opera buffa
Unless you’re already an opera buff, you probably think all opera is quite somber. But in reality, there are two types of opera: seria, which is serious, and buffa, which […]
Italian
opera seria
Unless you’re already an opera buff, you probably think all opera is quite somber. But in reality, there are two types of opera: seria, which is serious, and buffa, which […]
bel canto
bell´-KAHN´-toh (Italian, ‘beautiful singing’) Bel canto is a lyrical, melodic style of singing that contrasts with a more dramatic, speechlike style. The bel canto technique began in the mid-17th century […]
casa colonica
KAH´-zah koh-LOH´-nee-kah Don’t confuse a Tuscan villa with a Tuscan farmhouse, or casa colonica, an Italian residence that began life as a dwelling for peasants, no matter how gentrified it […]
pergola
PER´-gol-uh A pergola is a tunnel-like framework, often consisting of two parallel rows of columns connected by overhead beams, on which climbing plants are trained. Pergolas can be long or […]
loggia
LOW´-juh A loggia is a roofed porch, gallery, or hall open to the outside air on one or more sides. Loggias evolved in the Mediterranean region as open sitting rooms […]
aria
AHR´-ee-uh (traditionally ‘air’ in French and English) An aria is a short piece for solo voice, with or without accompaniment. Arias are usually light, melodic, and designed to display vocal […]
sonata
suh-NAW´-tuh (Italian, ‘sounded’ or ‘played’) A sonata is a piece of music written for one or two instruments. Sonatas are generally divided into three or four sections, or movements, which […]
cantata
kun-TAH´-tuh (Italian, ‘sung’) A cantata is a narrative piece of music, for one or more voices, usually sung to an instrumental accompaniment. Cantatas, which can be sacred or secular, usually […]
oratorio
or-uh-TOR´-ee-oh An oratorio is a large-scale cantata with a sacred theme. As such, it’s generally a narrative work (based on scripture) for voices and orchestra, similar to an opera in […]