Romantic Opera composers in the 19th-century often centered their works on spectacles that satisfied their novelty-seeking audiences in hopes of facilitating their success. A prominent style of Italian opera composition in the first half of the 19th-century is referred to as Bel Canto, a term literally meaning “beautiful singing.” These operas used intense emotion and dramatic circumstances to connect to the emotions of the audiences. A popular Bel Canto work, Vincenzo Bellini’s (1801-1835) La Sonnambula (1831), is a melodramatic opera in two acts. Felice Romani (1788-1865) wrote the libretto based on a ballet-pantomine, La somnambule, ou L’arrivée d’un nouveau seigneur, by Eugène Scribe (1791-1861) and J. P. Aumer (1774-1833). (Budden). Librettists gained interest in the popular topic of somnambulism because it was considered mysterious and it was a phenomenon that interested audiences. As one of the artistic reflections of Romantic era popular opinion, Bel Canto …show more content…
Audiences at this time preferred to see images of frail women who inspired concern and pity rather than men who depicted animalistic episodes of insanity. Composers kept this mind by creating the sympathetic, insane female characters (Pipes). This research will use intellectual opinion regarding the cause of female mental illness during the 19th-century and Bellini’s La Sonnambula as a case report for the negative portrayal of women in Bel Canto operas. The female brain came into investigation in the 19th-century by phrenologists and neuroanatomists. Madness was understood as a strange female ailment, usually caused by excess sexuality if outside of wed-lock. Because of this, insanity became a feminine
Women From the Renaissance In the book Giovanni and Lusanna by Gene Brucker, the author portrays the life of a woman who is neglected in a male-dominated society. Women during the Renaissance were separate and unequal to men, especially when the woman was in a lower social class. Brucker shows the reader that in a woman’s family life, social life, and even romantic life during this time period it was difficult to be taken seriously.
It was during this visit that Schütz made the acquaintance of Claudio Monteverdi. It was here that Schütz learnt about the new declamatory style that Monteverdi was seen to be pioneering. Schütz had a work of Symphonie Sacrae published in Venice in 1629, which were composed in this new declamatory style called monody. In this we can see the sudden change from Schütz’s original style of composing polychoral works to this new style. Schütz’s Symphonie Sacrae are scored for up to three voices, along with varied parts for winds and string as well as continuo accompaniment.
We can tell from other Greek play writers, one famous one being Sophocles, that the mind and madness has been a central theme. However, the way it was portrayed back in that era differs now. Greek tragedy focusses on the supernatural aspect of this madness, blaming it either on the gods or an evil possessing them . This could mainly be down to a lack of understanding of psychology in this time but also as it certainly makes for a good tragedy. However, Freudian theories such as the Electra and Oedipus complex show us that from these themes of madness in Greek tragedy, we have derived a more psychological viewpoint which we now use to help diagnose and treat people with similar traits as the characters in these plays.
Although the stage and costumes are seemingly more saturated with decorative props than the stark, almost empty surroundings of the Beijing Opera, there is a subdued dimness that allows the audience to put full attention to the male vocalist and his muse. The singing lines in the Beijing Opera were performed within a limited range, at a very high octave with a limited range. Similar to screeching, the notes were carried high in her throat, and produced with a certain harshness. On the contrary, the big, powerful “bel canto” operatic voice of the male singer in the Italian Opera, resonates with rich, full sounds throughout his voice range. The male performer’s voice and the message of love to the woman present with him, is obviously the main focal point of the piece.
Stuart Hellie Ms. Meyers American Literature I 2_ March 2023 Hysteria in Modern and Past Societies According to Merriam-Webster, hysteria is defined as “ a psychoneurosis marked by emotional excitability and disturbances of the psychogenic, sensory, vasomotor, and visceral functions. When people in past or present societies let their emotions control their actions, it negatively affects how that society functions and the individual people within it. Hysteria has been shown throughout The Crucible and other events throughout history.
Alongside this, the essay will also analyse how the opera as an entirety critiques the social order of the time. The story reflects the 18th century social battles between the lower class servants and their aristocratic masters, dealing with the machinations in their relationships impeded by rivalries, jealousies and vengeance. The Marriage of Figaro was written
There were a series of events in her life that caused her to go mentally insane.
Intro: “It is sometimes an appropriate response to reality to go insane” (PHILIP K. DICK, Valis). In present day America laws have been placed that prevent people who are “insane” to be guilty of the crimes they commit. In short, insanity is the state of being seriously mentally ill relating to madness. This is presented in the book Medea written by Euripides through her point of view. In Medea, a surge of insanity purges her after she is betrayed by her husband Jason causing many cruel and harsh actions to follow from her.
Italo Calvino Literary Analysis “It is not the voice that commands the story; it is the ear.” (Italo Calvino) Italo Calvino was a famous Italian writer who wanted his life to be known and wanted the people to be interested in his stories. It was not only about what he wanted, it was about what the people wanted to hear. He did not just want to make his stories, he was striving to catch the eye of the readers. Italo Calvino’s writings were inspired mainly by his experiences in the war and acquaintances.
A cantana is a piece of music for worship and a oratoria is a genre that addressees a religious theme. Johann Sebastian Bach, J.S. Bach, was a German composer and musician who was alive during the Baroque period wrote a cantana called “WAchet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme”.
Without a clear-cut definition for insanity not only does the word lose its power, but it also causes people to create their on definition for the word, usually with themselves
The word insane has created many new ways to define the term. Andrea Gates was arrested for the murder of her kids in 2001 and then in 2005 she pled that she was insane and ended up being place in a mental hospital. Andrea Yates was known to have a mental illness according to her doctor and she was being prescribed medicine for it until week before the death of her kids. According to Andrea Gates Satan was telling her that he was going to go after her kids and harm them. Andrea Gates knew that killing her kids would be frowned upon GOD
The Baroque period was identified as the “Age of Absolutism” because it was a period where rulers practiced their full power to control subjects. Also during the Baroque time frame music became more leant about where it was played. Instead it only being played at churches and occasionally in some courts, it was being played at specific functions and operas. It was at this time that operas were established for the first time in history. Musicians at this time were employed for aristocrat’s courts, churches and operas although they were considered high positions yet still viewed as servants.
Opera is not verbally translatable, so, the interpretation process of the audience are influenced by revisions of a work. Music and libretto dictate the narrative and the action. Through this, they advance the action in in the limited period of time that they have; integrating the complex actions between real and dramatic time to deepen the narrative microcosm that is presented to us. The audience will identify with characters emotions and moods through an absurd medium but with such a rich empathy that it reaches us in a unique manner.
There are several theories that regard where and when the music originated. The historiographers pointed out that there are different periods of music with each period having its own characteristics, its composers, its instruments, its rhythm and significance to the existing music today. The first three periods; Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque are expounded in this essay. The periods span through different times albeit some overlapped one another. The essay also focuses on the common factor that triggered the existence of the music periods and its impacts on each period.