Lesson 4
Objectives: 1, 5, 6, 7, 9
- Read about Verdi and his early operatic style
- Listen to a scene from Il Trovatore to compare the emotional effect of the different sections of the scene, and identify musical elements used to create the effects
- Explore and demonstrate the importance of using appropriate musical style in creating a desired emotional impact
Materials
- Tape: Scene Sequence from Il Trovatore, by Giuseppe Verdi (11:50-20:58)
- Copies of 5 and 6
Procedures
- Read about Verdi.
- Listen to synopsis of Il Trovatore.
- Follow Master Worksheet 5 and identify elements which create contrast between the sections of the scene.
- Suggest possible reasons for the musical choices made by the composer, and their emotional effect.
- Discuss the importance of attention by a performer to appropriate style in communicating the emotional impact of an operatic aria or a song.
- Select one element of performance and one section of the scene from Il Trovatore and imaging how the emotional impact of that section would change if this one element were used incorrectly.
Synopsis
Manrico is a mysterious knight, nicknamed "The Troubadour" because he loves to serenade
Leonora, a lady-in-waiting to the queen. His rival for her hand is Count de Luna, a rich
nobleman of Aragon. manrico believes Azucena, a wild gypsy woman, to be his mother.
However, unknown to him, she actually stole him from the father of Count de Luna as an
act of vengeance for his having burned her mother at the sake. Consequently, his
competitor for the hand of Leonora, as well as his enemy in the current war, is his own
brother. At a gypsy camp, where men work with their anvils and sing a vigorous song,
Azucena reveals to Manrico that she is not his mother, but does not yet tell him his true
identity. suddenly, word comes that Leonora, believing Manrico to be killed in battle, is
going to enter a convent. Manrico rushes off to stoop this. Azucena follows, but is captured
by Count de Luna who believes she killed his baby brother (in reality, of course, Manrico.)
In this scene, Manrico and Leonora are preparing for the wedding, but she is worried
because he will have to fight in a battle the next day. Manrico comforts her and says that
the thought that she is his wife will give him renewed strength. Ruiz, a friend, rushes in and
announces Azucena's capture and tells them that she is to be burned at the sake. In horror,
Manrico orders him to gather his men to save her. Furious, he describes his enemies as
barbarians and vows revenge. His men enter and together they resolve to prepare for battle.
Evaluation
Turn in two questions for the "Opera Quiz."
