Opera Composer Rossini
Test – Answer Key
I.
Name ______________________
Defining terms --Fill in the blanks
a. Text (words) of an opera LIBRETTO
b. Long, accompanied song for a soloist in an opera ARIA
c. An orchestral piece opening an opera OVERTURE
d. A dramatic work in one or more acts, set to music for singers and instrumentalists
OPERA
II.
True or False (circle one)
a. An Overture comes in the middle of an opera
T
F
b. The Overture is sung by the soloists
T
F
c. A conductor directs the Overture
T
F
the end of the opera
T
F
e. An Overture collects musical parts from the whole opera
T
F
d. The Rossini Finale to William Tell Overture comes
III.
Short Answer
What is the major difference between an opera and a musical? In a musical, the text
(story) is sung OR spoken, whereas in an opera, the story is sung throughout.
IV.
Life of Rossini (14 points)
1. Write a paragraph about Rossini which MUST include the following information: the
dates of his life, the country he is from, the influence his parents had on his music,
the two types of operas he wrote, his response to the popularity of opera at that time,
his last opera and at what age he composed it, his own popularity as a composer.
Mr. Rossini, an Italian composer, lived from 1792-1868. When he was very young, his
father taught him to play horn and trumpet, and his mother taught him about singing. He
later went on to study music. He wrote both opera seria and opera buffa, mostly because
the European people loved this kind of music at the time. Though he lived a long life, he
composer his last opera, William Tell, at the age of 37! He was a very famous composer
in his day.
V.
The Legend of William Tell
1. What geographical reasons can affect the spreading of a legend to other cultures:
A. Displacement (war)
B. necessary migration (food),
C. voluntary migration (desire to expand, curiosity, seeking glory) D. all of the
above
2. This legend tells a legend about what nation?
A. France
B. Switzerland
C. Norway
D. England
3. William Tell’s nation believed he possessed this character trait:
A. stupidity
B. cowardice
C. impatience
D. bravery
4. William was asked to do the following daunting task:
A. Hit a “bull’s eye” with a pistol
B. shoot an apple on his son’s head with a bullet
C. shoot an apple on the head of his son with an arrow
D. split one arrow with another arrow
VI.
Rossini’s William Tell
1. Use your own adjective to describe the Overture-Finale to William Tell dramatic,
triumphant, heroic, exciting, urgent
2. What language is this (Guillaume Tell)? Italian
3. Write out the famous rhythmic figure to the William Tell Overture OR tell what
division of the quarter note the figure is based (your teacher will tell you which)
__2_________________________________________________________________
4
The famous motif is based on the sixteenth note
4. What is the musical name for the “tail” we hear tacked on to the end of the Overture
Finale? Coda
5. If you composed a “moderately slow” piece, how might you mark the tempo in the
score?
andante
A “lively, fast” piece? allegro