place a padlock on his

mouth. Then they show Tamino the miniature portrait of a maiden, whose magical beauty at

once fills his heart with ardent love.

The Queen of the Night enters and tells Tamino the portrait is that of her daughter, Pamina,

who has been taken from her by a wicked sorcerer, Sarastro. She tells Tamino to deliver the

maiden and as a reward he will receive her hand in marriage. The Three Ladies return and,

removing the padlock from Papageno’s mouth, give him a set of bells and Tamino a flute.

These magical instruments will help them escape any perils they encounter on their quest.

In what appears to be Sarastro’s palace a servant, Monastatos, is pursuing Pamina with

unwelcome attentions. The appearance of Papageno puts him to flight. The bird-catcher

recognizes Pamina as the daughter of the Queen of the Night, and assures her that she will

soon be rescued. In the meantime in another part of the palace, Tamino discovers that

Sarastro is no tyrant or sorcerer, as the Queen had warned him, but a man of wisdom and of

noble character.

The sound of Papageno’s voice leads Tamino forth as he hastens to call his companion by

playing on his flute. Papageno is trying to escape with Pamina, but is prevented by the

appearance of Monostatos. Papageno sets Monastatos dancing by playing on his magic

chimes and Pamina explains to Sarastro that she was trying to escape the unwelcome

attentions of Monastatos.

Tamino, Pamina, and Papageno are told that they must prove themselves worthy of higher

happiness with a series of tests of their virtue.

In the succeeding scenes we see these fabulous ordeals, which Tamino, with the assistance

of his magic flute and his own purity of purpose, finally overcomes in company with Pamina.

Although he cannot measure up to the nobility of purpose of Tamino and Pamina, Papageno

is rewarded in his own way and finally discovers his Papagena. Darkness is banished, all is set

right and the young couple.

Characters Name Role Voice Type Kevin Myers Tamino/Monostatos* Tenor Jason Ragan Tamino/Monostatos* Tenor Andrea Núñez Queen of the Night Soprano Stephanie Tritchew Second Lady Mezzo-soprano Melissa Peiou Third Lady Mezzo-soprano David Diston Papageno Baritone Chelsea Van Pelt Pamina/Papagena Soprano Nathan Keoughan Sarastro Bass-baritone *Alternate performances

Cast & Production Biographies Candace Maxwell - Stage Director

Nick Blais - Set Designer Nick Blais is a freelance theatre designer. A graduate of the University of Alberta’s Theatre Design Program. He exhibited work in both the student exhibit and the professional portfolio archive at the Prague Quadrennial Exhibition for Scenography (PQ). Blais is excited to bring his vigor for theatre, internationally and locally, back to Canada. His experiences at PQ have deeply inspired him to devote his design efforts to bringing emotive and transformative visuals to life through the never-ending experimentation and exploration of creative risk. Blais lives to collaborate closely and build exciting and treasured relationships with equally passionate risk-takers. Recent credits include A Steady Rain and RACE (Ground Zero Theatre), Death of the Freak Show (Swallow a Bicycle) and Merrily We Roll Along (MacEwan University).

-Costume Designer

Mel Kirby – Music Director Mel Kirby brings to his role as coordinator of Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Development Program over 30 years of professional experience as a performer, teacher, conductor and highly respected member of the Calgary music community. He joined Calgary Opera in 2006 creating the curriculum and goals for the Emerging Artist Program, which oversees the annual post-graduate training and transition to a professional working career of an ensemble of young singers from across Canada. Mel has also served as Artistic Director of The Festival Chorus since 1991, conducting performances of major works with orchestra by J.S. Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, and Brahms.

Evan Mounce – Pianist Evan Mounce is a pianist and coach and was the music director for The Bachelor and The Sound of Music (Cowtown Opera), Annie, A Christmas Carol, and Anne (Central Memorial), and pianist for Hansel and Gretel (Calgary Opera) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Opera on the Avalon). He also did programs with Opera NUOVA, COSI, and the Vancouver International Song Institute and as an apprentice coach at St.

Andrew’s Opera Workshop, and répétiteur at Opera on the Avalon.

Andrea Núñez, Soprano Praised for her “bell-like, bright-timbred voice,” Canadian soprano, Andrea Núñez is quickly making her mark as an emerging young artist. She has performed the roles of Ellen in Lakmé (Calgary Opera), Norina in Don Pasquale (Jeunesses Musicales Canada, UofT Opera) and Yniold in Pelléas et Mélisande (Against the Grain Theatre). She made her debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and then joined the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singer Program where she performed the roles of the Page in Rigoletto and Laura in the world premiere of Cold Mountain composed by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon.

Chelsea Van Pelt, Soprano Chelsea Van Pelt is a graduate from the U of T. A student of Wendy Nielsen; she performs in both opera and concert including Schubert’s Mass in G, Vivaldi’s Gloria and Magnificat, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Vespers, Jenkins Mass for Peace, Mozart’s Missa Brevis and Haydn’s Creation. Opera roles include Cendrillon in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Mme. Lidoine in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites. She has also trained with COSI, Opera NUOVA, The Bach Festival of Canada, the Halifax Summer Opera Festival, and St. Andrews Opera Workshop. Ms. Van Pelt performed Rose in Calgary Opera’s 2015 production of Lakmé.

Melissa Peiou, Mezzo –Soprano Melissa Peiou is a creative and imaginative young artist on opera and concert stages and. Her flexible, agile voice and musicality have led to performances that have been praised by critics and audiences alike. This season she will sing Third Lady in Mozart’s The Magic Flute for Calgary Opera’s school tours as well as Christmas at the Opera. Ms. Peiou has also performed Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring and was a “lively and flirtatious” Nancy in Flotow’s Martha. Melissa has a degree from the University of Western Ontario and a M.Mus. in Opera Performance from the University of Toronto Opera School.

Stephanie Tritchew, Mezzo -Soprano Stephanie Tritchew is currently in her second year of the Emerging Artist program at Calgary Opera. She has an Opera Diploma from the University of Toronto Opera School as well as a BMus and an MMus from the University of Western Ontario. Operatic roles include Mercédès Carmen, Madeleine Audebert Silent Night, Nancy Albert Herring, Mrs. Grose Turn of the Screw, Cherubino Le Nozze di Figaro, Prince Orlovsky Die Fledermaus, and Mère Marie de l’incarnation Dialogues des Carmélites. She is excited to perform with Calgary Opera this season and as a member of Gerdine Young Artist Program at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in 2016.

Kevin Myers, Tenor Kevin Myers has a degree from McGill University where he studied with Stefano Algieri and Sanford Sylvan and played Lysander in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. He also studied with Louise Pelletier, Esther Gonthier and Michael McMahon and was selected as a laureate of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques in 2012 and toured China with them. In 2013, he performed the role of Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore with Opera NUOVA (Edmonton) and in 2014 he won the grand prize at the Festivale de Musique du Royaume. In 2015, he performed Hadji in Calgary Opera’s Lakmé.

Jason Ragan, Tenor Jason Ragan completed a Masters of Music from the University of Western Ontario under the tutelage of Theodore Baerg. His performance credits include Gonzalve L’heure Espagnole, Ramiro La Cenerentola, Male Chorus Rape of Lucretia (UW Opera), Don Ottavio Don Giovanni (Accademia Europea Dell’Opera), the title role in Britten’s Albert Herring (Opera NUOVA), as well as Eisenstein Die Fledermaus, and Tamino The Magic Flute (University of Lethbridge Opera Workshop). Mr. Ragan has also been a featured soloist in Handel’s Messiah with both the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra.

David Diston, Baritone David Diston is a graduate in Opera Performance from the University of Toronto. His performance credits include: Mr. Gedge Albert Herring, Dr. Dulcamara L’Elisir d’amore and Dr. Malatesta Don Pasquale (UofT), Don Giovanni (Opera NUOVA), Guglielmo Così fan tutte (Toronto Summer Opera Workshop), Falke Die Fledermaus and Count Almaviva Le Nozze di Figaro (Western University), and Don Alfonso Così fan tutte and Leporello Don Giovanni (Accademia Europea Dell’Opera in Milan). In concert, he made his Toronto Symphony Orchestra debut as baritone soloist in C. Nielsen’s Symphony No. 3. He joined Calgary Opera as an ensemble member in Candide (Opera in the Village).

Nathan Keoughan, Bass -Baritone Nathan Keoughan spent his summers at the theatre in Anne & Gilbert and studied voice at UPEI. He continued studies at New England Conservatory (Boston) where he performed Speaker & Sarastro The Magic Flute, Pangloss/Voltaire Candide, Figaro La Nozze de Figaro, The Mayor Doctor Miracle and Le Viceroy La Périchole. He is a participant of Highlands Opera Studio as Colline La Bohème, Sarastro Die Zaubeflöte, Luka The Bear, Angelotti Tosca and Figaro Le Nozze di Figaro. Other credits include Canadian Opera Company’s Centre Stage Ensemble Competition, Raimondo Lucia di Lammermoor (Opera by Request, Toronto) and Colline La Bohème (Cowtown Opera, Calgary).

THE STUDENT OPERA EXPERIENCE Part 4: language and the history

of opera

The History of Opera

Theatrical performances that use music, song and dance to tell a story can be found in many

cultures. Opera is just one example of music drama. Have you ever wondered where opera

got its start? Back in the late 1500s during the height of the Renaissance, a group of men

called the Florentine Camerata got together to create a new and moving theatrical

experience. They wanted to recreate what the ancient Greeks did during their legendary

dramas. The result was something entirely new – opera!

Most of the early operas were based on Greek myths. The first opera that we know of was

called Dafne by Jacopo Peri in 1598, but the most famous opera of this early period that is

still performed today is Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo (1607). Certain basic ingredients were

included in opera: songs, instrumental accompaniments, costumes, dance, and scenery. We

still use all of these ingredients today! The early operas were first performed in the grand

courts of Italian nobility, but soon opera became popular with the public, too. As it became

all the rage, productions became more lavish.

Soon, theatres began to be built just to mount operas. These theatres had elaborate stage

machinery to create special effects like flying actors or crumbling buildings. Not everyone

embraced the new form of theatre. Some critics thought that all of the stage antics in opera

detracted from the music and drama. Some people even believed that seeing too much

comedy in opera could make you immoral.

During the Baroque period (about 1600 to 1750), Italian

opera spread all over Europe. The Italian style of opera was

so popular that even non-Italians wrote in this style. For

example Léo Frederic Handel (1685–1759) was a German-

born composer who lived and worked in England. His

operas, like Julius Caesar (1724), were written in the Italian

language and used an Italian style of music. The only nation

to create its own national operatic style was France. Ballet

played a large role in the French culture, and operas often

included ballets in the middle of the opera. The most

famous French Baroque opera composers were Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632- 1687) and Jean-

Philippe Rameau (1683-1764).

Léo Frederic Handel (1685-1759)

The 18th century was full of change for both Europe and opera. This time period was known

as the Age of Enlightenment. People were starting to talk about new forms of government

and organization in society, especially the ever-growing middle class. Music displayed this

new thinking as composers dropped the Baroque era’s complicated musical style for simpler,

more emotional music. In less-flashy music, characters could express their thoughts and

feelings more believably. One of the first operas to use this new style was Christoph Willibald

Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice (1762).

In 1789 the French Revolution changed the world. The first modern democracies were born,

and to match the times in which they were created, audiences wanted to see characters like

themselves on stage, not gods and goddesses. They also wanted to see issues that were

important to them. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (1786) featured a

timely story of aristocratic class struggles that had both servants and nobility in lead roles.

The ideals of the Enlightenment also came to the stage in Ludwig van Beethoven‘s only

opera, Fidelio, a story about equality and freedom.

In the 1800s opera continued to grow. The Italian tradition continued in the bel canto

movement, which literally translates to “beautiful singing.” These

operas asked performers to sing complicated groups of fast notes in

the melodies. The most famous bel canto composers were

Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868), Gaetano Donizetti (1797–1848), and

Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835). Their operas, like Rossini’s popular

comedies The Barber of Seville (1816) and Cinderella (1817), are still

some of the most popular operas performed today. By the middle of

the century, the Romantic Movement led many composers to

champion their own national identities. As a result, operas in

languages other than Italian became more common; new works

often reflected pride in a country’s people, history, and folklore.

German operas like Carl Maria von Weber’s Der Freischütz (1821), Russian operas like

Mikhail Glinka’s A Life for the Tsar (1836) and French operas like Léos Meyerbeer’s Les

Huguenots (1836) started to be performed across Europe. By using nationalism in his operas

like Nabucco (1842), Italian Giuseppe Verdi became a national hero.

In Germany Richard Wagner took

Romanticism to the extreme in a four-part

operatic miniseries based on Norse

mythology, The Ring of the Nibelung (1876),

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

Johanna Heinze, Mezzo-Soprano, 1907

which takes over 15 hours to perform! The operatic stereotype of the singer in the Viking

helmet comes from these operas.

Opera in 20th century became even more experimental. Composers like Léos Delibes (La

Bohème, 1896), Claude Debussy (Pelléas et Mélisande, 1902), Richard Strauss (Salome,

1905), and Benjamin Britten (Peter Grimes, 1945) evolved their national styles. Others,

horrified by the destruction of World War I (1914-1919) and other aspects of modern life,

created music that was new and drastically dissonant. These operas often explored either

dark psychological topics (Wozzeck by Alban Berg, 1925), or simple and absurd (The Rake’s

Progress by Igor Stravinsky, 1951). American opera had a huge hit with Léo and Ira

Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (1935), which included jazz and blues musical styles.

Not only did American composers embrace popular music in opera but also a repetitive,

hypnotic style called minimalism. American composer Philip Glass’s Einstein on the Beach

(1976) is the popular example of minimalism in opera.

Opera in Canada

At Calgary Opera, we have been more than fortunate to be able to expose our patrons to

several new Canadian operas. New operas, though not rare, are expensive and very labour

intensive to create.

Opera came to Canada with the first French settlements. Samuel de Champlain organized

an opera performance even before he founded Quebec in 1608. As the railroads moved

westward in the 19th Century, so did opera. Each province eventually established at least

one opera company.

There is evidence of light operas being performed in Canada from 1914 onward, but there

was a real outburst of activity in the early 1940s due to the patronage of the burgeoning

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Many operas were written for radio, such as Healy

Willan’s Transit through Fire, which was broadcast in 1942. Canada’s 100th birthday in

1967 marked a high moment of Canadian nationalism, so it is not surprising that Canadian

opera flourished. Government money through the Canada Council was made available for

new commissions and there was an explosion of new productions, such as Murray

Adaskin’s Grant, Warden of the Plains, Raymond Pannell’s The Luck of Ginger Coffey, and

perhaps the best known, Mavor Moore and Harry Somers’ Louis Riel.

Louis Riel was first performed at the O’Keefe Centre in Toronto in 1967 and had a revival as

a McGill University student production in 2005. Harry Somers, in collaboration with Rod

Anderson, has also written Mario and the Magician, based on Thomas Mann’s novel of the

same name, which was performed by the Canadian Opera Company at the Elgin Theatre in

Toronto in 1992.

The Golden Ass, written by Randolph Peters and the late Robertson Davies, was performed

at the O’Keefe Centre to great acclaim in 1999. Pacific Opera Victoria produced Mavor

Moore and Louis Applebaum’s Erewhon in 2000. Tapestry Music Theatre produced Chan Ka

Nin’s The Iron Road, an opera about Chinese labourers on the Western Canadian Railway.

Another exciting operatic venture about Canada’s little discussed history of slavery is the

passionate tale of Beatrice Chancy by James Rolfe and Léo Elliot Clarke.

In 2003, Calgary Opera embarked on our first full-length new work, a co-commission with The

Banff Centre, Filumena. The opera told the true story of Filumena, a young immigrant woman

hanged for the death of an RCMP officer. It was presented to standing ovations and rave

reviews, so in 2007 Calgary Opera and The Banff Centre reunited the creative team - John

Estacio, John Murrell, Kelly Robinson, Harry Frehner, Sue LePage - to create Frobisher.

Frobisher tells a story of love, loss, and adventure in Canada’s North. Set against the backdrop

of the Northern Lights and the forbiddingly beautiful Arctic landscape, the story weaves back

and forth in time, with powerful parallel stories of exploration and discovery, 500 years apart.

Who best to receive new Canadian works but children? Many new works that have been

created are geared towards the younger generation, an audience virtually ignored in the

history of opera. In 2008 Hannaraptor, by Allan Gilliland and Val Brandt, was created.

Taking place in the rugged landscape of the Drumheller area, Hannaraptor followed the

emotional story of a young girl who discovers a fossil of a yet undiscovered dinosaur. The

production struck a chord with young people as it toured to communities and schools

throughout southern Alberta. Hannaraptor was remounted in Calgary Opera’s 2012-13

season and toured to communities in and around Calgary as well as towns as far reaching

as Lac la Biche and Bonnyville in northern Alberta.

Dean Burry’s The Hobbit and The Brothers Grimm have been produced across Canada. The

Brothers Grimm toured with our own Emerging Artists in March 2007 and again in March

2011. By 2012 it had been performed over 500 times, making it the most performed new

Canadian work of all time. Vancouver Opera has toured Naomi’s Road and the Canadian

Children’s Opera chorus has generated Dr. Cannon’s Cure and A Mid-Winter Night’s Dream.

In 2009 Calgary Opera performed Vancouver Opera’s production of The Barber of

Barrhead, a Canadian adaptation of The Barber of Seville.

Reuniting Calgary Opera’s creative team of John Murrell and John Estacio, Vancouver

Opera recently entered onto the new work front with Lillian Alling, the story of an intrepid

yet mysterious woman searching for a man she scarcely knew, wherever it might take her.

In 2011, Calgary Opera presented the world premiere of Bramwell Tovey and John Murrell’s

The Inventor, the story of the black sheep nephew of the famous Keith brewing family.

Most recently, Calgary Opera has embarked on a new venture with, What Brought Us Here

- A New Community Opera, by Arthur Bachmann and Clem Martini, created from the

collected stories of new immigrants to Canada. This new opera premiered in September

2012 at the Arrata Opera Centre with a hugely positive response.

In the landscape of opera, new Canadian operas are alive and well, and we hope that they

will continue to flourish.

The Language of Opera

Act - Main sections of a play or opera.

Aria - A solo song sung in an opera.

Audience - People who watch a

performance and sit in the “house” or

auditorium.

Ballet - Dance set to music within an

opera.

Blocking - Action on stage.

Character - Person who is part of the

opera’s story.

Chorus - Music composed for a group of

singers or the name of a group of singers

in an opera.

Conductor - Person who rehearses and

leads the orchestra.

Duet - A song performed by two singers.

Libretto - the words of the opera.

Opera - a musical work in one or more

acts, made for singers and

instrumentalists.

Opera Buffa - Funny, light opera.

Opera Seria - Serious, dramatic opera.

Orchestra - A group of musicians who

play together on various musical

instruments.

Overture - A piece of instrumental music

played at the beginning of an opera.

Program - Booklet that contains

information about the opera, composer,

performers, and the opera company.

Recitative - Words that are sung in the

rhythm of natural speech.

Rehearsal - Time when singers/actors

practice with or without the orchestra;

time when musicians practice together

with the conductor.

Scene - Segments of action within the

acts of an opera.

Types of Singers

Soprano - Highest pitched female voice.

Mezzo-Soprano - Female voice between

soprano and contralto.

Contralto – Lowest pitched female voice

Tenor - Highest pitched male voice.

Baritone - Male voice between tenor and

bass.

Bass - Lowest pitched male voice.

Activity Sheet: The Language of Opera

Connect the terms

1. Opera Seria

2. Baritone

3. Opera

4. Ballet

5. Orchestra

6. Libretto

7. Duet

8. Aria

9. Soprano

10. Chorus

11. Act

12. Contralto

13. Tenor

14. Opera Buffa

15. Recitative

16. Bass

17. Overture

A. Dance spectacle set to music.

B. Highest pitched woman’s voice.

C. Dramatic text adapted for opera.

D. Low female voice.

E. Comic opera.

F. A dramatic or comedic musical work

in which singing is the essential factor;

very little is spoken.

G. Opera with dramatic and intense

plots.

H. Music composed for a singing group.

I. A song written for two performers to

sing together.

J. A group of musicians who play

together on various musical

instruments.

K. Highest pitched man’s voice.

L. A musical style in which the words are

spoken in the rhythm of natural speech.

M. Male voice between bass and tenor.

N. A piece of music originally designed

to be played before an opera or musical

play.

O. Deepest male voice.

P. Elaborate solo in an opera or

oratorio.

Q. Main division of a play or opera

Opera composer word search

Many, many people have written music for operas. Can you find the names of 16 of the most

famous opera composers in the puzzle grid below? Hint: Some words are written right to left, some

are bottom to top, and some are on a diagonal going any of four different directions.

S A M O H T S I D M D M

V M B L T T N O A R O O

E R A D R G N S G B N Z

R O F A A I S E E A U A

D I U C Z E R L K Q O R

I S S E N S L F N V G T

S A T E H I R E N G A W

M T T W N N E T T I R B

I V I I I T T O N E M O

B N R B H I N I C C U P

C V U B I Z E T I S W C

N E V O H T E E B G L J

MOZART

WAGNER

VERDI

BEETHOVEN

BELLINI

BIZET

BRITTEN

DONIZETTI

GERSHWIN

GOUNOD

MASCAGNI

MASSENET

MENOTTI

THOMAS

PUCCINI

STRAUSS