This document provides an overview of early Baroque opera and music. It discusses how opera emerged in 1600s Italy as a new art form that combined drama, music, staging, and costumes. The first and most influential opera was Claudio Monteverdi's Orfeo from 1607. It also describes Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas from 1689, the first English language opera. A key musical technique discussed is the basso ostinato, where a repeating bass line provides structural and emotional support for arias.

1. Chapter Six- Early Baroque Music:
Opera

2. Extravagance and Control
• Freedom was the order of the day, new styles and
genres
• Socially, individual people became quite free,
freedom came with a price, the establishment still
functioned according to strict rules
• Rigorous and systematic control of new forms
• Expressive, yet organized music

3. • Definition
– A drama, actors sing their parts
– Elaborate stage sets and costumes
– Literal translation: Opera = Work
• Emerged in northern Italy around
1600
– Florence, Mantua, and Venice
– First promoted by Florentine
Camerata (musical intellectuals),
seeking to copy the expressive
power of ancient Greek music
Opera

4. • Most characteristic Baroque
art form
• Ideal vehicle for individual
emotionalism
• Ideal example of extravagance
contrasting with control
– lavish mix of many art forms
– rigid schemes (recitative and
aria)
Opera

5. • Libretto: The text, words that tell
the story, usually from ancient
Greek and Roman myths
– Overture: Opening instrumental
piece
– Uses Monody: Expressive solo
singing with sparse accompaniment,
meant to copy the singing of ancient
Greek theatre
– Recitative: Musically heightened
speech, which advances the plot
Opera Terms

6. Recitative vs. Aria comparison
Recitative
1. free, speech-like rhythms
2. pitches follow speech
patterns
3. basso continuo
accompaniment
4. prose text (words stated
once)
5. advances the action (tells the
story)
6. dialogue (between
characters)
Aria
1. clear beat, consistent
2. pitches form melodic
patterns and phrases
3. orchestral accompaniment
4. poetic text (phrases often
repeated)
5. freezes the action
(reflections about the story)
6. soliloquy (expresses one
emotion)

7. • Leading figure in music c. 1600
• Born in Cremona Italy
• As a boy, sang in Cathedral Choir, studied at
University of Cremona
• Married a court singer, all three of their children
died young, wife died
“Last great madrigalist, first great opera composer”
Most important jobs:
• Mantua court (1589–1612)
– Orfeo, opera’s first masterpiece
• St. Mark’s Cathedral, Venice (1612–1643)
– The Coronation of Poppea
Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643)

8. • All operas begin with a purely instrumental
piece called an overture
• “Orfeo” begins with one entitled “Toccata”
• (See page 100 in textbook for L. Guide)
• Fanfare-like beginning featuring trumpet
• Cd 1 #15
Opera Overture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjpFi9bn1do

9. – The first important opera
– Myth of Orpheus and Euridice
• Orpheus (hero and son of Apollo)
• Euridice (mortal bride of Orpheus)
– Plot: Orpheus and Euridice marry, only to have Euridice
claimed by Underworld.
– Orpheus vows to use his magical singing voice to charm his
way into Hades, which is guarded by the Furies. He plans to
rescue Euridice from king of the Underworld
– When Orpheus looks behind at Euridice, who is following
him out of Hades, Apollo intervenes and transforms Orpheus
into a constellation that radiates eternal spiritual harmony
with his beloved Euridice
Monteverdi - Orfeo (1607)

10. Monteverdi - Orfeo
• Prologue “Del mio Permesso amato”
• Character: La Musica (one of the 9 muses of
Greek mythology
• Situation – “preview” of opera, La Musica
tells of the demi-god Orfeo, who will defeat
the powers of darkness to rescue his love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwndvoeCXos

11.  17th
and 18th
century Venice
Romantic island city of many canals
Important early center of opera
St. Mark’s Cathedral and Square at
heart of the city
– Rife with gambling, prostitution
– Practice of wearing masks ensured
that what “happened in Venice
stayed in Venice”
– Many “orphanages” to raise
illegitimate sons and daughters of
wealthy men
Venice

12. • Great English Baroque composer
• Member of Chapel Royal, organist at
Westminster Abbey
• Wrote sacred, instrumental, and theater music
• Became involved with the growing London public
concert scene
• Influences: French and Italian music
• Wrote the first English opera, Dido and Aeneas, for
girls at a boarding school to stage
Henry Purcell
(1659–1695)

13. Purcell, Dido and Aeneas (1689)
• Story from Virgil’s epic poem, The Aeneid
• After escaping from Troy, soldier Aeneas seduces
Queen Dido of Carthage.
• Jealous witches make Aeneas believe that Jove has
ordered him to fulfill his destiny, sailing on to found
the city of Rome
• Furious at his rejection, Dido spurns him.
• Dido dies of a broken heart
in the final scene.
VIRGIL, BORN 70 BC

14. Dido and Aeneas
• One of the first operas written in English
• Dido’s Lament “When I am laid in earth” (cd 1/19,
page 113)
– Begins with a recitative “Thy hand, Belinda”
• Chromatically descending vocal line
• Accompanied by the basso continuo

15. Ostinato Explained
• “A melody, harmony or rhythm that repeats
throughout a musical composition,” the term
originates from an Italian word meaning
obstinate/pig-headed
– Basso Ostinato, the repetition is found in bass line
– Ground Bass, English term for basso ostinato
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VksrMqE_4c

16. – Aria based on a basso ostinato (ground bass)
• Bass line provides a solid foundation
• Basso ostinato common in Baroque music
• Technique often used to symbolized grief
Dido’s Lament “When I am laid in earth”
5th
edition: Listening Exercise # 19
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOIAi2XwuWo&feature=related

17. Modern use of Basso Ostinato
• Basso Ostinato still shows up today, even in
popular music. It still is effective in
underpinning sad ballads or poetry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axcXYkiO82Q