If the castrato voice was so prized, even more so than the female soprano, was it worth their sacrifice if they had to play women in all of their operas? Actually, was it even considered a step down for a man to play a woman? (142)
The reading suggests the opera was the most profound way to express emotion, with dramatic music and singing. However, it can also be argued that instrumental music, classical music during this time period, is a better way to express emotion, since the words do not limit the interpretation of the music. What exactly does opera bring to the table that instrumental music cannot?
Samantha Chiu
In Baroque Italian arias, “the composer wrote the music for A and B only, leaving the performers to do the rest” (141). Was this sort of freedom and responsibility usually granted to performers of the Baroque era?
The vocals of opera are stronger and there is a greater emphasis placed on their technique when compared to a typical musical theatre show (140). How does the acting in an opera compare? Is there just as much emphasis placed on acting technique, or are vocals much more important?
I can’t access the pdf for “listen” so…
my question is can anybody else open it?
how can emotion be intensified by vocal virtuosity ?
Are both the diatonic and the chromatic scales used today? Which is used more frequently? Do certain instruments use one over the other? (p. 28)
In opera, is the recitative technique used spontaneously by the singer or is it planned? (p.141)
Why was the castrato voice “prized a virtuoso instrument, more powerful and brilliant than a woman’s soprano?” (p. 142) Isn’t this unnatural and diminished the male role to some extent when portraying male-female relationships?
How does orchestral seating affect sound quality? (p.19)
Why was the Chromatic Scale needed if the Diatonic scale was already sufficient? Didn’t it just create issues for the musical notations?
Why was it worth it for opera singers to receive voluntary castration if they usually only ended up singing in Italian churches?
Why is there no head or face pictured in Duchamp’s Nude Descending a Staircase?
If the Eiffel Tower inspired so many other artistic works, can it be seen as a higher form of art? Whereas most art is inspired by other things, the Tower is in itself a marvelous structure that millions go to see yearly. And it is such an iconic piece of history and architecture – one cannot see a film set in France without the Tower making an appearance. So, is the Eiffel Tower perhaps a little “better” than other, less-lauded works? If so, to what degree and why? Can it be considered a sort of master work?
