In a typical bel canto opera, the baritone often plays the adversarial role in a love-triangle with the soprano and tenor.
Compositional Technique
In the Baroque period, opera seria dominated, characterized by a type of aria that repeats its opening section after a contrasting interlude.
Cultural Impact
The Italian language, with its open vowels and easy consonants, is considered wonderfully straightforward for singing, influencing national schools of opera.
Historical Context
In the early 19th century, a new style called bel canto, meaning 'beautiful singing', emphasized singers' virtuosity with long-held phrases and sparkling fast passages.
Historical Context
Opera was invented around 1600 in Italy by academics who aimed to recreate the chanted speech of ancient Greek theatre.
Composition History
The terms bass and baritone for male operatic voices came into wide use only in the 19th century; before that, any lower-sounding male voice was generally called 'bass'.
Compositional Technique
Basses and bass-baritones are frequently cast as operatic devils and demons, especially when a composer wants to add a 'whiff of sulphur' or a hint of comedy.
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Opera Arias (Mezzo-Soprano): Domashenko, Marina - Cilea, F. / Saint-Saens, C. / Mussorgsky, M.P. / Rimsky-Korsakov, N.A. / Prokofiev, S.
