Here are the group and individual activities for Day 8.
FEEDBACK:
Overall, the opera crossword puzzles were good. Some will need to make some minor adjustments to meet the requirements for the crossword puzzle. Others won’t need to do anything to their puzzle except make a final copy. Some will need to turn in their puzzles. Today we will look at a different type of opera and I will have some examples of a different style of singing for the opera project.
Remember my two guidelines:
1. Inside voices
2. Stay within your own group
ACTIVITIES:
The following is taken from “The NPR Curious Listener’s Guide to Opera” by William Berger.
Basics of opera:
“It cannot be stressed enough that opera is a form of drama, making its unique statements by the use of music to unfold human confrontations. The first thing one must have when embarking on the creation of an opera is a good story. This can be quite tricky in itself, since a good drama does not necessarily make a good opera, and conversely, it is possible to create a good opera out of a mediocre story.”
“The vocal solo is the basic unit of operatic currency, without which little else can be achieved. For all the grandeur and spectacle of opera, the individual ultimately matter most. Many of the “greatest hits” of opera are in fact, arias, vocal solos that are set pieces within a score.”
“Perhaps the greatest facet of opera is that it can combine characters in a way that simply will not work in spoken drama.”
“There is more to opera than the purely aural. Opera, at its best, is experienced live.”
On the separate piece of paper:
Why is a good story essential to an opera?
You will hear some music from the first modern rock opera “Tommy.” Listen and identify the basic parts of an opera.
One song from this opera states: “Come on an amazing journey and learn all you should know.” What do you think they mean.
Bonus: Name two other “Rock Operas” and the groups that performed them.
Journal Activity:
1. What would the “orchestra” be in a rock opera?
Additional group activities:
1. Continue work on your Opera Presentation (project) “Hansel & Gretel.” (Characters, plot, songs, etc.)
a. We will start presentations
b. You must have a typed libretto and give it to me before the presentation.
c. It must be five (5) minutes in length.
2. Opera Crossword Puzzle Guidelines:
a. When completed, it must have 14 words across and 14 words down.
b. Final copy of the puzzle will be due on
12/11/2002