Opera Listener’s Toolbox
Glossary
absolute music: instrumental music that is not associated with a text, an image or a story, and that is often organized formalistically (e.g., forms such as binary, rondo, sonata, and variation)
chorus: a group of singers who perform together either in unison or, much more usually, in parts; also, by extension, a work, or movement in a work, written for performance by such an ensemble (e.g. the “Hallelujah” chorus in Handel’s Messiah).
Gesamtkunstwerk: literally, the complete work of art: the idea that arts such as dance, music, poetry, painting, and architecture are most powerful when they work together in one work of art
Leitmotiv: an associative musical idea, easily recognizable and distinct from other musical ideas, that stands in for a person, an object, a place, an emotion, an idea, a supernatural force—basically anything you want to convey in sound
libretto: literally, “little book.” The words of an opera that the composer sets to music.
opera: a dramatic work meant for the stage where the actresses and actors sing most or all of the drama and possess voices of uncommon skill, usually acquired through extensive training.
overture: a piece of instrumental music that precedes the start of the dramatic action in an opera, oratorio, play or (sometimes) ballet. In the nineteenth century, some composers preferred the term prelude for this music.
program music: instrumental music that tries to tell a story or conjure up images; larger works are sometimes referred to as “tone poems” (e.g., Don Juan by Richard Strauss)
score: a written representation of a musical composition that shows all the vocal and instrumental parts in vertical alignment. In the case of opera, a piano-vocal score presents a piano reduction of the instrumental parts while preserving the vocal parts.
Singspiel: literally, “song play.” An opera, usually comic and sung in German with spoken dialogue, also in German
Accessing the Operas
Throughout this course, you will have a variety of opportunities to view longer exposures or full length operas. Unfortunately due to prohibitive costs and respect for copyright, we expect you to gain access to these operas yourselves. Below we have collected a variety of resources for finding full length operas. Please share resources you have discovered in the discussion boards for each unit. Your Local University or Lending Library
A quick visit or call to your local library can unearth opera resources you never knew you had! Most libraries have growing collections of DVDs including operas and many offer free access to digital databases with hundreds of recordings. The most prolific and widely available of these digital resources are Naxos Video Library and Opera in Video by Alexander Street Press. You can find out which libraries closest to you have access to these and any other resources listed on this page by searching the resource name on WorldCat.org. University libraries are more likely to have access to digital resources than local lending libraries. Even if you are not affiliated with a university, it might be worth your while to give your local university a call as some libraries allow the public to utilize some of their services.
Pro Tip: Use the specific name of the database e.g. Met Opera On Demand, Alexander Street Press, etc. when you ask your librarian! Streaming Resources
OPERA America Resources
As the non-profit organization serving the national opera field, OPERA America is dedicated to the creation, presentation and enjoyment of opera for artists, administrators and audiences alike.
Watch Opera Online: OPERA America members can access an extensive streaming video library of classical music performances through the Naxos Video Library. Become a member today.
Find Live Performances: OPERA America’s Schedule of Performances is a searchable database of past and upcoming opera performances.
Learn More: Discover a wealth of additional opera resources — including exclusive video interviews with opera luminaries, insights into the industry and extensive learning materials — at operaamerica.org.
Met Opera On Demand
The Metropolitan Opera is without question the most important opera company in the U.S. Their streaming service offers access to 550 operas via desktop, laptop, tablets, smartphones, and TVs. Their productions are outstanding in quality and subtitles are available in many languages including French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and/or Swedish as well as English.
Pro Tip: You may find a free week-long subscription from Met Opera On Demand. Subscriptions are available after the trial for $14.99 per month.
Medici.tv
If you are interested in a service that offers classical concerts in addition to opera performances, you might try medici.tv which currently offers 94 operas from European houses. Prices vary from $7.00 per month for people under the age of 25 to $19.90 per month for premium access with HD programs, smartphone and tablet access, and 10 invitations to send to friends.
YouTube
Many full-length operas are available on YouTube.com. This can be a great way to easily access operas for free, however, many of these recordings do not comply with US copyright law. Consider that paying for a streaming service means that you are supporting opera companies continuing to produce great operas!