Opera

Opera

Industry: Drama

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Opera

overture

Drama; Opera

A composition for orchestra used to introduce a theme or large work of music.

pants role

Drama; Opera

A male role in an opera or operetta played by a woman. Cherubino in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro is a young boy portrayed by a mezzo soprano.

“speaking”; The term directs the singer to imitate speech in singing. An example of this syle is the ‘patter songs’ of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, such as the Lord High Chancellor’s aria: “When ...

pentatonic

Drama; Opera

A compositional device which uses a scale of only five tones to the octave.

pianissimo

Drama; Opera

An Italian word which means ‘very soft’ or ‘very quiet’ (softer than ‘piano’).

piano

Drama; Opera

1. A large stringed musical instrument with a keyboard which is used as accompaniment with voices in an opera.. 2. An Italian word meaning ‘soft’ or ‘quite’ which is used to describe a dynamic level ...