Tannhauser – An opera written by Richard Wagner and performed in 1845. It was written in German and Wagner used an operatic chorus extensively in his operas. Wagner believed in using a lot of drama in his operas and he required the singers to compete with the orchestra while singing.
Minstrel – a traveling singer of the Middle Ages and Renaissance Periods.
Leitmotive – the use of a theme played by the orchestra to represent an idea, person, objects and emotions.
Projection - what opera singers need to do in order to be heard due to large opera halls.
Orchestra - a group of instrumentalists including strings which perform a variety of musical styles.
Characters:
Tannhauser (tenor) – knight and minstrel, in love with Elisabeth
Elisabeth (soprano) sweetheart of Tannhauser
Venus (soprano) – pagan goddess of love
Wolfram (baritone) – Tannhauser’s friend, also in love with Elisabeth
12/11/2002