1. Monody, Monteverdi, and the Birth of Opera

2. Goals of Early Opera:
Amaze
Astonish
Move the Emotions

3. I. Monody and the Florentine Camerata
(monody = 17th-c. Italian solo song, w/ b. c. accomp.)

4. Florence, Italy

5. I. Monody and the Florentine Camerata
(monody = 17th-c. Italian solo song)
A. Florentine Camerata: Florence, 1570s
B. Host: Giovanni de’ Bardi
C. Theorist: Vincenzo Galilei
Dialogue on Ancient and Modern Music
•Complaint: Music (esp. polyphony) does not touch the emotions
•Solution: Music should resemble oration; heightened speech
Composers: Jacopo Peri & Giulio Caccini
Euridice ( )
The Music of the Florentine Camerata:
Caccini’s Monody vs. Peri’s

6. Caccini’s Monody: Peri’s Monody:
Has oratorical elements, (length, accent, elision),
yet preserves songlike/musical qualities
vs.
Peri’s Monody:
Stresses speechlike qualities

7. II. Speech vs. Song in Baroque Opera
Recitative (speechlike) vs. Aria (songlike) (late Baroque, by 1700)
Rhyme: Rhymed or Unrhymed?
Performing Forces?
Presentation of text: Rapid or Slow?
Melodic character: interesting, memorable contour or speechlike repeated notes?
Meter: Regular and obvious or Irregular/obscure

8. II. Speech vs. Song in Baroque Opera
Recitative vs. Aria (late Baroque, by 1700) R A
B. Stile Rappresentativo (early Baroque, )
Stile rappresentativo________Arioso_________________Aria
(speechlike) (songlike)
The “Problem” with Opera: Verisimilitude
(“Realistic-ness”) vs. Musical Satisfaction

9. III. Claudio Monteverdi’s Operas
A. Opera Defined
Drama: acted, scenery etc.
Sung throughout
B. Conventions of Early Opera

15. III. Claudio Monteverdi’s Operas
A. Opera Defined
B. Conventions of Early Opera
C. Monteverdi’s Compositions
D. Monteverdi’s Orfeo (1607)
1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
2. A Sample Scene: “Tu se’ morte” (You are dead)

16. 1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
Arias (memorable melodies)

17. 1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
Instrumental Music (e.g., “our” Toccata)

18. -Old-fashioned madrigals
1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
-Old-fashioned madrigals
-Dance

19. 1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
Duets (possible because of b. c.)

20. 1. Monteverdi’s Solution to the Verisimilitude Problem
Vocal Virtuosity (e. g. “Possente spirto”)

23. Claudio Monteverdi: Tu se' morta from "Orfeo" (1607) Arioso: midway between speech and song
Tu se' morta, mia vita, ed io respiro? Tu se da me partita Per mai più non tornare, ed io rimango? No, che se i versi alcuna cosa ponno, N'andrò sicuro a'più, profundi abissi E, intenerito il cor del re de l'ombre, Meco trarrotti a reverder le stelle; O, se ciò negherammi empio destino, Rimmarrò teco in compagnia di morte. Addio terra, addio cielo e sole, addio!
You are dead, my life, but I still breathe?
You have left me
Never to return yet I remain?
No, if my verses possess any power,
I shall go undaunted into the deep abyss
And having softened the heart of the king of
Hades,
Will transport you to again see the stars.
O, if cruel destiny works against me,
I will remain with you in the company of
death.
Farewell earth, farewell heaven & sun, farewell!