Italian Opera Beginnings
Italy's Composers, Cities and Life Styles During Early Opera
Italy was a collection of cities during the Renaissance, each with its own ruler, for example, the Pope in Rome, the Doge in Venice, and the Medici family in Florence. There was constant rivalry amongst the ruling families of these city states which led to economic and artistic competition to achieve the most brilliant court. In effect, the rivalry provided a vehicle for expression due to its ideal disposition to display wealth and patronage.
The Composer: Claudio Monteverdi
Probably, composer Claudio Monteverdi was the most dominant force in early Italian opera who played a huge influence on the work of his contemporaries. Born on May 1567 in Cremona, northern Italy, he produced works that marked the transition from Renaissance to Baroque music. He wrote his first music for publication as early as 1582 and his first opera, Orfeo, was staged at the court of Mantua in 1607, followed by Arianna, commissioned for a wedding.
Monteverdi's Contribution to Opera
Monteverdi developed the use of singing forms that remain an integral part of opera today – the recitative, the aria, the arioso and the chorus. He's also regarded as the first composer to assign specific instruments to parts. In 1613, Monteverdi moved to Venice to become maestro di cappella (head of music) of the San Marco church. Although he became a priest and devoted himself to religious music, he still continued to write operas, with his best known, the historical L'incoronazione di Poppea. His successors created real people character roles, paving the way for new themes and styles.
The Cities, and their Styles
The popularity of the opera spread to other Italian cities. Different styles developed in each, but, as composers also often moved from one to another in search of patrons, there was much sharing of ideas.
- Venice. In 1637, with the opening of the Teatro San Cassiano, opera became a popular form of entertainment with merchants, professionals, and the aristocracy. Among composers of such spectacular operas, the most notable was Antonio Cesti. He was born in Tuscany but worked in Florence, Rome and Venice. He also traveled to Vienna, introducing Italian opera to the German-speaking world. Cesti contributed to the development of opera through his use of large choruses and importance of vocal ornamentation in arias in the shape of runs, roulades and cadenzas which coloraturas use.
- Naples. After Venice, Naples is the second great city of Italian opera. Three composers associated with Naples are Alessandro Scarlatti, Arcangelo Corelli and Giovanni Pergolesi. Due to them, many Neapolitan musicians traveled throughout Europe, taking their influence with them, the opera seria (serious opera), as explored by Scarlatti and associates.
- Rome. The focus in Rome being on the religious subjects than Greek mythology, the chorus had a more important role, and the intermezzi between opera acts provided model for later comedic opera style.
The Castrati: the First Opera Superstars
Castrati were male singers who were castrated to prevent their voices from breaking during puberty. Castration began in the 16th century when the Roman Catholic Church banned females from singing in church, but since somebody was needed to sing the top line in choir music, the castrato came about. Castrati were selected as boy singers. The most famous of all the castrati was Farinelli whose real name was Carlo Broschi. Being highly pampered, over-indulged and idolized by women, the Castrati were thought as the first superstars. Alessandro Moreschi, who died in 1922, was the last castrato.
Sources:
Opera. András Batta, Editor-in-Chief. Cologne: Könemann, 1999
Griffin, Clive. Opera. London: HarperCollins, 2007
