Page 120 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained
P. 120
118
THE MOST
MOVING ACT IN
ALL OF OPERA
ORFEO ED EURIDICE (1762),
CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD GLUCK
he opera Orfeo ed Euridice involving and more real. He also
IN CONTEXT by Christoph Willibald humanized his characters and
T Gluck was first performed their arias by making them
FOCUS in Vienna in 1762. It is based express emotions more directly.
Classical opera seria
on a familiar tale from classical
BEFORE mythology, the story of Orpheus’s Opera seria
1690 Composers such as journey to the underworld to In the mid-18th century, the most
Alessandro Scarlatti create a rescue his wife, Eurydice. Unlike fashionable type of opera was
new style of opera derived from the original myth, but in line with what is now called opera seria
Baroque vocal works—the contemporary taste, Gluck’s opera (serious opera). This type of opera
Neapolitan School—rapidly has a happy ending. features recitative—passages sung
popularizing the genre. Even if the opera’s story was in the rhythm of speech with many
largely familiar, Gluck’s style was syllables on the same note that are
1748 Gluck’s fame is quite new. He transformed opera usually accompanied only by
enhanced when his opera to integrate the music and drama continuo instruments (typically
La Semiramide riconosciuta more fully than before, streamlining harpsichord and cello alone),
(“Semiramis Revealed”) is distracting elements that slowed up playing an improvised added bass
performed in Vienna for the the action, making the work more line—and arias, accompanied by
birthday of Habsburg empress full orchestra. The arias have a
Maria Theresa. distinct structure, called da capo
(“from the top”), with three sections,
1752 Gluck and librettist the third being a repeat of the first,
Pietro Metastasio produce with ornamentation to show off the
the highly successful opera, singer’s ability. In between, the
La clemenza di Tito (The There is no musical second section introduces a new
Clemency of Titus). rule that I have not melody or develops the initial tune.
willingly sacrificed Meanwhile, features such as rich
AFTER to dramatic effect. and varied stage sets and elaborate
1781 Mozart’s opera Christoph W. Gluck ballets, often enliven the event.
Idomeneo premieres. It Gluck believed that the lavish
shows the influence of spectacles and the long showy
Gluck, particularly in the arias tended to get in the way of
accompanied recitatives. the drama and that the difference
in musical texture between the
US_118-119_Gluck.indd 118 26/03/18 1:00 PM
