The Journey of Opera Art from Past to Present
The opera, which emerged as one of the most rooted reflections of performing arts in 1597, maintains its popularity today. The art of opera, which contains a piece of almost all branches of art and offers impressive visual and auditory feasts, brings different subjects, and contents to the stage and brings them together with the audience. If you are wondering about the journey of opera art, which is followed with great pleasure by art lovers, from past to present, you can continue reading our article!
What is Opera?
Opera, which means “work” in Italian, can be defined as the combination of eye-catching art branches such as music, costume, and stage design to form a fascinating unity. These works, which are presented to the audience by forming theatrical integrity, are works that create big stage feasts with their emotional melodies and words reflecting the plot. The harmonious combination of choir, soloist, orchestra, light, stage decoration and costumes formed the basis of today’s opera samples.
The Birth of Opera Takes place in Italy
Witnessing the birth of the Renaissance, Florence also played a major role in the development of opera and was home to the emergence of magnificent works. Thus, “Daphne” appeared in 1597, the first work that had the characteristics of being an opera. This opera, first performed at a carnival, was a sample written by the poet Ottavio Rinuccini and composed by Jacopo Peri.
Opera Art Handles Mythological Stories in a Poetic Language
One of the biggest reasons for the emergence of opera art was the appreciation of ancient Greek tragedies. The word Tragedy, which emerged with the combination of the words Tragos (goat) and Oidie (folk song), had the feature of being a tragedy about mythological stories. The nostalgia for the ancient Greek and Roman tragedies, one of the most vital features of the Renaissance Period, led to the emergence of a new type of art.
The art of opera began to grow and develop when a group of educated people, including poets and composers, gathered under the name Camerala. The group, which produced different works by taking inspiration from Greek tragedies, first adopted the works of Euripides and Sophocles and was instrumental in the development of the art of opera.
Spread to the World with Its First Examples
Monteverdi followed Peri, who put forward the second opera sample called Euridice in 1600 and composed the opera “Orfeo” in 1607. While the artist was putting forward this piece, he focused on the orchestra and increased the sounds, thus the piece became the first opera to be staged. In 1637, operas appeared before the public and began to gain recognition in the world. The opera, which left the palace and reached large crowds, began to be staged in France and England. Artists from different countries created new opera plays, revealing different types of opera.
The First Examples in Turkey Were Seen at the beginning of the 19th Century
Examples of opera art, which has been in existence since the 16th century, were found in state theaters at the end of the 18th century. On the occasion of Köprülüzade Fazıl Ahmet Pasha, who brought an opera troupe from Venice for a wedding, the opera performances that descended from the palace to the public began to be staged in theater buildings first in Istanbul and then in Izmir.
The opera, which became well known with the production of works by foreign opera writers in our country, also contributed to the artistic development of Turkey. This fascinating art genre, which emerged in Italy, assumed the role of being one of the aesthetic expression forms of art communities in 19th-century Turkey.
You are Invited to Opera Concerts at Pera Palace!
It is possible to experience the most up-to-date examples of opera, which has created an artistic surge in the world from past to present, at Istanbul’s favorite Pera Palace Hotel. Opera performances at Pera Palace, one of the city’s most artistic and aesthetic venues for more than 130 years, take art lovers on a historical journey.
The events that will take place in the Grand Pera Ballroom, which stands out with its powerful acoustics and magnificent architectural design, will give you unforgettable moments with love, music, and fascinating stories. In this special event series where “Love at Pera Palace”, ” Farinelli and Senesino Aries” and “Women of the World” will be staged, a repertoire consisting of works by important Turkish composers awaits the audience.
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