Changes

Gluck’s innovations were continued by the great W. A. [[Mozart]]. There are half a dozen or so operas by this giant that at or near the top of the operatic pile. Somewhere in the world today a major opera house is preparing for, or performing, one of these works written within the ten years from 1781, starting with ''Idomeneo'' and finishing with the fantastical, lyrical and wondrously entertaining ''The Magic Flute''. ''[[Don Giovanni]]'' is generally considered his best, and is the earliest opera to have remained constantly in the repertoire unchanged from its inception (1787).

Gluck’s innovations were continued by the great W. A. [[Mozart]]. There are half a dozen or so operas by this giant that at or near the top of the operatic pile. Somewhere in the world today a major opera house is preparing for, or performing, one of these works written within the ten years from 1781, starting with ''Idomeneo'' and finishing with the fantastical, lyrical and wondrously entertaining ''The Magic Flute''. ''[[Don Giovanni]]'' is generally considered his best, and is the earliest opera to have remained constantly in the repertoire unchanged from its inception (1787).

The first half of the 19th century saw [[Beethoven]]’s only opera, ''Fidelio'', the rise of “bel canto” (literally “beautiful singing”, exemplified by the prodigious [[Gioacchino Rossini]], and his more serious Italian compatriots Bellini and Donizetti), and the advent of the [[Romantic period (music)| romantic]] era, generally held to be introduced by [[Carl Maria von Weber]]’s ''Der Freishütz'' in 1821. French opera was fortunate to be served by a series of first rate works – still regularly performed – by Meyerbeer (German born, but all his major works written and performed in Paris); [[Hector Berlioz]] and Daniel Auber. A younger generation kept the tricolour flying: [[Georges Bizet]] wrote what is possibly the most popular opera of all time, ''Carmen'' and possibly the most popular duet (''In the Depths of the Temple'' from ''The Pearlfishers''). Russian opera made its international debut with  [[Glinka]]’s ''A Life for the Tsar'' followed by the still extremely popular ''Russlan and Ludmila''.  A later generation of Russian nationalists (Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov) and the [[Bohemia]]ns [[Bedrich Smetana]] and [[Antonin Dvorak]] wrote operas reflecting the life, history or traditions of their regions in a tradition that would continue into the 20th century with [[Leos Janacek]].  

The first half of the 19th century saw [[Beethoven]]’s only opera, ''Fidelio'', the rise of “bel canto” (literally “beautiful singing”, exemplified by the prodigious [[Gioacchino Rossini]], and his more serious Italian compatriots Bellini and Donizetti), and the advent of the [[Romantic period (music)|romantic]] era, generally held to be introduced by [[Carl Maria von Weber]]’s ''Der Freishütz'' in 1821. French opera was fortunate to be served by a series of first rate works – still regularly performed – by Meyerbeer (German born, but all his major works written and performed in Paris); [[Hector Berlioz]] and Daniel Auber. A younger generation kept the tricolour flying: [[Georges Bizet]] wrote what is possibly the most popular opera of all time, ''Carmen'' and possibly the most popular duet (''In the Depths of the Temple'' from ''The Pearlfishers''). Russian opera made its international debut with  [[Glinka]]’s ''A Life for the Tsar'' followed by the still extremely popular ''Russlan and Ludmila''.  A later generation of Russian nationalists (Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov) and the [[Bohemia]]ns [[Bedrich Smetana]] and [[Antonin Dvorak]] wrote operas reflecting the life, history or traditions of their regions in a tradition that would continue into the 20th century with [[Leos Janacek]].  

During the 19th century a lighter form of opera appeared, variously called  “opera buffo”, “opera comique”, operetta, depending on the time and place. [[Jacques Offenbach]] is generally considered the “inventor" of this genre, but it appeared under many guises: the Viennese operettas of the [[Johann Strauss|Strauss]] family and others, the operettas of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]], the Spanish and Latin American “zarzuela”, finally popping up in America with the productions of Victor Herbert, Sigmund Romberg and the like, before transforming into the form known to all as, just,” the musical”  

During the 19th century a lighter form of opera appeared, variously called  “opera buffo”, “opera comique”, operetta, depending on the time and place. [[Jacques Offenbach]] is generally considered the “inventor" of this genre, but it appeared under many guises: the Viennese operettas of the [[Johann Strauss|Strauss]] family and others, the operettas of [[Gilbert and Sullivan]], the Spanish and Latin American “zarzuela”, finally popping up in America with the productions of Victor Herbert, Sigmund Romberg and the like, before transforming into the form known to all as, just,” the musical”  

[[Richard Wagner]] hauled opera off into a new place. The recitative disappeared, as did the aria to some extent, to be replaced by a sort of “constant music”, dominated by previously unheard orchestral textures and harmonies and the use of the “leitmotif”, whereby each character or scene in the opera is “identified” by a musical phrase introduced with their first appearance. The characters, the voice, the orchestra, the scenery, the complete fabric of the opera, were treated as a whole, which he called “Music Drama”.

[[Richard Wagner]] hauled opera off into a new place. The recitative disappeared, as did the aria to some extent, to be replaced by a sort of “constant music”, dominated by previously unheard orchestral textures and harmonies and the use of the “leitmotif”, whereby each character or scene in the opera is “identified” by a musical phrase introduced with their first appearance. The characters, the voice, the orchestra, the scenery, the complete fabric of the opera, were treated as a whole, which he called “Music Drama”.

The 20th century, it seems, was not fond of comedy. Starting at the end of the previous century with the ''verismo'' operas of [[Pietro Mascagni]], [[Ruggero Leoncavallo]] and the incomparable [[Giacomo Puccini]] the great operas of the century are nearly all miserable. Love rarely prevailed. Humour appears occasionally ([[Sergei Prokofiev|Prokofiev]]’s ''A Love for Three Oranges'',  [[Dmitri Shostakovich| Shostakovich]]’s ''The Nose'',  ''Der Rosenkavalier'' of [[Richard Strauss]], (normally almost mini-Wagnerian in his treatments); but most of the great genuinely 20th century operas, starting with [[Claude Debussy]]’s ''Pelléas and Mélisande'' including the groundbreaking works of the Englishman [[Benjamin Britten]] (''Peter Grimes'', ''Billy Budd'' ''The Turn of the Screw'', ''Death in Venice'') were dark. (There are exceptions: Britten wrote an operatic version of ''A Midsummer Night’s Dream'', and operas for children). Late in the century topical concerns prevailed: the [[American]] [[minimalist]], [[John Adams]] wrote ''Nixon in China'' and ''The Death of Klinghoffer'' (based on the PLO terrorists’ hijacking of the cruise liner, “Achille Lauro” in 1985).  

The 20th century, it seems, was not fond of comedy. Starting at the end of the previous century with the ''verismo'' operas of [[Pietro Mascagni]], [[Ruggero Leoncavallo]] and the incomparable [[Giacomo Puccini]] the great operas of the century are nearly all miserable. Love rarely prevailed. Humour appears occasionally ([[Sergei Prokofiev|Prokofiev]]’s ''A Love for Three Oranges'',  [[Dmitri Shostakovich|Shostakovich]]’s ''The Nose'',  ''Der Rosenkavalier'' of [[Richard Strauss]], (normally almost mini-Wagnerian in his treatments); but most of the great genuinely 20th century operas, starting with [[Claude Debussy]]’s ''Pelléas and Mélisande'' including the groundbreaking works of the Englishman [[Benjamin Britten]] (''Peter Grimes'', ''Billy Budd'' ''The Turn of the Screw'', ''Death in Venice'') were dark. (There are exceptions: Britten wrote an operatic version of ''A Midsummer Night’s Dream'', and operas for children). Late in the century topical concerns prevailed: the [[American]] [[minimalist]], [[John Adams]] wrote ''Nixon in China'' and ''The Death of Klinghoffer'' (based on the PLO terrorists’ hijacking of the cruise liner, “Achille Lauro” in 1985).  

Opera is still popular despite attempts by some on both sides of the artistic divide to divorce it entirely from popular culture. The popularity of [[Luciano Pavarotti]], and so-called “crossover” artists like Katherine Jenkins and [[Paul Potts]] testifies to this. Opera houses still get by, despite the enormous costs of producing works like ''Aida'' or ''War and Peace''. Operas are still being written; not always to critical acclaim – it must be remembered, though, that Bizet died believing that ''Carmen'' was a complete failure.

Opera is still popular despite attempts by some on both sides of the artistic divide to divorce it entirely from popular culture. The popularity of [[Luciano Pavarotti]], and so-called “crossover” artists like Katherine Jenkins and [[Paul Potts]] testifies to this. Opera houses still get by, despite the enormous costs of producing works like ''Aida'' or ''War and Peace''. Operas are still being written; not always to critical acclaim – it must be remembered, though, that Bizet died believing that ''Carmen'' was a complete failure.