"Libretto: 'A libretto is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical.'"
The text of an Opera, including the story, characters, and lyrics. Learn how the libretto informs the music and the staging of the Opera.
Libretto: A libretto is the text of an opera, typically written in verse and including the dialogue, arias, ensembles, and other passages that are sung or spoken by the characters.
Opera History: Opera has a long and fascinating history, with roots that extend back to ancient Greece and Rome. Understanding the cultural and social context in which opera developed can help provide a deeper appreciation of the art form.
Musical Forms and Structures: Operas are typically structured around a series of musical forms, such as the aria, recitative, and chorus, each of which serves a specific dramatic purpose within the opera.
Vocal Techniques: The singers who perform in operas use a wide variety of vocal techniques and styles to convey emotion, character, and meaning.
Harmony and Melody: The harmony and melody of an opera play a critical role in shaping its emotional impact and conveying the dramatic tension and resolution of the storyline.
Literary Analysis: The libretto itself can be analyzed from a literary perspective, to uncover its literary form, themes, symbols, and motifs.
Stagecraft: The staging and visual design of an opera play a critical role in bringing the story to life, using lighting, costuming, and scenery to create an immersive visual experience for the audience.
Musical Analysis: Opera composers often use complex musical structures and techniques to create a sense of tension, emotion, and drama in the work. Understanding these techniques can deepen one's appreciation of the music.
Historical Context: The social, political, and cultural context in which an opera was written can offer insight into the work's themes and messages, as well as its reception by audiences.
Interpretation and Performance: Finally, understanding how a libretto is interpreted and performed by singers, musicians, and directors can give insight into the creative process behind creating a successful opera production.
Dramma per musica: This type of libretto is essentially a play set to music, usually based on a particular classical or historical subject, and telling a story in a linear and logical way.
Melodramma: Melodramma is a sub-genre of opera which employs spoken dialogue interspersed with musical numbers. Unlike other operatic forms, Melodramma concentrates on action rather than vocal pyrotechnics.
Opera buffa: Opera buffa is a type of Italian comic opera that emerged in the 18th century, characterized by its lighthearted, humorous nature, and typically featuring ensemble numbers, fast-paced patter songs, and comedic timing.
Opera seria: Opera seria, sometimes called serious opera, is a type of opera that emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries, characterized by its gravity, formality, and serious themes. The libretto is written in recitative style, and the vocal parts are typically challenging and aimed at showcasing the virtuosity of the performers.
Singspiel: Singspiel is a type of German-language drama that combines spoken dialogue with sung arias, duets, and ensembles, similar to Melodramma, but less focused on action and more on the integration of music into the story.
Zarzuela: Zarzuela is a type of Spanish operatic tradition, which incorporates elements of operetta, with comedic scenes and spoken dialogue interspersed among the sung numbers.
Grand opera: Grand opera is a type of French opera that emerged in the 19th century characterized by its large-scale orchestration, choruses, and ballets, along with strong dramatic elements and historic, mythological, or Biblical themes.
Ballad opera: Ballad opera, a form popular in England during the 18th century and later revived in the 20th century, mixed spoken dialogue, comic songs, and dance numbers with political satire and commentary.
Singspielkomödie (also known as Spieloper): This is a type of German opera that emerged in the late 18th-early 19th centuries, characterized by its mix of singing and spoken parts and its focus on humorous, often slapstick plot lines.
"The Italian word libretto (pronounced [liˈbretto], plural libretti [liˈbretti]) is the diminutive of the word libro ('book')."
"Sometimes other-language equivalents are used for libretti in that language, livret for French works, Textbuch for German and libreto for Spanish."
"A libretto is distinct from a synopsis or scenario of the plot, in that the libretto contains all the words and stage directions, while a synopsis summarizes the plot."
"Some ballet historians also use the word libretto to refer to the 15- to 40-page books which were on sale to 19th-century ballet audiences in Paris and contained a very detailed description of the ballet's story, scene by scene."
"The relationship of the librettist (that is, the writer of a libretto) to the composer in the creation of a musical work has varied over the centuries, as have the sources and the writing techniques employed."
"In the context of a modern English-language musical theater piece, the libretto is often referred to as the book of the work, though this usage typically excludes sung lyrics."
"A libretto is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical."
"The term libretto is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as the Mass, requiem and sacred cantata, or the story line of a ballet."
"Livret is used for French works."
"Textbuch is the German equivalent for libretto."
"A libretto contains all the words and stage directions, while a synopsis summarizes the plot."
"The Italian word libretto (pronounced [liˈbretto], plural libretti [liˈbretti]) is the diminutive of the word libro ('book')."
"19th-century ballet librettos contained a very detailed description of the ballet's story, scene by scene."
"In the context of a modern English-language musical theater piece, the libretto is often referred to as the book of the work."
"A libretto contains all the words and stage directions, while this usage typically excludes sung lyrics."
"Livret is used for French works."
"The relationship of the librettist to the composer in the creation of a musical work has varied over the centuries, as have the sources and the writing techniques employed."
"A libretto is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical."
"The term libretto is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as the Mass, requiem and sacred cantata, or the story line of a ballet."