Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto It is closely related both to opera and also to other forms of lighter musical theatre, and in many cases, it is difficult to assign a musical theatre work to a particular genre. Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance.
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Definitions
Normally some of the libretto of an operetta is spoken rather than sung. A libretto is the text used in an extended Musical work such as an Opera, Operetta, Masque, sacred or secular Oratorio and Instead of moving from one musical number (literally so indicated in the scores) to another, the singers intersperse the musical segments (e. g. aria, recitative, chorus) with periods of dialogue without any singing or musical accompaniment (though sometimes some musical themes are played quietly under the dialogue) - and short passages of recitative are by no means unknown in operetta, especially as an introduction to a song. This article is about the musical term "aria" For other meanings or uses of the word see Aria (disambiguation. Recitative /rɛsɪtə'tiv/ (also known by its Italian name "recitativo" (/retʃita'tivo/ is a style of delivery (much used in Operas Oratorios For the musical composition see Chorale. A choir, chorale, or chorus is a Musical ensemble of Singers A dialogue (sometimes spelled dialog) is a reciprocal Conversation between two or more entities.
Operettas are often considered less "serious" than operas, although this has more to do with the often comic (or even farcical) plots than with the caliber of the music. A farce is a Comedy written for the stage or film which aims to Entertain the audience by means of unlikely extravagant and improbable situations disguise and mistaken Topical satire is a feature common to many operettas, although of course this is also true of some "serious" operas as well. Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and Performing arts In satire human Formerly, opera expressed politics in code in some countries, such as France; e. g. , the circumstances of the title character in the opera "Robert le diable (opera)" was a code for the parental conflict and resolution of king of France at its first performance. Robert le diable ( Robert the Devil) is an Opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer, often regarded as the first Grand opera.
Operetta is a precursor of the modern musical comedy. Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. At the same time it has continued to exist alongside the newer form - with each influencing the other. There is a fundamental but subtle distinction between the two forms - and this distinction is quite useful, provided we recognise that nothing here is clear, simple, or unambiguous.
Most operettas can be described as light operas with acting, whereas most musicals are closer to being plays with singing. Comic opera, or light opera, denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature usually with a happy ending This can best be seen in the performers chosen in the two forms. An operetta's cast will normally be classically trained opera singers; indeed, there is essentially no difference between the scores for an opera and an operetta, except for the operetta's lightness. A musical uses actors who sing, but usually not in an operatic style. Like most "differential definitions" we could draw between the two forms, however, this distinction is quite often blurred. W.S. Gilbert, for example, said that he preferred to use actors who could sing for his productions, while Ezio Pinza, a great Don Giovanni, appeared on Broadway in South Pacific, and there are features of operetta vocal style in Kern's Show Boat (1927), Bernstein's Candide, and Walt Disney's animated Snow White (1937) among others. Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 &ndash 29 May 1911 was an English Dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his fourteen The Italian bass Ezio Pinza ( 18 May 1892 - 9 May 1957 was one of the outstanding Opera singers of the first half Don Giovanni ( K527; complete title Il dissoluto punito ossia il Don Giovanni, literally "The Rake Punish'd or Don Giovanni South Pacific is a musical, with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and book by both Hammerstein and Joshua Show Boat is a musical in two acts with music by Jerome Kern and book (based on a novel by Edna Ferber) and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein Candide (1956 is an Operetta with music composed by Leonard Bernstein, based on the Novella of the same name by Voltaire Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American film based on the eponymous German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.
History
Operetta grew out of the French opéra comique around the middle of the 19th century, to satisfy a need for short, light works in contrast to the full-length entertainment of the increasingly serious opéra comique. Opéra comique (plural opéras comiques is a French genre of Opera that contains spoken dialogue By this time the "comique" part of the genre name had become misleading: Carmen (1875) is an example of an opéra comique with a tragic plot. Carmen is a French Opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The Libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based Opéra comique had dominated the French operatic stage since the decline of tragédie lyrique. Tragédie en musique (French lyric tragedy also known as tragédie lyrique, is a genre of French opera introduced by Jean-Baptiste Lully and used
Though Jacques Offenbach is usually credited with having written the first operettas, such as his La belle Hélène (1864), Ernest Newman remarked that the credit should really go to one Hervé, a singer, composer, librettist, conductor and scene painter, whose real name was Florimond Ronger (1825-1892). Jacques Offenbach (born Jacob Offenbach 20 June 1819 in Cologne &ndash 5 October 1880 in Paris) was a German La belle Hélène (" The Beautiful Helen " or " The Fair Helen " Opéra bouffe in three acts is an Operetta by Ernest Newman ( Everton Liverpool, November 30, 1868 – Tadworth, Surrey, July 7, 1959) was an English Hervé, real name Florimond Ronger, ( June 30, 1825 &ndash November 4, 1892) was a French singer Composer, "But it was Offenbach who took up the genre and gave it its enormous vogue during the Second Empire and afterwards. The Second French Empire or Second Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870 between the Second "[1] Robert Planquette, André Messager and others carried on this tradition. Jean Robert Planquette ( July 31, 1848 – January 28, 1903) French Composer of songs and operettas was born in Paris André Charles Prosper Messager ( December 30, 1853 - February 24, 1929) French composer and musician was born at Montluçon
The most significant composer of operetta in the German language was the Austrian Johann Strauss, Jr. (1825-1899). The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Johann Strauss II (also known as Johann Strauss the Younger, Johann Strauss Jr His first work in this genre is Indigo und die vierzig Räuber (1871) although it was his third operetta Die Fledermaus (1874) which became the most performed operetta in the world and remained his most popular stage work. A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set Indigo und die vierzig Räuber ( Indigo and the Forty Thieves) is an Operetta composed by Johann Strauss II based on the tale " Ali Baba Die Fledermaus ( The Bat; in French La chauve-souris) is an Operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German Libretto Its libretto was based on a comedy written by Offenbach's librettists. In fact, Strauss may have been convinced to write the operetta by Offenbach himself although it is now suggested that it may have been his first wife, Henrietta Treffz who repeatedly encouraged Strauss to try his hand at writing for the theater. Henrietta Treffz, born Henrietta Chalupetzky ( 1 July 1818 &ndash 8 April 1878) was best known as the first wife of Johann In all, he wrote 16 operettas and one opera in his lifetime, mostly with great success when first premiered although they are now largely forgotten, since his later librettists were not very talented and he worked for some of the time independent of the plot. His operettas, waltzes, polkas, and marches often have a strongly Viennese style and his great popularity has caused many to think of him as the national composer of Austria. In fact, when his stage works were first performed, the Theater an der Wien never failed to draw huge crowds, and after many of the numbers the audience would noisily call for encores. The Theater an der Wien (The Theatre on the Wien River is a Theatre in Vienna.
Franz von Suppé, a contemporary of Strauss, closely modeled his operettas after Offenbach. Franz von Suppé (Francesco Suppé Demelli (April 18 1819 &ndash) was a Composer and conductor of the Romantic period notable for his four dozen The Viennese tradition was carried on by Franz Lehár, Oscar Straus, Carl Zeller, Karl Millöcker, Leo Fall, Richard Heuberger, Edmund Eysler, Ralph Benatzky, Robert Stolz, Emmerich Kálmán, Nico Dostal and Sigmund Romberg in the 20th century. Franz Lehár (30 April 1870 &ndash 24 October 1948 known in Hungarian as Lehár Ferenc, was an Austrian Composer of Hungarian descent Oscar Nathan Straus (6 March 1870 – 11 January 1954 was a Viennese composer of Operettas and film scores and songs Carl Adam Johann Nepomuk Zeller ( 19 June 1842 – 17 August 1898) was an Austrian composer of Operettas Zeller was Karl (also Carl) Joseph Millöcker ( &ndash) was an Austrian Composer of Operettas and a conductor. Leo Fall ( 2 February 1873 – 16 September 1925) was an Austrian Composer of Operettas Born in Olmütz Richard Franz Joseph Heuberger (born 18 June 1850 in Graz Austria &ndash died 28 October 1914 in Vienna Austria) was Edmund Samuel Eysler ( 12 March, 1874 &ndash 4 October, 1949) was an Austrian Composer. Ralph Benatzky ( 5 June 1884 – 16 October 1957) born in Moravské Budějovice as Rudolf František Josef Benatzky, was For the Swedish football defender see Robert Stoltz. Robert Elisabeth Stolz ( August 25, 1880 &ndash June 27 Emmerich Kálmán (born Imre Koppstein, Siófok, October 24 1882 – Paris, October 30 1953 also known as Imre Kálmán, was a Hungarian-born Nico Dostal (actually Nikolaus Josef Michael Dostal (born 27 November, 1895, in Korneuburg, Lower Austria; died 27 October, Sigmund Romberg, born Zsigmond Romberg ( July 29, 1887, Nagykanizsa − November 9, 1951 The twentieth century of the Common Era began on
The height of English-language operetta (at the time known in England as comic opera to distinguish it from French or German operetta) was reached by Gilbert and Sullivan, who had a long-running collaboration in England during the Victorian era. Comic opera, or light opera, denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature usually with a happy ending Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of Librettist W England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities With W. S. Gilbert writing the libretto and Sir Arthur Sullivan composing the music, the pair produced 14 "comic operas" together, most of which were enormously popular in both Britain and elsewhere, especially the USA, and remain popular to this day. Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 &ndash 29 May 1911 was an English Dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his fourteen Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO (13 May 1842 &ndash 22 November 1900 was an English composer of Irish and Italian descent best known for his operatic Works such as H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado continue to enjoy regular performances and even some film adaptations. HMS Pinafore, or The Lass that Loved a Sailor, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W These comic operas influenced the later American operettas, such as those by Victor Herbert, and musical comedy. Victor August Herbert ( February 1 1859 &ndash May 26 1924) was a Cellist, conductor and Composer best known Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance.
English operetta continued into the twentieth century, with works by composers such as Edward German, Lionel Monckton and Harold Fraser-Simson - but increasingly these took on features of musical comedy until the distinction between an "old fashioned musical" and a "modern operetta" became very blurred indeed. Sir Edward German ( 17 February 1862 &ndash 11 November 1936) was an English musician and composer of Welsh descent best remembered Lionel John Alexander Monckton (18 December 1861 – 15 February 1924 was an English writer and Composer of Musical theatre. Harold Fraser-Simson (15 August 1872 – 19 January 1944 was an English composer of light music including songs and the scores to musical comedies. Old fashioned British musicals, in particular, retained an "operetta-ish" flavour well into the (nineteen) fifties. More modern operettas include Candide and, some would claim, musicals like Brigadoon. Candide (1956 is an Operetta with music composed by Leonard Bernstein, based on the Novella of the same name by Voltaire Brigadoon is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe.
A late 20th century renewal of the importance of recitative and through composing in some modern musicals, in fact, brings some such works closer (in some ways) to traditional opera than to operetta. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Rock operas, Concept albums Song cycles and Oratorios all differ from a conventional rock album which usually includes songs that are unrelated to each
See also
- The opera corpus which includes operettas. This is a list of over 2100 works by around 600 individual opera composers
- Opera
- Zarzuela
- Comic opera
- Savoy opera
Notes
- ^ Ernest Newman, in Louis Biacolli, ed. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto Zarzuela (θarˈθwela in Spain in Latin America is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes the latter incorporating Operatic Comic opera, or light opera, denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature usually with a happy ending Savoy Operas denote a style of Comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century with W The Opera Reader (New York: McGraw-Hill) 1953:317.
References
- Ganzl, Kurt. The Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre (3 Volumes). New York: Schirmer Books, 2001.
- Traubner, Richard. Operetta: A Theatrical History. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1983
- Bordman, Gerald. American Operetta. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.
External links
- http://www.operetta-research-center.org (with a large archive of historical reviews)
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