MUL 1010: Music Appreciation Written Assignment 2: A Night at the Opera

Instructions:

1. Listen to three (3) arias (Ctrl+Click):

· Verdi’s La traviata – ‘Sempre libera’; Renée Fleming, (The Royal Opera with Subtitles)

· Wagner – Bryn Terfel Magic Fire Music (Die Walkure 2011) French Subtitles

The story: As the angry Wotan states that Brünnhilde must become mortal and marry the first man she sees, so does his word become law, unable to be retracted. His favorite daughter only asks that the man she is to marry be not a coward. Remembering why she is his favorite, Wotan then devises a way to grant her request. He puts her in a deep sleep, only able to be awakened by a man proving himself brave by stepping through the fire Wotan commands Loge to encircle her with.

Text: Wotan: “Loge! Hear! Lend an ear! a fiery glow as you then disappeared, as a will-o-the wisp, just as I bound you. I tame you today! Arise you flickering flame, enfold the fell with fire! Loge! Loge! Come here! He who fears my spear-point shall never pass through the fire!”

· Le barbier de Seville ”Air de Figaro” with subtitles

2. Complete the Opera table below.

3. Use Microsoft Word and run a spell check/grammar check (under the “Review” menu in Word).

4. Correct grammar and spelling will be part of your grade.

5. Then copy and paste your assignment into Assignment Submission (not the “Comments” Box.)

All written assignments will run through SafeAssign, Blackboard’s plagiarism checking tool. Be sure to paraphrase appropriately.

See the Rubric for how your grade will be determined.

See Calendar for due date.

Opera

Verdi’s La traviata – ‘Sempre libera’; Renée Fleming, (The Royal Opera with Subtitles)

(Puccini)

Wagner – Bryn Terfel Magic Fire Music (Die Walkure 2011) French Subtitles

Le barbier de Seville ”Air de Figaro” with subtitles

Discuss Similarities and Differences

Tempo (slow, medium, fast, dance-like?)

Unity that you hear in timbre (instrumentation), tempo, dynamics (loud or soft)

Variety you hear like changes in timbre (instrumentation), tempo (fast/slow), dynamics (loud or soft)

Lyrics What story, is told by lyrics each artist sings?

Voice quality Use adjectives to describe the different timbre of each singer’s voice.

Rhythm Does the song have a clear pulse or beat? Is there syncopation

Other What else comes to mind as you listen to this music?

Can you think of a modern artist or song that may have been influenced by each vocalist or each style? What similarities are apparent?