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 […]
Music
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 […]
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 […]
concerto
kun-CHAIR´-toh A concerto is a work composed for one or more instrumental soloists and a full orchestra. Concerti (the proper plural), which have three contrasting movements, have been written for […]
opus
OH´-puhs (Latin, ‘work’) Opus is a term used in numbering a composer’s works. For example, Mozart’s Opus 50 is theoretically his fiftieth published composition. Opus numbers are not always accurate […]
tessitura
tess´-uh-TUR´-uh (Italian, ‘texture’) Tessitura is the range, from lowest to highest note, of a melody, vocal part, or vocal role. For a successful performance, a vocalist’s range must cover the […]