Music Taste
- Jessica McKenzie
- Oct 12, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Nov 10, 2023
The musical styles of various opera composers throughout the eras gravitate to individuals in unique ways. Some prefer historical storylines and grandeur orchestras while others are allured by fictional characters or when the plot relies heavily on recitative. Appreciation for the art form often comes once a musical preference has been established. While I do fall victim to musical bias, my musical knowledge allows me to find value in many operatic styles.
I tend to take an analytical approach when watching and listening to an opera. It is the performer within me that overtakes the viewer experience. I believe anyone watching an opera makes mental inquiries about the art form on various levels. The deeper the knowledge of the subject, the higher the level of mental probing. I look for the collaboration of the composer, instrumentalists, set and costume designers, producers, and singers to establish musical taste and preference. However, if the harmony between these groups is dissonant, I will then analyze the groups individually to find value in their performance.
I have a partiality for Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic Bel Canto. My liking for these eras is differentiated partly by the difficulty of performing them. Baroque music grasped my attention in my early studies and continues to excite me. The music contains stories of Greek mythology, fantasy, and political furies. Storylines are driven by drama, exoticism, recitative, and agile melodic lines. The repertoire is extraordinarily difficult and calls for a dedicated singer. I love the operas L’Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi, Griselda and Bajazet by Vivaldi, and Giulio Cesare by Georg Friedrich Händel to name a few. Music from the Classical era holds a special place in my heart because of its traditions, incorporation of comedy and satire, and the music's ability to display vulnerable areas within one's technique. Lastly, I particularly am fond of Romantic Bel Canto because it is where my voice feels the most comfortable, the rich and sometimes dense orchestration beautifully compliments the drama within the libretto, and the use of rubato exaggerates the emotional intensity. Moreover, the storylines of love, heartbreak, and family tensions are relatable to the human experience.
Bajazet was composed in 1735 by Vivaldi with a libretto by Agostino Piovene. It is considered a pasticcio, one work comprised of works from various composers. The story centers around six characters: Tamerlano is the emperor of the Uzbek Turks, Bajazet is the emperor of the Ottoman Turks and a prisoner to Tamerlano, Asteria is the daughter of Bajazet who is in love with Andronicus, Andronicus is a prince from Greece and an ally of Tamerlano, Irene is a princess of Tresbisond and promised in marriage to Tamerlan, and Idaspe who is a friend of Andronicus. Gardens and the countryside are the settings within the opera. It is where Tamerlano lives after recently defeating the Turks. Bajazet has asked Andronicus to look after his daughter, whom he loves. Tamerlano has promised to marry Irene but desires to wed Asteria. Tamerlano discloses to Andronicus that he will reject Irene in pursuit of Asteria, not knowing of Tamerlano’s feelings towards Asteria. As a bribe, Tamerlano presents the Greek throne to Andronicus as well as Irene’s hand in marriage should he aid in the joining of him and Asteria. Tensions rise as Asteria believes Andronicus has rejected her due to Tamerlano’s outpouring of love and Irene is irate with Tamerlano. Asteria soon accepts Tamerlano’s hand in marriage and Irene disguises herself in Tamerlano’s presence to plot revenge. Bajazet is disappointed in his daughter’s decision to marry Tamerlano which gives her anxiety. She pulls out a dagger with the intention to kill Tamerlano but father and daughter are stopped and sent to prison. While in prison, Asteria and Bajazet contemplate suicide by means of poison hidden by Bajazet. However, Tamerlano sentences Bajazet to death before the act after learning of Tamerlano’s affections towards Asteria. He demotes Asteria to be his slave and while in slavery, Asteria puts her father’s poison in Tamerlano’s drink. Irene witnesses her attempt and reveals herself to Tamerlano while outing Asteria. Tamerlano now commits to marrying Irene while sending Asteria to her death. Desperate, Bajazet poisons himself first, and Tamerlano pardons Asteria and Andronicus in an attempt to gain peace.
"Qual guerriero in campo armato" is Irene’s rage aria sung in Act 1 after she learns of Tamerlano’s deceiving plans of dumping her. The aria demands rhythmic precision, expressivity, endurance, and a free voice to execute the coloratura. Unfortunately, there are not many recordings on YouTube. Vivica Genaux, a well-known American coloratura mezzo-soprano, has amassed over 250K views for her performance of this aria. The aria was composed by Riccardo Broschi, brother of Farinelli, for his opera Idaspe. It is written for a contralto and has been performed by castrati and mezzo-soprani.
Mozart was a prolific composer of the Classical era and composed over 800 works in his short life of 35 years. His arias are a standard of learning for opera singers. The great difficulty in the execution of Mozart's arias lies in the vulnerable vocal lines, extreme registers, expressivity through repetition, and respecting and achieving musical standards of the time. I enjoy many Mozart arias ranging from “Martern aller Arten” from Die Entführung aus dem Serail (1781) to “Ach ich fühl’s” from Die Zauberflöte (1791). Mozart’s early works from 1760s-1770s are rarely performed but show his musical intelligence in his teenage years and his rapid growth as a respected composer.
La finta semplice was written in 1768 when Mozart was twelve. It is an opera buffa in three acts, requires seven voices, and journeys through 558 pages of manuscript.
“Amoretti, che ascosi qui siete” is the character Rosina’s aria sung in Act 2. Just before this scene, Don Cassandro, Polidoro, and Giacinta are siblings living near Cremona. They are housing Captain Fracasso and his sergeant Simone while their troops remain stationed nearby. Captain Fracasso wants to marry Giacinta and Simone wants to marry Ninetta, the housemaid. Both men who wish to marry must receive a blessing from the misogynistic brothers Don Cassandro and Polidoro first. A plan is put into place with the help of Rosina, Fracasso’s sister. Rosina plans to make the two brothers fall in love with her to persuade their stance on the two marriages. When the plans begin to unfold, Rosina sings “Amoretti, che ascosi qui siete” in a plea to the cupids to not torment her. Listen to soprano Regula Mühlemann and the Basel Chamber Orchestra perform the aria.
Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) The opera is a singspiel that incorporates spoken dialogue instead of recitative. Musical numbers bring lively entertainment between the spoken dialogue whose purpose is to drive the narrative forward.
“Ach ich fühl’s" is sung by the character Pamina in Act 2, scene 5. In Act 1, Tamino, a prince, is lost in a faraway mythical land and faints when he notices a serpent following him. Three ladies who are servants to the Queen of the Night are allured by the prince’s physique and kill the serpent. When Tamino wakes, he is greeted by Papageno, a birdcatcher, who claims to have killed the serpent himself. The Three Ladies reappear and silence Papageno for his lies. They then give Tamino a portrait of Pamina, The Queen of the Night’s daughter, and he instantly falls in love. As Tamino continues to fall in love, the Three Ladies warn him that Pamina has been kidnapped by Sarastro, a powerful demon. The Queen appears and commands Tamino to rescue Pamina in exchange for her hand in marriage to which he agrees. The Three Ladies gift Tamino with a magic flute that has the power to turn despair into happiness. They also give Papageno his voice back, along with magic bells so long as he vows to remain truthful. Tamino and Papageno, along with three child spirits gifted by the Three Ladies, journey to Sarastro to rescue Pamina. Papageno finds Pamina first and tells her Tamino embarked on the rescue out of love. Tamino is led by the three child spirits to Sarastro’s temple which has three entrances to choose from. He is greeted by a priest from one of the entrances. The priest warns of Tamino’s trusting ways and to be wary of the Queen’s motives for it is the Queen who is evil, not Sarastro. Monostastos, chief of slaves, is lustful for Pamina and recaptures her and Papageno. Papageno plays his magic bells which puts Monostastos and his followers in a joyful dance. Pamina confesses to Sarastro that they have escaped to which he understands and receives her kindly. Sarastro denounces Monostastos for his advances towards Pamina. Pamina finally learns Sarastro is protecting her from her mother.
In order for Tamino to win Pamina’s hands, Sarastro declares he must prevail in various trials. One trial swears him to silence. The Queen meets with Pamina and orders her to kill Sarastro because he reigns over the palace she is said to be hers. Pamina soon hears Tamino play his flute and meets him. When she speaks to Tamino, she is shattered when Tamino remains silent, unknowing of his vow. She's wrongfully convinced he no longer loves her and sings “Ach ich fühl’s” in complete despair.
Mozart's remarkable compositional style is largely due to his dedication to mastering Italian operatic standards. His music is often described as delicate and light which can often put the listener at ease. The difficulty, especially with modern orchestras, lies in dismissing any competition between the voice and orchestra. For the soprano, knowing the transitions within your vocal registers and blending them effortlessly will promote fluidity within the vocal lines of the arias. Appreciation for both La finta semplice and Die Zauberflöte emanates from the sheer vulnerability of vocal technique and the illuminating personalities showcased in each character’s arias. It’s a transformative process that requires utmost dedication and respect for compositional traditions.
The music examples above are just some illustrations of the appreciation I have for music. Discovering new works through attending live performances of operas and recitals, listening to records, or watching performances online is a passion of mine. My attraction to an aria usually stems initially from the melody or its integration within the storyline and is dependent on how I was introduced to the music. Personally, “Ach ich fühl’s” and “Depuis le jour” are exciting pieces to learn because of their role within the story as a whole, and the coexistence of intuition and difficulty. Both arias expose weaker points of singing technique: agility and fatigue through overexposure of weight in the middle register. On the other hand, both arias sit comfortably in my range and the legato melodies allow my tone to shine. It is a beautiful combination of self-discipline for areas of improvement and retaining confidence in the areas of the aria I excel.
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