For a long time opera was dominated by larger-than-life characters:
kings and queens, gods and goddesses, mythic figures with power
over life and death. However, as opera became a more and more
popular form of entertainment, the perspective changed. The
challenge for composers and librettists was to give these legendary
characters common feelings - to put little sorrow in great souls -
so that ordinary people could easily identify with on stage dramas.
Composers turned to stories about simpler, more realistic
characters, creating a whole new set of challenges in the process.
Nobody knew that better than Giacomo Puccini whose operas tell us
that at some point in their lives, people everywhere, in all walks
of life, endure the same trials: love and envy, loss and
heartbreak. This is especially true in La Boheme, a drama of
everyday events and common people, a story set among struggling
artists in the Latin Quarter of Paris. Certain critics have
analyzed his music and his stories and concluded that his operas
are too easily enjoyable, and maybe not intellectual enough, to
justify Puccini's great success. It would be easy to argue that
other composers produced operas far more complex and innovative
than Puccini's, but that conclusion may also be too simple.
Regardless of his methods, Puccini mastered the unique and
mystifying synthesis of music, drama and stagecraft that only opera
can deliver, and with powerful results. His enduring, popular
dramas are graced by appealing and believable characters whose
feelings are portrayed so deeply and so vividly that, as we look
on, their emotions soon become ours as well, and their heartbreaks
seem as wrenching as our own. Luca Andrea Giordano lives in Italy.
He holds doctorate degrees in Foreign Languages, Modern Philology,
Vocal Performance (Opera and Chamber music) and Oboe. He dedicates
his time equally as a linguist and interpreter assisting
professional departments at various Italian Music Conservatories in
English and French, and as author of extensive analytical works in
musicology, linguistics and composition for important publishing
houses. He has been associated with the Opera House "Giuseppe
Verdi" in Salerno, as chorus member, since 1999. He also performs
frequently as classical singer and oboist at national and
international levels."
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
