Based on La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini
Adaptation by Lisa Hasson & Brian Robertson
Cast
Jamie Medina, Mimi, soprano
Stephanie Washington, Musetta, soprano
Jason Slayden, Rodolfo, tenor
Joshua Jeremiah, Marcello, Baritone
Jonathan Stinson, Schaunard, Baritone
Production Team
Brian Robertson, Director & Scenic Designer
Lisa Hasson, Music Director & Accompanist
Alicia Boggs, Production Assistant
Heidi Schiemer, Costume Designer
Doug Klocke, Graphic Artist
Charmaine Moore, Director of Education
Lauren Bailey, Education Associate
Cincinnati Opera Education programs are supported by: Charles H. Dater Foundation, William P. Anderson Foundation, Duke Energy Foundation, Toyota
Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc, John A. Schroth Family Charitable Trust, PNC Bank Trustee
Media Sponsor: WGUC 90.9 FM
Cincinnati Opera gratefully acknowledges the support of the Fine Arts Fund, the City of Cincinnati, the Ohio Arts Council.
Performance Etiquette Quiz
When seeing a performance by any group it is important to keep in mind some guidelines before entering the
performance space. How well will you score?
Circle the letter of the best answer.
1. You should enter the performance space
a. As loudly as possible
b. Quietly
c. Walking backwards
2. It is always a good idea to arrive
a. A bit early
b. Just as the performance is beginning
c. Only in time to catch your favorite part
3. If you arrive late, it’s best to enter
a. Whenever you’re ready
b. During the loudest section
c. Between musical selections
4. During the performance, it is a good idea to
a. Discuss how you feel about what you’re seeing
b. Sit quietly and listen
c. Eat a candy bar
5. If your cell phone rings during the performance it’s best to
a. Answer your phone quickly and quietly
b. Leave the room to use the phone
c. Turn off your phone before the start of the performance
6. Applause should be give when
a. The performance is completed and the singers are packing their things
b. Your neighbor tells a joke
c. Anytime something is done well on stage
7. After the performance is over
a. You should leave your seat and rush up to the stage to ask questions
b. Exclaim loudly how tired you are
c. Sit and wait until you are instructed to leave
What is an Opera?
An opera is a play whose words are sung. The singers are highly trained singing actors who are familiar
with both music and with theater, and opera combines both music and theater. The music is written to be
played by an orchestra or a piano. As in a play, the acting is supervised by the director. But, because
everything depends on the music in the first place, the conductor and music director are the most
important supervisors in the opera theater. The musicians call the orchestra conductor “Maestro”
(pronounced “my-stro), and Italian word meaning “master.”
Why are so many Italian words used in opera? Words like “aria,” meaning “song”; “bravo,” a word the
audience shouts which means “hurrah.” The word “opera” is an Italian word, which means a “work.”
Why are so many of these terms in Italian? It is because opera began in Italy.
About 400 years ago, a group of musicians and poets in Florence, Italy met together. They wanted their
songs to express feelings and tell stories like the old Greek plays long ago. Their group was called “The
Camerata,” (another Italian word meaning “room”) because the group first met in rooms of the houses of
two noblemen.
The first opera, Dafne, was written by Jacopo Peri in 1597. In 1600, Peri’s opera, Euridice (pronounced
You-re-dee-chay) was the first opera ever to be performed in public. A new art form had been created—
one that combined stories, dance, music, and theater.
Music
Music moves the action of a story, expresses emotions and moods, and deepens our understanding of the
characters.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Orchestra: In most cases, operas are accompanied by a group of musicians. Led by a conductor,
an orchestra is an ensemble that is comprised of string, woodwind, brass and percussion
instruments.
Score: Musicians read from a score, which is a notated piece of music showing each vocal or
instrumental part on its own staff.
Overture: An overture is an orchestral piece that may be played at the very beginning of the
opera before any action takes place on stage (not all operas have overtures).
Recitative: Composed to sound like natural patterns of speech, a recitative is singing that has the
rhythm of talking. It is used for conversation between characters or to move the plot of the story.
Aria: A vocal solo expressing personal emotion or reflection.
Libretto: The text of an opera.
Operatic Voices
SOPRANO: the highest female voice.
The soprano voice is similar to a flute in range and tone color. In opera, the
soprano is usually the heroine; the high, bright sound of the soprano suggests
youth, innocence, and virtue.
MEZZO SOPRANO: the middle female voice.
The mezzo soprano voice is similar to an oboe in range and tone color. The
mezzo sound is darker and warmer than that of a soprano. In opera, composers
generally use the mezzo voice to suggest a maternal type, the female
antagonist, or as a seductive heroine. Mezzo sopranos are also used to portray a
young male character in the opera, also known as a pants role.
CONTRALTO: the lowest woman's voice.
The contralto voice is similar in sound to the lower range of a clarinet. The
deep grandeur of a contralto's voice usually has her cast as an older female
possessing great wisdom, or possibly as a witch.
TENOR: the highest male voice.
The tenor voice is similar in range and tone color, and acoustical "ring," to a
trumpet. In opera, the tenor is usually the hero and/or the romantic interest.
BARITONE: the middle male voice.
The baritone voice is similar in range and color to a french horn. In tragic
opera, the baritone is usually the villain. In comic opera, he may be found as
the ringleader of the highjinks.
Operatic singing,
sometimes called classical
singing, developed in
Europe during the 17th
Century, as operatic music
developed. It differs from
other singing in several
ways:
The range is great,
especially at the top of the
voice.
The volume is greater in
order to be heard over the
orchestra and to be heard
in large theatres without
the use of microphones.
The sound of the operatic
voice is carefully trained to
meet classical standards of
beauty.
BASS: the lowest male voice.
The bass voice is similar to a trombone or bassoon in range and color. Low
voices usually connote age and wisdom in serious opera. In comic opera, a bass
can often be heard singing older, foolish, and laughable characters.
In addition to these vocal categories, there are certain terms that can be used to
describe any range of voice, where applicable.
Coloratura: a voice having the ability to sing many notes quickly, usually with an extended upper range.
Lyric: a light to medium weight voice, capable of sustained, but not forceful singing.
Spinto: a medium to heavy voice, capable of sustained and forceful singing.
Dramatic: the heaviest voice, capable of sustained and forceful singing over a large orchestra.
Opera 101
Directions: Match each term with its definition. Write the letter of the answer in the blank.
1. _________ aria
O The words of a song.
2. _________ ballet
R Music, singing, drama, dance, poetry, sculpture, and
painting combined to create one theatrical
performance.
3. _________ lyrics
N
A theatrical art form in which dancing is combined
with music, scenery and costume to tell a story.
4. _________ opera
E
A song for solo voice with instrumental
accompaniment.
5. _________ orchestra
I
A large group of players of musical instruments,
typically including strings, percussion, brass, and
woodwinds.
6. _________ play
U
An elaborate instrumental composition, usually
performed by an orchestra.
7. _________ recitative
F
A story performed by actors on a stage.
8. _________ symphony
L
A style of singing designed to sound like ordinary
speech.
Synopsis
La Bohème
Composer: Giacomo Puccini
ACT I. Paris, Christmas Eve, c. 1830. In their Latin Quarter garret, the painter Marcello and poet Rodolfo
try to keep warm by burning pages from Rodolfo's latest drama. They are joined by their friend,
Schaunard, a musician who has landed a job teaching music to a parrot and brings food, fuel and funds.
As the friends depart for a celebration at the nearby Café Momus, Rodolfo promises to join them soon,
staying behind to finish writing an article. There is another knock: a neighbor, Mimì, says her candle has
gone out on the drafty stairs. Offering her wine when she feels faint, Rodolfo relights her candle and helps
her to the door. Mimì realizes she has dropped her key, and as the two search for it, both candles are
blown out. In the moonlight the poet takes the girl's shivering hand, telling her his dreams. She then
recounts her solitary life, embroidering flowers and waiting for spring. Drawn to each other, Mimì and
Rodolfo leave for the café.
ACT II. Rodolfo buys Mimì a bonnet near the Café Momus before introducing her to his friends. They all
sit down and order supper. Marcello's former lover, Musetta, enters, carrying shoes from a decrepit
admirer. Trying to regain Marcello’s attention, she sings a waltz about her popularity. Complaining that
her shoe pinches, Musetta sends uses Schaunard to make Marcello jealous, and then falls into Marcello's
arms.
ACT III. It is dawn on the snowy outskirts of Paris. Mimì enters. Her illness has become more apparent.
Hearing Rodolfo and Marcello, she hides. The poet tells Marcello he wants to separate from his fickle
sweetheart. Pressed further, he breaks down, saying Mimì is dying; her ill health can only worsen in the
poverty they share. Overcome, Mimì stumbles forward to bid her lover farewell as Marcello runs back
into the tavern to investigate Musetta's raucous laughter. While Mimì and Rodolfo recall their happiness,
Musetta quarrels with Marcello. The painter and his mistress part in fury, but Mimì and Rodolfo decide to
stay together until spring.
ACT IV. Some months later, Rodolfo and Marcello lament their loneliness in the garret. Schaunard
brings a meager meal. The four stage a dance, which turns into a mock fight. The merrymaking is ended
when Musetta bursts in, saying Mimì is downstairs, too weak to climb up. As Rodolfo runs to her,
Musetta tells how Mimì has begged to be taken to her lover to die. While Mimì is made comfortable,
Marcello goes with Musetta to sell her earrings for medicine. Alone, Mimì and Rodolfo recall their first
days together, but she is seized with coughing. When the others return, Musetta gives Mimì a muff to
warm her hands. Mimì dies quietly, and when Schaunard discovers she is dead, Rodolfo runs to her side,
calling her name.
History
Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème was first heard in Turin, Italy on February 1, 1896. After the first
performance of the opera in Turin, companies around the world began to negotiate for the rights to present
it. Soon it was recognized as one of the greatest works in the opera repertoire. It was first heard in the
United States in Los Angeles on October 14, 1897. (California was admitted into the Union, thereby
becoming a state, in 1850). The history of this work shows how friends can become enemies.
On March 19, 1893, Italian composer Ruggero Leoncavallo met with Puccini. Leoncavallo had made his
international mark with his opera, Pagliacci. He inquired of Puccini what he was going to do after his
opera Manon Lescaut had become a major success. Puccini told his friend that he was going to compose
an opera based on La Bohème. Leoncavallo became very upset because he had offered Puccini a libretto
based on Murger’s story and Puccini had rejected the idea. After this decision by Puccini, Leoncavallo
began to compose his own opera based on the novel. With both composers working on an opera based on
the same story, they were in direct competition with each other.
Leoncavallo was in shock. His publisher announced to the press the topic of his next opera and Puccini’s
agent informed the press the next day that Puccini was also going to write an opera based on La Bohème.
When Puccini was asked by reporters about the fact that Leoncavallo had already announced the his new
work was based on the same story, he replied: “Let him compose, and I will compose, and the public will
be the judge!” As a result, both men became bitter enemies.
As the two composer worked, the public waited to see who would reach the finish line first. Puccini was
first to stage his opera. When Leoncavallo staged his work in Venice on
May 6, 1897, it received a warm reception. While Leoncavallo’s libretto was closer to the original text of
Murger’s novel, Puccini’s dramatic intent and musical color gave him the edge. The public attended
performances of both operas, and there was a time in Milan when both operas were staged at the very
same time. However, even great singers of the era like famous tenor Enrico Caruso could not lift
Leoncavallo’s opera ahead of Puccini’s in the public’s esteem.
American performances also enabled the public to get its mind off the news of the Spanish American
War. The date of the first local performance was the very same date that Admiral George Dewey’s
flagship, the U.S.S. Olympia, was reported in the local press to have bombarded Manila, capital of the
Spanish Colony of the Philippines. (This warship can be found at Penn’s Landing. It is the oldest steelhulled American warship afloat.)
Used with permission of Opera Company of Philadelphia.
The Composer
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
Puccini’s family was very poor due to his father’s death at the age of 51, when Giacomo five. He was the
oldest son. His mother was left to support two sons and six daughters. She believed that a good education
could free her children from their poverty. The following letter was written by Puccini’s mother to the
Queen of Italy in an attempt to acquire a scholarship for her son.
Majesty,
You are the Queen and the mother of all the poor, and you are also the patroness of artists,
while I am a poor widow with two young sons, whose ambition in life is to give them the
best education. My children are students of music, and the older of them, Giacomo, shows
great promise. For five generations, the Puccini’s have formed a dynasty of musicians, and
if the opportunity should arise, Giacomo will continue the glorious tradition. He has
terminated his studies at Lucca; he desires to proceed to Milan, the capital of music. I
cannot myself pay his expenses at the Conservatory, for I have only a meager monthly
pension of 75 lire allowed me by the City Council. The Duchess Carafa, who knows me
well, has encouraged me to write to Your Majesty. Will you therefore in your immense
generosity come to the help of a poor mother and an ambitious boy.
Kissing your munificent hand, I am
Albina Magi-Puccini
Even after Puccini received a scholarship, he remained poor. He often wrote to his mother about food,
requesting a little olive oil or some beans. He found that the other students were from wealthier families
and he could not join them at the cafés of Milan because a drink was more than he could afford.
While he was a student at the conservatory, he wrote Capriccio sinfonico. This piece was part of his
graduation requirements, and it found its way into the opening theme of our opera La Bohème.
After he graduated with a bronze medal, he struggled for ten years before he became recognized as a
major talent in the field of opera. During this time, he would send his younger brother Michele the few
extra lire he had. However, his brother decided to immigrate to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1889 in
search of a better life. It was there that he became ill with yellow fever in 1891 and died. The loss of his
brother pained Giacomo deeply. If he had been successful a little earlier, he thought, his brother would not
have had to emigrate.
Puccini’s family was not the only one suffering. Italy was one of the poorest nations of Europe at the time
of Puccini’s life. Italy had been one of the last nations to be reunited as a nation state. This was because of
the other powerful nations of Europe and the Vatican controlled large sections of the country. As a result
of the political instability and frequent wars that moved through the region, Italy’s economy was largely
underdeveloped.
The economy was weak because investors make capital investments in nations that have stable
governments. Countries that have frequent uprisings or political instability place the investments of industry at greater risk. Who would want to invest money in an area where the new factory could be burned
down in the next riot? As a result, Italy was not able to begin to attract the foreign investors needed to
build its economy.
Some scholars feel that the loss of his young brother to an early death, as a result of poverty, was the
passionate power behind the music in his opera, La Bohème. In this opera, the main character, Mimi, also
dies an early death as a result of extreme poverty. As Puccini grew more successful, he continued to be
aware of the suffering of those he considered to have “great sorrows in little souls.”
Active Learning
1. What are some of the challenges facing families living in poverty in Cincinnati?
2. What are some ways that you can help those who are living in poverty?
3. Investigate local charities that work with the homeless and see what kinds of programs they provide.
4. If you were in a position to assist at a local charity, can you think of other programs that you would
start to help the homeless more?
Used with permission of Opera Company of Philadelphia.
Puccini Timeline
1858 Born on December 22 in Lucca, son of Michele and Albina Magi. Puccini’s father Michele was a municipal
orchestra leader, Cathedral organist, and a composer of operas and masses.
Writes Symphonic Prelude. He attends the opera Aida and is very impressed.
1876
1878 Composes “Motet” and “Credo.”
1880 As an exercise for the Conservatory of Lucca, composes Mass for soloists and orchestra, incorporating
1883
1884
1889
“Motet”and “Credo” he wrote in 1878. He moves to Milan in the fall to enroll at the Conservatory, aided by
a grant from Queen Margherita and a loan from his uncle. His teachers were Bazzini and Ponchielli.
Graduates from the conservatory with a diploma and a bronze medal. As his senior thesis, he presents
Capriccio sinfonico by the student orchestra under Franco Faccio. He uses this piece later in his opera La
bohème.
Performs his first opera Le villi on May 31 at Milan’s Teatro Dal Verme, well received by public and press.
He begins long relationship with his publisher Giulio Ricordi. His mother dies. He begins a long love affair
with the wife of a Luccan pharmacist.
Puccini’s second opera Edgar, which took a long time to compose, premieres at La Scala on April 21 with
short-lived success.
Manon Lescaut gives Puccini his first big success at Teatro Regio in Turin on February 1.
1893
1896 The premiere of La bohème at Teatro Regio on February 1, led by Toscanini.
1900 Tosca premieres at Teatro Costanzi in Rome on January 14.
1904 Marries Elvira Bonturi after the death of her first husband. Madama Butterfly premieres at La Scala. It was
1907
1908
1910
considered a fiasco. It was redeemed by the success of a revised version at Brescia on May 28.
Travels to New York to see the Metropolitan Opera premieres of Madama Butterfly and Manon Lescaut.
He is impressed by David Belasco’s play The Girl of the Golden West.
Marital strain due to Elvira’s jealousy. A lawsuit is filed against her after Puccini’s servant commits suicide
due to Elvira’s jealous persecutions.
Travels to New York a second time for his premiere of La fanciulla del West on November 10, led by
Toscanini. The opera is based on Belasco’s play.
Death of publisher Giulio Ricordi.
1912
1917 La rondine makes debut at Casino Theatre in Monte Carlo on March 27.
1918 Second world premiere at Metropolitan Opera with Il trittico on December 14. It is a trilogy of one-act
operas on differing subjects.
Puccini works on Turandot at Viareggio. Adami and Simoni write the libretto.
1921
1924 After treatment at a Brussels clinic for throat cancer, Puccini dies of a heart attack on November 29.
1926 Turandot premieres incomplete at La Scala, conducted by Toscanini on April 25. Later performances
include the ending as completed by Franco Alfano who used Puccini’s sketches. Two months after his
death, Puccini is given the honorary title of senator. His remains are moved to Torre del Lago and
reinterred in the chapel of his village.
Adapted from the New Encyclopedia Britannica (1988),
Encyclopedia Americana (1988), and Collier’s Encyclopedia (1992).
Make Your Own Timeline
Below you will find a number of important dates about people and events that happened during Puccini’s time. You
can compare the events below with the events in Puccini’s life to get a more complete picture of what it was like to
live at that time.
From the information on the previous page, select the most important incidents in Puccini’s life and combine them
with some of the important developments in world history. Discuss your selections with your classmates. Discover
why some students chose different facts or dates to record.
American Presidents
1857-1861 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .James Buchanan
1861-1865 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Abraham Lincoln†
1865-1869 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrew Johnson
1869-1877 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ulysses S. Grant
1877-1881 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rutherford B. Hayes
1881 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .James A. Garfield†
1881-1885 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chester A. Arthur
1885-1889 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grover Cleveland
1889-1893 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Benjamin Harrison
1893-1897 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grover Cleveland
1897-1901 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .William McKinley†
1901-1909 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Theodore Roosevelt
1909-1913 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .William H. Taft
1913-1921 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Woodrow Wilson
1921-1923 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Warren G. Harding*
1923-1929 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Calvin Coolidge
*Died in office
†Assassinated in office
Inventions
Refrigerator
1858 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ferdinand Carré (Fr.)
Telephone
1876 . . . . . . . . . . . . ...Alexander Graham Bell (U.S.)
Motorcycle
1885 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gottlieb Daimler (Ger.)
Gramophone
1887 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Emile Berliner (Ger./U.S.)
Kodak Camera
1888 . . . . . . . . . . . . .George Eastman (U.S.)
Radio
1895 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Guglielmo Marconi (It.)
Tape recorder
1899 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Valdemar Poulsen (Den.)
Airplane
1903 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wilbur & Orville Wright
(U.S.)
Rocket (liquid fuel)
1926 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robert Goddard (U.S.)
Discoveries
Periodic arrangement of elements
1869 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dmitri Mendeleev (Russ.)
General theory of relativity
1915 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Albert Einstein (Ger.)
Ozone
1939 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Christian Schöenberg (Ger.)
Other Major Events
1861 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Unification of Italy under
Victor Emmanuel, King of Piedmont
1861-1865 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American Civil War
1863 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Abolition of slavery by
Lincoln
1870 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kingdom of Italy annexes
Papal states; Rome becomes capital
1914-1918 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .World War I
1929 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stock market crash
Active Learning
Cut apart three supermarket paper bags. Cut them open down one of the side seams and cut off the bottom so that
when laid flat, you have a rectangular piece of paper. Tape the bags together at the shorter ends, creating a long
rectangular piece of paper. From the longer side of the bag near the top, measure in 10” and place a dot. Do the
same near the bottom. Draw a straight line from the top to the bottom of the bag through both dots. From the
information on this page, select the most important incidents for your timeline. With these facts, include some of
the important dates in history listed above. You may also illustrate your timeline.
Used with permission of Opera Company of Philadelphia.
A Bohemian Named Mimi
When Mimi fell ill in our opera, tuberculosis (TB) was known as consumption. This ancient disease
haunted humanity for thousands of years. The first scientists who worked at understanding it were from
France. Gaspard Laurent Bayle (1774-1816) and René Laënnec (1781-1826) studied and documented the
progressive stages of the illness until it killed both of them. Robert Koch (1843-1910), a German
microbiologist who founded modern medical bacteriology, isolated the bacteria that cause the disease. In
1882, Koch presented his findings showing that the tubercle bacillus was the cause of the illness. In time,
researchers from around the world confirmed his findings.
This discovery enabled doctors to improve their diagnosis of the disease. It was discovered that the
bacteria that caused TB was often in the saliva of the person infected. As the disease led the person to
cough, the bacteria became airborne in small droplets of saliva and then it was carried on dust particles.
When another person breathed the bacteria into their lungs, they became infected with the disease. Only
about one in ten become seriously ill with the infection because most people have strong immune
systems. However, when people did not eat enough because they were poor, or they did not get enough
sleep because they were working many hours just to survive, their immune systems began to fail and the
bacteria would then grow stronger. In time, they could become deathly sick.
At the turn of the last century, many people in cities were dying of the disease. Fortunately, in 1944,
American microbiologist Selman Abraham Waksman discovered streptomycin. The use of antibiotics
enabled many infected people to recover from the disease. For a time, it was thought that antibiotics
would enable us to wipe TB from the earth. Unfortunately, to cure a person infected called for them to
take an antibiotic for up to six months and sometimes for over a year. This was necessary if they were to
totally kill off the bacteria that caused the illness.
For many years, people followed their doctor’s orders and took their medication. As a result, the number
of people dying from TB decreased every year until the mid 1980’s. However, as more and more poor
people in our cities became ill, it was soon not easy to keep track of them to see if they had taken their
pills. Since nature has ways of adapting to the environmental changes that threaten one of its species, the
people who failed to take all of their medication began to develop new kinds of mutated TB. These new
strains of the disease now resist antibiotics. The World Health Organization reports that over fifty million
people have a form of TB that resists antibiotics at present. They also state that one third of the human
population now have the bacteria that cause TB in their lungs, but most never develop the disease. In 2006
alone, 9 million people are living with TB, of which 2 million will die. The incurable form of TB now
kills over 50% of the people it infects. This fact helps us to realize that all of us must take all of the
medication prescribed by our doctors. There is now hope that our leading scientists will develop a vaccine
for TB in the near future.
Active Learning
1. Research the life of Dr. Koch and find out what other major disease he researched.
2. Research the term “sanatorium” and write a position paper on your feelings. Would this concept help in the fight
against TB?
Used with permission of Opera Company of Philadelphia.
Write an Alternate Ending
Using the space below, write what you think will happen next to the characters in La Bohème.
Alternatively, you could write a new ending for the libretto based on what you would have liked to see.
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Everyone’s A Critic!
Summary of Activity:
Students study elements of a performing arts review and then write a review of a performing arts event, using
observation and analysis of the performance and production elements.
Time: 2-6 hours (including observation of the performance)
Materials: Pens, paper, local newspapers or magazines
Subjects: Writing; Performing and Fine Art; History
Objectives:
*Students will be able to write clear and well-supported essays.
*Students will utilize observation and critical thinking skills based on real life experience.
*Students will submit their writing for publication.
Procedure:
1. The entire class should discuss what they like and dislike in entertainment. The students’ feedback should be
written on the board for key phrases and words. What is important to them in music? Movies? Other entertainment?
What do they tell their friends if they want to recommend a show? What do they say to discourage friends from
seeing something?
2. Students find reviews of performing arts events in local papers, magazines, or on the internet.
3. Have students read a review and answer these questions:
FACTS: WHAT was the performance? Type of performing art? WHERE did it take place? WHO was
performing? WHAT was the story of the piece that was performed?
ELEMENTS: What were the elements of the piece that the author of the review wrote about? Did the
author clearly describe the performance of the artists? Did the author write about other production
elements (lighting, sets, costumes)? Was the music described?
OPINION: Did the author give you only their own opinion? Did the author explain why they liked or
disliked what they experienced?
4. Have students make a list of things they would want to know about a performance if they were going to decide
whether or not to see it.
5. Have students review the live performance of the Cincinnati Opera, using the provided page or their own paper.
Share it with the class. Have students submit their reviews to the school or community paper for
publication.
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Cincinnati Opera
T•I•M•E•S
Everything you need to know about opera in Cincinnati!
We want to know what you thought of Cincinnati Opera’s production of Bohème Redux. Imagine that you
are a new journalist in town and just secured your first job as a writer for “Cincinnati Opera Times.” Take
a moment and write an article reviewing Bohème Redux. Be sure to answer the questions: Who? What?
When? Where? Why?
Date: _________________________________
WRITE YOUR HEADLINE HERE:
WRITE YOUR REVIEW HERE. BE SURE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS: WHAT? WHEN?
WHERE? WHO?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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By: ________________________________
Classical Music Critic
The Voice as an Instrument
In Bohème Redux, you will hear operatic voices that sound completely different from the voices you hear
everyday on the radio or tv. Opera singers require special training to create this sound with their
instrument because, unlike a violin player or a pianist, singers’ voices are hidden inside their bodies.
Read the following excerpt from The Singer’s Voice handouts to see how your voice is like any other
musical instrument. Use the exercises to experiment and determine how your singing voice is different
from your everyday speaking voice. Finally, study the diagrams of the parts of the body needed to make
vocal sounds. Use the information to build a model of the respiratory system and observe how the
diaphragm works.
The Voice as an Instrument
Like all musical instruments, the voice has three basic parts:
• a source of power (the actuator)
• a source of sound (the vibrator)
• a source of resonance (the resonator)
In a trumpet, the source of power is the breath of the musician, the source of sound is the vibrating lips of
the musician, and the source of resonance is the air column inside the trumpet. In the voice, the source of
power is the breath of the singer, the source of sound is the vibrating vocal folds of the singer, and the
source of resonance is the air column inside the vocal tract.
The Source of Resonance
A resonator vibrates in sympathy with the vibrator. It also amplifies and modifies the sound of the
vibrator. When the size and shape of an air column changes, the sound changes dramatically. For
example, the air column in a trumpet is shaped differently than that of a tuba, and the sounds are very
different, even on the same pitch!
In singing, after the larynx (vocal chords) vibrates, the air moves up through the vocal tract to create
different sounds. The vocal tract is unusual among instruments’ resonators because it can rapidly and
continuously change its size and shape while singing or speaking. Each change in the vocal tract changes
the shape of the air, and therefore changes the tones and vowel sounds. The vocal tract is made up of three
cavities:
• the throat (pharynx)
• the mouth (oral cavity)
• the nose (nasal cavity)
The body parts lining these cavities include the lips, the tongue, the jaw, the soft palate, the hard palate,
and the teeth. Even the smallest movements can change your tonal quality. Experiment with your
speaking and singing voices by wiggling and adjusting various parts of the vocal tract. Notice how the
smallest movements can cause a change in your sound!
The Source of Power
The source of power (the actuator) for singing is the respiratory system. Breath is a cycle composed of
two processes:
•
•
inhalation: brings new air, rich with oxygen, deep into the lungs where it is exchanged with old
air heavy with carbon dioxide
exhalation: empties the lungs of old air, making them ready for new air
This cycle for a person at rest occurs about 16-20 time per minutes, or 25,000 times a day!
For singing, the goal of inhalation is to bring air deep into the lungs; the goal of exhalation is to control
the out-flowing air so that it is smooth and steady. In exhalation, the air is pumped from the lungs,
through the bronchial tubes, and through the trachea until it gets to the vibrator (the larynx). This
process is controlled by the pushing and pulling action of the abdominal muscles and, most importantly,
of the diaphragm.
The diaphragm is a large muscle that stretches across the bottom of your lungs and ribcage, separating this
part of your body from your abdomen. When it contracts, it lowers and flatters, causing the lungs to
stretch downward and fill up with air. When you exhale, it recoils upward, expelling air from the lungs.
Opera singers have to learn to control their breathing. They must be able to get as much breath as
possible, and make it last as long as possible while they sing notes that can be very long and very high!
How It Works
Singing is an exaggerated extension of speech and requires the development and coordination of many
complex skills. The human voice uses a source of power, a source of sound, and a source of resonance to
produce sound. These elements work together in a five-step process to create vocalization:
1. Volition: The brain tells the muscles of the body to move a certain way.
2. Respiration: The breathing muscles and organs control inhalation and exhalation, which creates
energy for the tone.
3. Phonation: The air flows through the vocal folds, causing them to vibrate.
4. Resonation: The cavities of the vocal tract enhance the tone coming from the vibrating vocal folds,
similar to the way a shower or stairwell modifies your voice.
5. Articulation: The speech organs (tongue, jaw, cheeks, teeth, lips, hard and soft palates) coordinate
to produce the same sounds as you use in speech. The human voice can produce an infinite variety
of sounds!
How is Singing Different from Speaking?
Singing and speaking require the same physical processes, however, singing requires more energy and a
more exaggerated and dramatic manner. Use the following exercises to find your natural speaking range
and then begin singing.
1. Check your natural pitch levels by making sounds like laughing, crying, and “um-hum.” These
sounds are involuntary and help show whether you speak with high or low pitches.
2. With a friend or teacher at the piano, talk in a normal voice and check to see where your natural
pitch settles. Say simple things like “I love to sing” or “My name is ______.”
3. Pick out different notes on the piano and experiment talking at higher and lower pitch levels. How
does it feel? What changes to make these different sounds?
4. Once you have determined your comfortable pitch level, hum on the pitch. Take long, deep
breaths and concentrate on the buzzing sensation in your lips and nose when you hum.
5. Open the “hmmm” sound to an “ah.” Feel the difference between speaking, humming, and singing
a vowel on the same pitch. It should take more air and more energy to sustain a singing sound.
How Much Do You Know?
Using the words in the box, label the body parts used for singing.
Diaphragm
Lungs
Larynx
Throat
Jaw
Trachea
Lips
Nose
Bronchial Tubes
Mouth
Tongue
Fill in the following chart. Identify sources of power, sources of sound, and sources of resonance by using
the vocabulary words from The Voice as an Instrument.
Actuator
Nose
Breath
Larynx/Vocal Chords
Throat
Mouth
Source of Power
(___________)
Abdominal Muscles
Vibrator
Bronchial Tubes
Lips
Teeth
Lungs
Source of Sound
(_____________)
Trachea
Resonator
Jaw
Soft Palate
Diaphragm
Tongue
Source of Resonance
(_____________)