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Home , Harry Bicket, Orlando (opera)

Music as Drama An Edifice of Arias

OPERA SERIA, the dominant form in the first half of the 18th century, created in large part by Handel, invested almost its entire musical capital into solo arias—musical snapshots that would explore the character’s state of mind at a given moment in time. Exposition, dialogue, and action was all relegated to recitativo secco, dry accompanied only by the harp- sichord or occasionally a cello. Taking an aria from (1724) by Handel, we shall look at the basic ingredients of the form. Then, in scenes from (1711), we shall look at some variations on the standard pattern. Finally, by watch- ing almost an entire act of his Orlando (1733), we shall see how Handel could put the various elements together into a co- gent, and occasionally amusing, psychological drama.

A. Giulio Cesare: Anatomy of an Aria Giulio Cesare (1724), comes about halfway through the 42-opera career of (1685–1759). Its plot concerns the struggle for power between Cleopatra (aided by Julius Caesar) and her brother . At the lowest ebb in her fortunes, Cleopatra sings the aria “Piangerò la sorte mia”: I will lament my destiny, so cruel and so unfortunate, so long as my heart still beats.

But when I am dead, from all sides my ghost will haunt Class 2. An Edifice of Arias the tyrant both night and day. Tuesday, September 22, 2020 This aria is typical in being in da capo form: an opening section, a Rinaldo (a rare duet). Then the imposing scena sung by Armida after shorter contrasting section (here unusually in a completely different she has been rejected by Rinaldo: a dramatic recitativo accom- mood), and a return to the opening, exactly the same on paper, but pagnato and two-tempo da capo aria. And finally, if time, part of traditionally altered by the singer for dramatic or vocal effect. “Lascia ch’io pianga,” Almirena’s lament when wooed by Argante. — Handel: Giulio Cesare, “Piangerò la sorte mia” — Handel: Rinaldo, scenes as listed above Joyce diDonato (recital disc, Alan Curtis c.) Anett Fritsch (Almirena), Varduhi Abrahamyan (Armida), (Rinaldo). Glyndebourne 2011, Robert Carsen (d), Ottavio The implied rule of is “one tempo; one emotion.” So to Dantone (c). create a full psychological portrait of a complex characters, you need multiple arias. We shall try a kind of quiz, listening to the opening sections of five of Cleopatra’s other arias and assigning them to the descriptions:confident, despairing, ironic, rejoicing, or seductive. C. Orlando: Putting it All Together — Handel: Giulio Cesare, various arias The term opera seria did not necessarily mean that all operas were (Glyndebourne, 2005) solemn and heroic. And in his Orlando (1733), based upon another chivalric romance, by (1474– 1533), Handel indulged his taste for pastoral and even comedy. B. Rinaldo: Theme and Variations The Christian knight Orlando has been driven mad by his unrequited love for the pagan sorceress . But she has fallen in love with Handel’s Rinaldo (1711) was the first Italian opera ever written for the another knight, Medoro, whom she has found close to death and stage. Its success came from its fantastic nature, being based nursed back to health in the hut of the shepherdess Dorinda. Most upon the Crusader romance Gerusalemme Liberata (Jerusalem Liber- of Act One has to do with the resultant complexities, as Angelica has ated) by Torquato Tasso (1544–95), giving Handel opportunities for to keep Orlando at arms’ length, and Medoro must break the news spectacular musical and theatrical response. The Glyndebourne ter- gently to Dorinda, who also loves him. The act ends in an extended centenary production by Robert Carsen responds with fantasy of a terzetto in pastoral vein, unique in Handel. complementary kind, setting it all in a Hogwarts-like boarding school. The 2007 production by Jens-Daniel Herzog for the Zurich Opera Both productions that we shall watch today, incidentally, take the moves the action to a psychiatric clinic in the First World War where solution of assigning the heroic male roles to or mezzo- Orlando, a decorated officer, is being treated for shell shock. in male dress. This is because such roles in Handel’s day were written for castrati, which we no longer have. We will, however, — Handel: Orlando, Act I, scene 2 get one glimpse of the other alternative, using a ; the Martina Jankovà (Angelica), Christina Clark (Dorinda), Katharina aria is notable for using no less than four obbligato trumpets. Peetz (Medoro), Marijana Mijanovic (Orlando). Zurich 2007, Jens- Daniel Herzog (d), William Christie (c). — Handel: Rinaldo, “Or la tromba in suon festante” David Daniels (Munich 2007, Harry Bicket c.) Rinaldo, a Crusader knight, is in love with the innocent Almirena. She, For materials used in each class, see the instructor’s website: however, is captured by the Saracen king Argante, and Rinaldo falls http://www.brunyate.com/OperaAsDrama/ into the clutches of the sorceress Armida. We shall watch the first aria of Almirena (note the obbligato flutes) and her scene with Roger Brunyate may be contacted at [email protected]