NEVER Min@ the BUI cK; it’s the Virginia Achtem and Naomi Singer Going to the opera may not be high on your list of enter- tainment “musts”, but it is worth fitting in between bouts of Poisoned and D.O.A. This is not to suggest that sitting through an opera will induce such a comatose state as may be required to revive oneself after these other outings — quite the contrary. Opera is all very exciting, right from the first cacophony of orchestral tune-up to the last resounding “bravo!”. Opera is usually sung in a foreign tongue, but don’t let this discourage you. One may always refer to the libretto, the text of the opera, which is included in the evening pro- gram and handed right to you by smiling individuals in smart red jackets. A synopsis of the plot and additional background information can also be found within the pro- gram, so allow yourself enough time to read through it be- fore the houselights dim. Knowing exactly what’s been said is really the least important aspect of the evening: one goes to the opera for the music, the elaborate sets, the drama, and of course, to be seen. Some notes on etiquette and comfort. Be sure to eat something before the show — you will need your strength. Do not fortify yourself with drink — the intermission wash- room line-ups are interminable. If possible, take an after- noon nap — this will save you the social embarrassment of nodding off and drooling onto the fur coat in front of you. Lastly, remember that the Q.E. is a large theatre and you may be sittng far from the stage (no giant video screens here), so take along some opera glasses or binoculars. A telescope is not acceptable. Provided below is a brief operatic primer to help you make it through the night. Opera Types Opera: from the Latin, meaning “works”. A play having all or most of its text set to music and sung with orchestral accompaniment, usually characterized by elaborate cos- tuming, scenery, and choreopraphy. Light Opera: spoken dialogue is used. Usually contains a strong comic element. Grand Opera: opera in which all the words are sung. Beethoven’s Fidelio, which contains some spoken dialogue, is an exception to this classification. Operetta: also called comic opera, or in Italian, opera buffa. This is a form of light opera usually centered on a romantic or sentimental theme, with a strong comic ele- ment in the plot which; typically, has a happy ending. The classification is used to denote the use of spoken dialogue, and in France the name opera comique is still used for such works as Bizet’s Carmen, which is de- cidedly more serious and tragic in character than the term ‘would suggest. The scenes and personages of an operetta are apt to be taken from the everday life of a composer’s time, and fre- quently utilize satire of sophisticated manners, allusion to current topics and gossip, and parody of the “serious” opera style. By the time Mozart composed Le Nozze di Figaro (1786) the style had evolved somewhat to include more expressive, lyric, and dignified elements. Musical Terms : soprano: the highest female voice. Soloists are classified as dramatic, lyric, or coloratura. Voices of similar range are the unchanged boy’s voice, “boy soprano”, and the “male soprano” ie: either a falsettist or, formerly a cas- trato. (Believe me, you don’t want to know about the lat- ter). alto: a female voice of low range, also called contralto. Originally the alto was a high male voice, also known as counter-tenor, especially used in 16th and17th century English Church music. Typically vain, singers in this range came to be known as “alto egoes” tenor: the highest adult male voice, usually ranging from about an octave below middle C to an octave above. heldentenor: tenor voice of great brilliancy and volume, suited for the heroic roles of operas. When a role of dy- namic proportions is involved, such as that of the Teutonic legend Siegfried, the composer will annotate the text with: give ’em heldentenor. _ baritone: the male voice intermediate between the bass and the tenor, generally heavy and low. bass: the lowest and deepest of men’s voices. large-mouthed bass: _ not an operatic term. aria: anelaborate solo song (occasionally a duet) with in- strumental accompaniment. The aria is used in represent- ing lyric episodes which temporarily relieve the dramatic tension of the main action. During the 18th century a form of aria developed as a vehicle of great virtuoso display, as can be seen in many of Mozart’s works. Synopsis Le Nozze di Figaro, opera buffa in four acts by W.A. Mozart, composed in 1786. Figaro, formerly a barber and now the valet of Count Al- maviva, is angered by his master’s infidelity and decides to plot against the adulterer. The Count has been flirting with every available female (the gardener’s daughter, his wife’s maid), each of whom have romantic involvements of an in- teresting variety as it is. A complicated series of entangle- ments ensue, involving the entire household and virtually all of the hired help. Letters are written, clothing ex- changed, secret rendez-vous arranged, and the subsequent affairs and intrigues are of such complexity as to defy logic. However, this very looseness and confusion, far from being detrimental, actiially enhance the value of the opera, bes- towing on it a “charming quality of Rococo lightness” (ac- cording to the Harvard Dictionary of Music). Further, the listener becomes disinclined to follow the intricacies of the plot and can therefore more fully concentrate on the music which is, after all, the central element of opera. Tickets The best part about all this is that if you know how to buy tickets the whole evening will cost the same as a movie. Here’s how: Rush Seats: $6.00 on the day of the performance from 11:00 a.m. at the VTC Box Office, 630 Harhilton St. Student Standby: $5.00, half hour before curtain (be there by 7:15) at the Queen Elizabeth BoxOffice. Bring student I.D. These tickets are subject to availability, but if you like to gamble, you may be rewarded with seats that ordinarily cost close to $50.00. JANUARY 24, 27, 29, 31.1987 QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE: 8 PM Sean Tho mpson 86 ! New Vv 7 Semper yA) Ay ALA smnou! What No! You've / NF. get thewrond \ num ber { \ 2) 1 A hie V hy Se me is TO ~ s\y what are the a Ns S hn sissors fore NY ae = we v > Nn es jie : ws OW? fy She ZS he = in S E S Se E tt 'LEADING Planet of the Arts Page 11 hy PSYCHICS PREDICTIONS FOR 1987 | KNEW SOMETHING Like (S WAS GOING To HAPPEN. MADAME: AVANTT 4 A woman will allege to have been artificially inseminated by the late Els Presley ae Siamese twins she will bear, joined a the sideburns, leave no guestion as To the iden tity o€ the donor Sperm... G : the great masters will be discovered. Many sketthes qnd Note books, depictin very Popular Inusicians of fher erak ar well ar ornately Customized forse Carviages and Carts, will force art cries and historians fo reevaluate feen art jn high Sthoolsae™ IA For the first fime ever, & ae es tered ina large Ese MmCtropols , and not some P\\ if Na ckiosdt farm...” i jas ALFREDO UNIVERSO Ww Alan ‘¢ The Skipper Hale ard former Tattle Tales host Bert Convy team up te form “Celeb- Aid, and attempt *5 raise vtone pPeEtormun “Waiting OY Godot ‘jn fron} ofa world-wide television audience. The vesulting losses, both financial and in terms of credibility, will erpple the famine relief program for years...” i? Canadian rime -Minister brian Mulrone y will have a large, chin- Shaped benign tumour removed trom lis fread. As a result ot fre operation, thousands of editovial Cartoonists will Join the rarks ot the Unemployed... Freviously unknown artworks by W one of the polyps removed from U.S. resident Ronald Reagan, will take on q life of its own, causing the White House much embarrassment...” Wl “Micheal Jackson will be crushed to death by &@ pallet of Smurfs during & private sleep- over at Toys 'r' US® U it’s the Ome: A Virginia Achtem and Naomi Singer the opera may not be high on your list of enter tainment “musts”, but itis worth fiting in between bouts of Poisoned and D.O.A. This is not to suggest that sitting through an opera will induce such a comatose state as may bee required to revive oneself after these other quite the contrary. Opera is all very exciting, rst cacophony of orchestral tune-up tothe last resoundi ‘bravo! s usually sung you. On the text ofthe opera, which is included in the eveni gram and handed right to you by smiling individuals in smart red jackets. A synopsis of the plot and additional background information can also be found within the pro: gram, so allow yourself enough time to read through it be fore the houselights dim. Knowing exactly what's ben said is really the east important aspect of the evening: one goes tothe opera forthe music, the elaborate sets, the drama, and ‘of course, to be seen Some notes on etiquette and comfort. Be sure 10 eat something before the show — you will need your strength. Do not fortify yourself with drink — the intermission wash room line-ups are interminable. If possible, take an after ‘noon nap — this will save you the social embarrassment of nodding off and drooling onto the fur coat in front of you. Lastly, remember that the QE. isa large theatre and you ng far from the stage (no giant video screens, ke along some opera glasses or binoculars. A telescope is not acceptable. Provided below is a brief operatic primer to help you ‘make it through the night Opera Types Opera: from the Latin, meaning “works”. A play having all ormost ofits text set to musie and sung with orchestral accompaniment, usually characterized by elaborate cos- tuming, scenery, and choreopraphy. Light Opera: spoken dialogue is used. Usually contains strong comic element Grand Opera: opera in which all the words are sung. Beethoven's Fidelio, which contains some spoken dialogue. is an exception to this classification Operetta: also called comic opera, or in Italian, opera ‘ua. This is a form of light opera usually centered on a romantic or sentimental theme, with a strong comic ele- ment in the plot which, typically, has a happy ending. ‘The classification is used to denote the use of spoken dialogue, and in France the name opera comique is still used for such works as Bizet’s Carmen, which is de cidedly more serious and tragic in character than the term would sugaest The scenes and personages of an opereta are apt to be taken from the everday life of a composer's time, and fre quently utilize satire of sophisticated manners allusion to ‘current topics and gossip. and parody of the “serious” ‘opera style. By the time Mozart composed Le Nozze di Figaro (1786) the style had evolved somewhat to include more expressive, lyric, and dignified elements Musical Terms est female voice. Soloists are classified ic oF coloratura. Voices of similar rang ina foreign tongue, but don’t let soprano: the as dramatic, | Earl's Bad Day are the unchanged boy's voi male soprano” ie: either a falsetist or, formerly a eas trato. (Believe me, you don’t want to kriow about the lat- ter) alto: a female voice of low ‘Originally the alto was a high male voice, ‘counter-tenor. especially used in 16th andI7th century ish Church music. Typically vain, singers in this range came to be known as “alto egoes” tenor: the highest adult male voice, usually ranging from about an octave below middle C to an octave above. hheldentenor: tenor voice of great brilliancy and volume, ‘Suited for the heroic roles of operas. When a role of dy ‘namic proportions is involved, such as that of the -omposer wll annotate the text with: giv baritone: the male voice intermediate between the bass and the tenor, generally heavy and low bass: the lowest and deepest of men’s voices, Jarge-mi ) with in- represent dramatic ntury a form vehicle of great virtuoso display, as ny of Mozart's works. Synopsis Le Nozze di Figaro, opera bufa in four acts by W.A Mozart, composed in 1786, aro, formerly a barber and now the valet of Count AL ‘maviva, is angered by his master's infidelity and decides to plot agains the adulterer. The Count has been fing with daughter his wife's involvements ofan in teresting variety as plicated series of entangle- ‘ments ensue, involving the entire houschold and virtually all of the hired help. Letters are written, clothing ex- changed, seret rendez-vous arranged, and the subsequent affairs and intrigues are of such complexity as to defy logic. However, this very looseness and confusion far from being detrimental, actually enhance the value ofthe opera, bes towing on it “charming quality of Rococo lightness" (ac- cording to the Harvard Dictionary of Mus listener becomes disinclined to follow the plot and can therefore more fully concentrat Which is, afterall, the central element of opera Tickets The best part about all thisis that if you know fiw to buy tickets the whole evening will cost the same as a movie. can be seen in n $6.00 on the day of the performance from the VTC Box Office, 630 Harhilton St Student Standby: $5.00, half hour before curtain (be there by 7:15) at the Queen Elizabeth BoxOffice. Bring student I.D. These tickets are subject to availability, butit like to gamble, you may be rewarded with seats that cost close to $50.00, JANUARY 24, 27, 29, 31. 1987 QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE: 8PM [r hi ines EL \ fatabeet™ a i é Mls ee) * Wy wat ac fa) Jifsigsorstoe| Phaetofthe Ans Page 1 LEADING PSYCHICS PREDICTIONS TOR | KNEW somemina Like THIS WAS Goin To HAPPEN, MADAME: AVANTI 48 A woman will allege to have been areal inseminated by the late Elvis resley..the Siamese twins she will bear ie a the sideburns, leave no question as othe identihy 0 the don pom...” treviously unknown artworks by the great aa ede Man} ie and rotebooks, depicting very popular ‘musicians of theit. era? 4 wal uf ornely customized horse Carriages and tarts, willl Bree art critics and hibtorians ag fo reevaluate teen art in high schools. ar the frst Hime toy 0 Ae will iA ina lave metropolis, and not Some backwoods farm... ALFREDO UNIVERSO Le Alar (ihe Skipper) Hale ard frrmer Tatteales, ‘best Bert Const fear up for ele: Ai and ee fase Monty Deen “Wail be Gndot ie Font ol 4 Wireeatle Heleision audience. The vesutting lover, both fpueial arn fmt of cr bly, wer the famine reli program Yor yare. Pe Ceram Fine Minter Brinn Mahaney till havea large, chine shaped benign Fapndur removed trom lat ead Ack result ot The operation, Hhnusands of ediforial carfoorivts will join the ranks: 66 the tmenployed a= {eres} a SONIA X W ‘one of the hak yps removed from U.S. Presiden Ronald Reagan, will take on 9 life of its own, causing the White House much embarrassment.” liar “Micheal Jackson will be erushed fo death by @ pallet of mA during @ private sleep- ontial Toys 'r US® eae as