Chapter 17:
Romantic Opera
Verdi and
Italian Opera
Key Terms
Italian opera
Verdian recitative,
aria, and ensemble
Exoticism
Arioso
Verdi and Italian Opera
Greatest Romantic Italian opera composer
• Dominated 19th century opera houses
Unswerving commitment to human voice
• Opera was about singing
• Adhered to Italian bel canto principles
• Wrote increasingly beautiful melodies
But Verdi cared most about the drama
• Real people in realistic situations that elicit
strong emotions & exciting actions
Giuseppe Verdi
(1813-1901)
Son of north Italian small town storekeeper
Scored first hit at age 29 with Nabucco
• Hebrew slave hymn echoed Italy’s “captivity”
Three 1850s operas brought him fame
• Rigoletto, Il trovatore, & La traviata
Coaxed out of retirement for last 2 operas
• Shakesperean subjects – Otello & Falstaff
All Italy mourned his death at age 88
• Schools closed, 300,000 saw him to his grave
Recitative and Aria:
The Orchestra (1)
Orchestra plays richer role in Verdi than in
previous Italian opera
• More active & excited as it supports voices
• Expanded role in recitative especially
Italian opera kept old recitative/aria split
• Recitative for dialogue & action
• Aria for reflective, emotional expression
Verdi now accompanies plot action &
dialogue with full orchestra
Recitative and Aria:
The Orchestra (2)
“Recitative” no longer an apt name
• Not at all like Baroque or Classical recitative
• Highly dramatic action music
• Verges on becoming full-fledged melody
Arias now equally dramatic & exuberant
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But formally complete & distinct
Often use simple strophic forms
Orchestra’s role somewhat more subdued here
Use of rich harmonies to underpin high points
e.g., “La donna è mobile” from Rigoletto
Verdi, Aida
One of the most frequently performed of
all operas
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Features gorgeous arias & duets
Grandiose stage display, including elephants
Exotic locale in ancient Egypt
But a red-blooded, human drama
Written for new Cairo opera house
• At time of the Suez Canal opening in 1869
• Cairo première in 1871
Background (1)
Tragic love triangle in time of war
Egyptian general Radames is secretly in
love with Ethiopian slave Aida
• Aida is actually daughter to Ethiopia’s king
• Egyptian princess Amneris loves Radames
Radames is tricked into revealing his
battle plans to Aida
• Amneris discovers their tryst
• She turns him over to the priests as a traitor
• Aida escapes in the confusion
Background (2)
Amneris offers to save Radames if…
• But he would rather die than live without Aida
• She realizes she has doomed the man she
loves…but too late
Radames makes no defense at his trial
• One of the opera’s most dramatic scenes
• Priests sentence him to be buried alive in a
tomb under the temple, sealed by a huge stone
Verdi, Aida
Tomb Scene (1)
Striking stage set for opera’s final scene
• Below, Radames’ tomb
• Above, a temple with altar & colossal statues
As Radames laments his fate, he
discovers Aida in the tomb with him
• She hid there, not wanting to live without him
Builds from recitative to arioso to duet
Recitatives begins as simple declamation
• Each one builds to intense, melodic climax
• Rich, dramatic orchestral & harmonic support
Verdi, Aida
Tomb Scene (2)
Ariosos more concise & tunelike
• Orchestra more subdued, subservient
Their duet is an ecstatic farewell to earth
• Above, Amneris prays that they rest in peace
• Priests & priestesses sing hymn to Ptah
Verdi, Aida
Tomb Scene (3)
Their gorgeous duet ends the opera
• Exquisite orchestral colors & harmonies
• Their ecstatic love seems to transcend death
• Set against Amneris’ grief & priests’ hymn