Opera in Seventeenth-Century Venice
Opera, a form of drama set to music and featuring vocal performance supported by an orchestra, was born in Italy at the very end of the sixteenth century. In the early seventeenth century, operas were performed in courts(residences of ruling members of the nobility)in front of small elite groups of spectators and created by composers and poets who were effectively court servants. These early operas were used to celebrate events-weddings, births, military victories-and generally to demonstrate the wealth of the court. Soon, however, opera was to reach a larger audience. This shift from private to public opera is clearly illustrated in the career of composer Claudio Monteverdi. While employed in the Mantua court, Monteverdi wrote his first opera, Orfeo, in 1607. Created with the rich instrumental resources available at the Mantua court, Orfeo was unprecedented in musical and dramatic expressiveness, guaranteed to impress political rivals of the court. In 1613， Monteverdi left the Mantua court and moved to Venice, where he took up a position at the church St. Mark’s Basilica. Although much of his time was occupied with writing church music, as time went on he acquired the freedom to branch out into writing secular music, including opera.
But opera in Venice was different. Venice was a republic, and without a single ruling family there was no place for court opera along the lines Monteverdi had experienced in Mantua. However, the city was an important commercial center that welcomed many foreign merchants, businessmen, dignitaries, and aristocrats, and the demand for entertainment was high, particularly during the famous Carnival of Venice, which took place each February. After a touring company brought an opera to Venice for the first time during the carnival season of 1637， some enterprising Venetian entertainment organizers came up with the idea of setting up opera houses and charging the public for seats on a subscription system (an agreement to purchase tickets in advance). However, it would be an exaggeration to depict seventeenth-century Venetian opera as opera “for the masses.” The opera houses were owned by noble families, opera-goers were still from privileged backgrounds, and ticket prices were high.
Operas ceased to be one-off events and became regular occurrences, often playing for an entire season, and with opera now a commercial enterprise, public appeal became crucial. Although the earliest Venetian operas were based on Classical mythology, just as the court operas had been, composers increasingly turned towards historical subjects with more recognizably human characters. The priority for a composer was no longer to appeal to the vanity of a ruler; indeed, the new type of opera sometimes even depicted rulers as corrupt and greedy. They also had to be more economical than the early court operas- commercially run theaters could not afford the sort of elaborate sets that were used in the courts. Large-scale permanent orchestras were also too expensive for most theaters, meaning that composers had to scale back the orchestration that they called for. However, a benefit of using a smaller orchestra was that the voices were shown off to greater effect, and as the seventeenth century progressed, composers began to include more and more arias (self-contained songs typically sung by one voice) in their opera scores. Monteverdi embraced these new trends in his opera The Coronation of Poppea, which told the story of the love affair between the Roman emperor Nero and his mistress Poppea.
A”star system” for singers soon emerged in Venice that was similar to modern notions of celebrity-one of the most successful and celebrated singers of the era was the singer Anna Renzi. The success of an opera depended increasingly upon the virtuoso qualities of the lead performers: parts were written to show off the strengths of an individual’s voice, and the most successful singers acquired the power to dictate not only their role but how long their scenes should be and even which other singers should appear in the production. The most successful singers were typically paid more than the composers whose works they performed, often several times more, and their names appeared more prominently on publicity materials than those of composers or authors of opera texts.
1
Opera, a form of drama set to music and featuring vocal performance supported by an orchestra, was born in Italy at the very end of the sixteenth century. In the early seventeenth century, operas were performed in courts(residences of ruling members of the nobility)in front of small elite groups of spectators and created by composers and poets who were effectively court servants. These early operas were used to celebrate events-weddings, births, military victories-and generally to demonstrate the wealth of the court. Soon, however, opera was to reach a larger audience. This shift from private to public opera is clearly illustrated in the career of composer Claudio Monteverdi. While employed in the Mantua court, Monteverdi wrote his first opera, Orfeo, in 1607. Created with the rich instrumental resources available at the Mantua court, Orfeo was unprecedented in musical and dramatic expressiveness, guaranteed to impress political rivals of the court. In 1613， Monteverdi left the Mantua court and moved to Venice, where he took up a position at the church St. Mark’s Basilica. Although much of his time was occupied with writing church music, as time went on he acquired the freedom to branch out into writing secular music, including opera.
According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true of early seventeenth-century operas?
Factual Information Questions事实信息题
AThey allowed rulers to impress other wealthy and powerful citizens.
BThey sometimes featured court servants in singing roles.
CThey did not cost very much to produce
DThey were often composed by musicians who were members of the nobility.
2
Opera, a form of drama set to music and featuring vocal performance supported by an orchestra, was born in Italy at the very end of the sixteenth century. In the early seventeenth century, operas were performed in courts(residences of ruling members of the nobility)in front of small elite groups of spectators and created by composers and poets who were effectively court servants. These early operas were used to celebrate events-weddings, births, military victories-and generally to demonstrate the wealth of the court. Soon, however, opera was to reach a larger audience. This shift from private to public opera is clearly illustrated in the career of composer Claudio Monteverdi. While employed in the Mantua court, Monteverdi wrote his first opera, Orfeo, in 1607. Created with the rich instrumental resources available at the Mantua court, Orfeo was unprecedented in musical and dramatic expressiveness, guaranteed to impress political rivals of the court. In 1613， Monteverdi left the Mantua court and moved to Venice, where he took up a position at the church St. Mark’s Basilica. Although much of his time was occupied with writing church music, as time went on he acquired the freedom to branch out into writing secular music, including opera.
According to paragraph 1, what was notable about Monteverdi’s opera Orfeo?
Factual Information Questions事实信息题
AIt was intended to be performed by a small group of musicians.
BIt criticized political rivals of the Mantua court.
CIt was very expressive, both musically and dramatically.
DIt was originally written to be sung in a church.
3
But opera in Venice was different. Venice was a republic, and without a single ruling family there was no place for court opera along the lines Monteverdi had experienced in Mantua. However, the city was an important commercial center that welcomed many foreign merchants, businessmen, dignitaries, and aristocrats, and the demand for entertainment was high, particularly during the famous Carnival of Venice, which took place each February. After a touring company brought an opera to Venice for the first time during the carnival season of 1637， some enterprising Venetian entertainment organizers came up with the idea of setting up opera houses and charging the public for seats on a subscription system (an agreement to purchase tickets in advance). However, it would be an exaggeration to depict seventeenth-century Venetian opera as opera “for the masses.” The opera houses were owned by noble families, opera-goers were still from privileged backgrounds, and ticket prices were high.
Which of the following describes the author’s purpose in providing then formation that “The opera houses were owned by noble families, opera-goers were still from privileged backgrounds, and ticket prices were high?”
Sentence Simplification Questions句子简化题
ATo describe how Venetian entertainment organizers ensured that their operas earned money
BTo indicate the disadvantages of using a subscription system for opera houses
CTo summarize public criticism of the first Venetian opera
DTo make it clear that Venetian operas were only for elite groups in society
4
But opera in Venice was different. Venice was a republic, and without a single ruling family there was no place for court opera along the lines Monteverdi had experienced in Mantua. However, the city was an important commercial center that welcomed many foreign merchants, businessmen, dignitaries, and aristocrats, and the demand for entertainment was high, particularly during the famous Carnival of Venice, which took place each February. After a touring company brought an opera to Venice for the first time during the carnival season of 1637， some enterprising Venetian entertainment organizers came up with the idea of setting up opera houses and charging the public for seats on a subscription system (an agreement to purchase tickets in advance). However, it would be an exaggeration to depict seventeenth-century Venetian opera as opera “for the masses.” The opera houses were owned by noble families, opera-goers were still from privileged backgrounds, and ticket prices were high.
According to paragraph 2, Venice was a good place for the development of public opera for all of the following reasons EXCEPT
Negative Factual Information Questions否定事实信息题
Athe absence of private performance spaces for operas in courts
Bits importance as a center for commerce
Cthe widespread desire for entertainment during the carnival season
Dthe convenient location of the city as a stop for touring companies
5
Operas ceased to be one-off events and became regular occurrences, often playing for an entire season, and with opera now a commercial enterprise, public appeal became crucial. Although the earliest Venetian operas were based on Classical mythology, just as the court operas had been, composers increasingly turned towards historical subjects with more recognizably human characters. The priority for a composer was no longer to appeal to the vanity of a ruler; indeed, the new type of opera sometimes even depicted rulers as corrupt and greedy. They also had to be more economical than the early court operas- commercially run theaters could not afford the sort of elaborate sets that were used in the courts. Large-scale permanent orchestras were also too expensive for most theaters, meaning that composers had to scale back the orchestration that they called for. However, a benefit of using a smaller orchestra was that the voices were shown off to greater effect, and as the seventeenth century progressed, composers began to include more and more arias (self-contained songs typically sung by one voice) in their opera scores. Monteverdi embraced these new trends in his opera The Coronation of Poppea, which told the story of the love affair between the Roman emperor Nero and his mistress Poppea.
The word “vanity” in the passage is closest in meaning to
Vocabulary Questions词汇题
Apride
Bgenerosity
Cfairness
Dcompetitiveness
6
Operas ceased to be one-off events and became regular occurrences, often playing for an entire season, and with opera now a commercial enterprise, public appeal became crucial. Although the earliest Venetian operas were based on Classical mythology, just as the court operas had been, composers increasingly turned towards historical subjects with more recognizably human characters. The priority for a composer was no longer to appeal to the vanity of a ruler; indeed, the new type of opera sometimes even depicted rulers as corrupt and greedy. They also had to be more economical than the early court operas- commercially run theaters could not afford the sort of elaborate sets that were used in the courts. Large-scale permanent orchestras were also too expensive for most theaters, meaning that composers had to scale back the orchestration that they called for. However, a benefit of using a smaller orchestra was that the voices were shown off to greater effect, and as the seventeenth century progressed, composers began to include more and more arias (self-contained songs typically sung by one voice) in their opera scores. Monteverdi embraced these new trends in his opera The Coronation of Poppea, which told the story of the love affair between the Roman emperor Nero and his mistress Poppea.
According to paragraph 3, in which TWO of the following ways did commercial operas differ from the court operas that came before them? To receive credit, you must select TWO answer choices.
Factual Information Questions事实信息题
Select 2 answers
ACommercial operas had to please the public instead of pleasing rulers
BCommercial operas featured a much greater variety and complexity of sets.
CCommercial operas needed to keep the costs of producing operas relatively low
DCommercial operas included more songs for groups of voices singing together.
7
Operas ceased to be one-off events and became regular occurrences, often playing for an entire season, and with opera now a commercial enterprise, public appeal became crucial. Although the earliest Venetian operas were based on Classical mythology, just as the court operas had been, composers increasingly turned towards historical subjects with more recognizably human characters. The priority for a composer was no longer to appeal to the vanity of a ruler; indeed, the new type of opera sometimes even depicted rulers as corrupt and greedy. They also had to be more economical than the early court operas- commercially run theaters could not afford the sort of elaborate sets that were used in the courts. Large-scale permanent orchestras were also too expensive for most theaters, meaning that composers had to scale back the orchestration that they called for. However, a benefit of using a smaller orchestra was that the voices were shown off to greater effect, and as the seventeenth century progressed, composers began to include more and more arias (self-contained songs typically sung by one voice) in their opera scores. Monteverdi embraced these new trends in his opera The Coronation of Poppea, which told the story of the love affair between the Roman emperor Nero and his mistress Poppea.
Paragraph 3 suggests that seventeenth century composers began to include more songs performed by individual singers in their operas for which of the following reasons?
Inference Questions推理题
AIndividual singers became more demanding about having the opportunity to show off their voices.
BFinancial necessity caused theaters to begin using smaller orchestras.
CComposers were trying to use arias to highlight political corruption.
DThe longer songs sung by individual singers helped the audience understand the historical background of an opera.
8
A”star system” for singers soon emerged in Venice that was similar to modern notions of celebrity-one of the most successful and celebrated singers of the era was the singer Anna Renzi. The success of an opera depended increasingly upon the virtuoso qualities of the lead performers: parts were written to show off the strengths of an individual’s voice, and the most successful singers acquired the power to dictate not only their role but how long their scenes should be and even which other singers should appear in the production. The most successful singers were typically paid more than the composers whose works they performed, often several times more, and their names appeared more prominently on publicity materials than those of composers or authors of opera texts.
All of the following are discussed in paragraph 4 as signs of the rowing status of opera singers in Venice EXCEPT
Negative Factual Information Questions否定事实信息题
Athe ability of the most successful singers to control who else performed in the opera
Bthe influence exercised by the most successful singers in choosing composers
Cthe relatively high salary of the most successful singers
Dthe practice of featuring successful singers’ names on publicity materials
9
But opera in Venice was different. Venice was a republic, and without a single ruling family there was no place for court opera along the lines Monteverdi had experienced in Mantua. ⬛However, the city was an important commercial center that welcomed many foreign merchants, businessmen, dignitaries, and aristocrats, and the demand for entertainment was high, particularly during the famous Carnival of Venice, which took place each February. ⬛After a touring company brought an opera to Venice for the first time during the carnival season of 1637， some enterprising Venetian entertainment organizers came up with the idea of setting up opera houses and charging the public for seats on a subscription system (an agreement to purchase tickets in advance). ⬛However, it would be an exaggeration to depict seventeenth-century Venetian opera as opera “for the masses.” The opera houses were owned by noble families, opera-goers were still from privileged backgrounds, and ticket prices were high.⬛
Look at the four squaresthat indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage
This new vision led to the birth of public operaInsert Text Questions句子插入题
Where would the sentence best fit？Click on a square sentence to the passage.
10
Opera began in Italy at the end of the sixteenth century.
Prose Summary Questions概要小结题
Select 3 answers
ADuring the seventeenth century, opera transitioned from being a private, court affair to being a public, commercial event.
BOpera became more affordable in the seventeenth century, which provided an opportunity for members of different social classes to interact freely.
CAs the seventeenth century progressed, traveling opera companies were formed so that popular Venetian operas could be performed in other Italian cities.
DThe concentration of merchants and other visitors in Venice and the act that it was a republic are factors that led to the opening of the first opera houses there.
ESince Venetian opera productions did not always have enough money to pay for large theaters, the overall number of people who could attend was limited.
FThe subject matter, set designs, and respective roles of the orchestra and singers all changed as entertainment organizers balanced business needs with opera’s public appeal
