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Die Zauberflöte The Magic Flute

Dress Rehearsal April 14th, 2016

Jubilee Auditorium

STUDY GUIDE

THE STUDENT OPERA EXPERIENCE

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Index

Part 1: Preparing for the opera experience (Pg 4)

Part 2: Activities and projects (Pg 6)

Part 3: Characters, synopsis, Mozart & cast biographies (Pg 12)

Part 4: Language and history of opera (Pg 18)

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Introduction

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

visual, and technical arts like no other.

This guide will give you a backstage tour of all that is opera - terminology, inside information on the

production, the history behind the opera and the composer, as well as ideas for including opera in your

classroom learning.

We hope that this guide will assist you in making opera connections in fun and interesting ways as well

as to use The Magic Flute as a point of departure for learning. Exposure to performing and fine arts

helps students develop critical analysis and problem solving skills, perseverance, and a drive for

excellence. The creative skills developed through the arts carry us toward new ideas, new experiences

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

performance!

All of us at Calgary Opera are thrilled you will be attending a dress rehearsal as this is a very special

opportunity! A big shout out to the teachers, for organizing students and supporting them in their opera

experience!

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

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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.

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Attending the Opera There’s nothing more exciting than attending an opera! You’ll be a guest at the final dress rehearsal of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Here’s what you’ll need to know about attending the opera: You may notice a long table with lights and people sitting behind it in the centre of the main floor of the auditorium. Seated in this area is the production team: Director, Lighting Designer, Fight Director, and Choreographer (among others.) They’ll be taking notes and communicating with the many people backstage who help make all of the operatic magic happen. They’ll be able to talk to the crew so changes can be made. Should anything need some adjustments, the rehearsal might be stopped or a part repeated to make sure that it is perfect. During the opera Unlike actors on television or in the movies, performers onstage are very aware of the audience. They want to share their love of performing with you. Everything you do in the audience affects what happens on stage. You can show them how much you appreciate their work and the opportunity to come to the rehearsal by being as quiet as possible. Show your respect for the cast, musicians, the production team, and everyone in the theatre by not talking. Give the artists and the production your full attention!

Here’s a list of DOs and DON’Ts so that everyone in the theatre can enjoy the opera:

Please Do... › Use the bathrooms before the rehearsal begins or at intermission. › Enter and exit the theatre in an orderly fashion. › Think about what makes a good audience member. › Turn off your cell phones and all electronic devices. › Applaud when the conductor enters and bows, then again after the overture. › Applaud after the arias as well as after the performance; you can shout “Bravo!” for a man, “Brava!” for a woman, and “Bravi!” for more than one person, or the whole performance. › Enjoy the rehearsal. You’ve worked too hard preparing for the rehearsal not to!

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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

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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

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

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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 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?

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Papageno, Tamino, Three Ladies

Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm!

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.

Queen of the Night (Coloratura Soprano) Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen The Queen of the Night aria is one of the most well-known arias in opera. It is famous for its fast pace, melismatic* lines and high tessitura*. In this piece, the Queen of the Night is trying to convince her daughter Pamina to kill Sarasto, and says she will be disowned as a daughter if she refuses. This role was written for Mozart’s sister-in-law Josepha Hofer, who was a talented coloratura soprano.

- Based on the video, describe the voice type of a coloratura soprano

- Describe the different emotions the queen of the night portrays throughout the aria

*Melisma: an expressive vocal phrase or passage consisting of several notes sung to one syllable *Tessitura: the general pitch level or average range of a vocal or instrumental part in a musical composition Tamino (Tenor) Dies bildnis ist bezaubernd schön The Queen of the Night’s maidens give Tamino a picture of the queen’s daughter, Pamina and tells him that she has been kidnapped by an evil man. They promise him good-fortune, fame and honor if he can rescue her. In this aria we see Tamino falling in love with Pamina.

- Listen to the dynamics in this piece and describe how they are being used to tell this particular story. Why does Tamino sing softly at some parts in the aria and louder in others?

- Tamino repeats himself multiple times in this scene. Why do you think Mozart wrote the aria this way? Based on the translation, the music, and the expression Tamino is portraying, what words do you think he is repeating and why?

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Pamina (Lyric Soprano) Ach, ich fühl´s Pamina’s love, Tamino, has been told that he should beware the wiles of woman, and has to take a vow of silence. He must not talk to Pamina, or else he will fail his second trial. Pamina enters and tries to talk to Tamino, but Tamino does not answer her. Pamina assumes this is because he no longer loves her, and laments her loss.

In these examples we see two different kinds of sopranos; coloratura and lyric. Watch the two videos and describe the differences you notice between the two voice types.

Sarastro (Bass) O Isis und Osiris Sarastro tells Tamino of the trails he must undergo in order to prove himself worthy of being Pamina’s Husband. In this aria, Sarastro invokes the gods Isis and Osiris to protect Tamino and Pamina.

- What do you think the purpose of the chorus is in this aria? Describe the emotions they invoke and the atmosphere they create.

- Compare and contrast this aria with Tamino’s. What is the first thing you notice? How are their voices the same? How are they different?

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

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The Magic Flute Resource Information

What in the World? About the time The eighteenth century was a time of rapid change, development and enlightenment. Patents and copyright laws were created, the Bill of Rights in the United States was ratified and made legal, the French Revolution was beginning and the constitutional act was passed creating Upper and Lower Canada. In Europe, science and mathematics were becoming a central piece of public discourse, and a greater emphasis was placed on the pursuit of academia and greater knowledge of the world. Organized Freemasonry was believed to have been founded in 1717 in London, and was an organization that put emphasis on achieving an enlightened mind though strengthening of character, spirituality, and broadened mental horizons.

The Premiere of Die Zauberflöte Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), a singspiel* in two acts, premiered on September 30th, 1791 at the Freihaustheater auf der Wieden in Vienna. The opera went on to become one of the most popular and most performed works in history.

* Singspiel - a form of German light opera, typically with spoken dialogue. Popular especially in the 18th century.

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PART 3 Mozart, synopsis, characters, and cast biographies

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART - composer

1756-1791

His early life

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (pronounced: 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

attempting 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.

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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. Mozart’s Death Mozart died on December 5th, 1791 - three short months after the premiere of ‘Die Zauberflöte’ in Vienna at the young age of 35. Since there was no autopsy performed at the time, his cause of death is still unknown. In his brief life, Mozart wrote over 600 musical works, including 22 operas.

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.

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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 with the young couple.

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Characters/Cast List – The Magic Flute, April 16, 20 , 22, 2016 Role Name Voice Type Conductor Robert Tweten Stage Director Robert Herriot In order of vocal appearance on stage: Tamino Adam Luther Tenor First Lady Lida Szkwarek Soprano Second Lady Michelle Minke Soprano Third Lady Jennifer Sproule Mezzo-Soprano Papageno Hugh Russell Baritone Queen of the Night Ambur Braid Soprano Coloratura Monostatos Jeffery Boyd Tenor Pamino Shannon Mercer Soprano Spirit 1 Stephanie Hradsky Soprano Spirit 2 Abbey Curzon Soprano Spirit 3 Melissa Peiou Mezzo-Soprano (Emerging Artist) Speaker Aaron Dimoff Bass-Baritone Sarastro Uwe Dambruch Bass 2nd priest & armed man 1 Jason Ragan Tenor (Emerging Artist) 1st priest & armed man 2 Nathan Keoughan Baritone (Emerging Artist)

Key Cast & Production Biographies Rob Herriot Director Stage director Rob Herriot is pleased to be back with Calgary Opera following his production of L’Enfant et les Sortileges for Christmas at the Opera. Previous productions for Calgary Opera include, La Boheme, Barber of Seville, Pirates of Penzance and Candide, as well as numerous productions with the Emerging Artists. Other productions include, Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, Don Pasquale, Don Giovanni, Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, Daughter of the Regiment, Tosca, Magic Flute, The Mikado, Albert Herring, Gianni Schicci, Suor Angelica and HMS Pinafore for companies across North America including, Manitoba Opera, Edmonton Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Utah Opera, Arizona Opera, Connecticut Opera, Wilfred Laurier Opera, Opera on the Avalon and Opera Nuova. His productions have been nominated for a Betty Mitchell Award, 3 Sterling awards, winning Best Production of a Musical for HMS Pinafore. Future engagements include, La Boheme with Opera Nuova and performing in A little Night Music for Dry Cold Productions in Winnipeg.

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Robert Tweten Conductor Robert Tweten returns to Calgary Opera after conducting last season’s Le nozze di Figaro. The Canadian native has recently led Tosca for Utah Opera, Lucia di Lammermoor for Edmonton Opera, Madama Butterfly for Dayton Opera and Carmen for Tulsa Opera. Head of Music Staff for the Santa Fe Opera, Maestro Tweten has led five productions there as well as other companies including: Lyric Opera of Chicago, Sarasota Opera, Vancouver Opera and Austin Lyric Opera. Also an active collaborative pianist, Robert has performed internationally with many of today’s foremost singers and instrumentalists in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall and the Salzburg Festival.

Shannon Mercer Soprano: Pamina Canadian soprano Shannon Mercer enthusiastically embraces a range of repertoire from early to contemporary music, from Francesca Caccini and Monteverdi to John Beckwith and Ana Sokolovic. Highlights of Ms. Mercer’s 2015-2016 season include Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with Calgary Opera; Purcell’s The Fairy Queen and Mozart’s Esultate Jubilate with the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra; and Handel’s Messiah with the Oregon Symphony and Houston Symphony. Shannon began her operatic career as a member of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio Program. A prolific recording artist, Ms. Mercer most recently released ‘Trobairitz: Poems of Women Troubadours,’ which featured the songs of 12th- and 13th-century female troubadours in the south of France (Analekta).

Adam Luther Tenor: Tamino Newfoundland tenor Adam Luther has recently appeared onstage as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Pacific Opera Victoria, Michigan Opera Theatre and Saskatoon Opera as well as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with Edmonton Opera. Other recent appearances include Froh in Das Rheingold with Pacific Opera Victoria, Don Jose in Carmen with Saskatoon Opera, Alfredo in La traviata with Highlands Opera Festival, Danilo in The Merry Widow with Toronto Operetta Theatre, and the Steersman in The Flying Dutchman and Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Canadian Opera Company. Recent concert appearances include Bruckner’s Te Deum, Verdi’s Requiem, Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde and Alfred in a concert version of Die Fledermaus. Adam looks forward to making company debuts with Calgary Opera (Die Zauberflöte) and Vancouver Opera (Madama Butterfly) this season as well as singing Alfredo in La traviata with FestiVoix de Trois-Rivières.

Ambur Braid Soprano: Queen of the Night Canadian soprano Ambur Braid is quickly establishing herself as a rising young artist in dramatic coloratura soprano roles that encompass Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Massenet’s Esclarmonde, and Mozart’s Queen of the Night. Ambur Braid debuted at Teatro de São Carlos in Lisbon as Anne Truelove in a new production of The Rake's Progress conducted by Joana Carneiro. In the 2015 - 2016 season she makes her UK debut as the Queen of the Night in The

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Magic Flute at the English National Opera. She has also debuted Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail at Opéra Atelier and Violetta in La traviata at Arizona Opera. She covered the role of Elisabetta in Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux and the title role in Semele at the Canadian Opera Company. In her final season as a member of the ensemble at the COC, Ms. Braid was seen in a new production of Die Fledermaus as Adele in which the Toronto Star called her “sexy, sparky, sensational.” and performed the role of Vitellia in the Ensemble Studio performance of La clemenza di Tito.

Hugh Russell Baritone: Papageno In the current season, Canadian baritone Hugh Russell joins Calgary Opera as Papageno in The Magic Flute. On the concert stage, he performs Carmina Burana with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Faure’s Requiem with the Vancouver Symphony and the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and Rachmaninoff’s The Bells and with the Cincinnati Symphony. Last season Mr. Russell performed the role of Falke in Die Fledermaus with Vancouver Opera. Orchestral engagements included Faure’s Requiem with the Dallas Symphony, opera scenes with the Princeton Symphony, and Carmina Burana with the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the West Michigan Symphony, and the Louisville Orchestra.

Uwe Dambruch Bass-Baritone: Sarastro Mr. Dambruch is returning to Calgary Opera after his critically acclaimed role debut as Fasolt in Das Rheingold with Pacific Opera Victoria. German born and Calgary based, he has performed with Deutsche Oper am Rhein Duesseldorf, Frankfurt Opera, the Bayreuth Festival, Zuerich, Hannover, Karlsruhe, and the Taiwan Symphony. North American appearances include Vancouver, Victoria, and Edmonton Opera, Opera Hamilton, North Carolina Opera, Florentine Opera and Alberta Ballet. He sang Wagnerian excerpts in the Cannes-award-winning film Wahnfried. Upcoming are Sarastro in The Magic Flute with Opera Classica Europe, the biggest open air summer opera festival in Germany, Hunding/Act 1 of Die Walkuere in concert, and in 2017 his role debut as Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier.

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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).

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

Léo Frederic Handel (1685-1759)

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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), 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,

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

Johanna Heinze, Mezzo-Soprano, 1907

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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.

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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 Mamdani 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.

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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.

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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

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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