Opera Terms

Crescendo

A gradual increase in volume. Orchestral crescendos were one of Rossini's trademarks.

Diva

Literally "goddess," it refers to an important female opera star. The masculine form is divo.

Countertenor

The countertenor is a natural tenor (or sometimes baritone) with an elevated range. With training and practice this higher range, similar to that of a woman alto, becomes the natural voice.

Dynamic

The degree of loudness and quietness in music.

Helden

Prefix meaning "heroic." Applicable to other voices but usually used in Heldentenor.

Cabaletta (cah-bah-LEHT-tah)

Second part of a two-part aria, always in a faster tempo than the first part.

Concertmaster

The first-chair violinist who plays occasional solos and is responsible for coordinating all of the stringed instruments. The concertmaster decides on the bowing so that all of the string players' bows move in unison.

CANZONE, CANZONETTA (Cahn-TSOH-neh, cahn-tsoh-NEHT-tah)

A folk-like song commonly used in opera buffa.

Dress Rehearsal

A final rehearsal that uses all of the costumes, lights, etc. While sometimes it is necessary to stop for corrections, an attempt is made to make it as much like a final performance as possible.

Aside

A comment from an actor directly to the audience that the other characters cannot hear.

Claque

A group of people hired to sit in the audience and either applaud enthusiastically to ensure success or whistle and boo to create a disaster. In past years, leading singers were sometimes blackmailed to pay a claque to insure that claqueurs would not create a disturbance. Even now, a claque is sometimes used but rarely acknowledged.

Chorus

A group of singers, singing together, who sometimes portray servants, party guests or other unnamed characters; also the music written for them.

Fly, Fly tower

A high space above the stage where pieces of the set are often raised up or flown out of sight when not in use.

Concertato

A large ensemble of soloists and chorus generally found in the second movement of a central finale, to which it forms the lyrical climax.

Intermission

A long break, usually about 20 minutes, between the acts of an opera, during which the audience is free to move around.

Dresser

A member of the backstage staff who helps the artists change their costumes. The principal singers usually have their own dresser. Supers and chorus members share dressers.

Falsetto

A method of singing above the natural range of the male voice. Often used in opera for comic effects such as a man imitating a woman.

Diaphragm

A muscle beneath the lungs and above the stomach which acts as a trampoline does, pushing the air from the lungs at a desired rate.

Cadenza kuh-DEN-zuh)

A passage of singing, often at the end of an aria, which shows off the singer's vocal ability.

Designer

A person who creates the lighting, costumes and/or sets.

Director

A person who instructs the singer-actors on their on-stage movements and in the interpretation of their roles.

Impresario

A person who sponsors entertainment. In opera, the general director of an opera company.

Composer

A person who writes music

Act

A portion of an opera designated by the composer, which has a dramatic structure of its own.

Comprimario

A secondary or supporting role or a person singing such a role.

Interlude

A short piece of instrumental music played between scenes or acts.

Baton

A short stick that the conductor uses to lead the orchestra.

Leitmotiv "Motif"

A short, recurring musical phrase associated with a particular character or event.

Banda

A small group of instrumentalists who play either on the stage or backstage, not in the pit, often as part of a crowd or military scene.

Aria

A solo piece written for a main character, which focuses on the character's emotion.

Costume Shop

A special area set aside for the making of the costumes or for adjusting those that are rented.

Commedia Dell' Arte

A type of comic opera popular in Italy in the 16th to 18th centuries that involved improvisation using stock characters and gestures. The characters were often masked to represent certain archetypes.

Bel Canto

An Italian phrase literally meaning "beautiful singing." A traditional Italian style of singing that emphasizes tone, phrasing, coloratura passages and technique. Also refers to opera written in this style.

Artist Manager

An agent who represents artists by publicizing their talents, finding roles for them, negotiating their contracts and handling other business matters for them.

Da Capo Aria

An aria in the form ABA. A first section is followed by a shorter second section. Then the first is repeated, usually with added ornamentation.

Double Aria

An aria which consists of two parts. The first part, or cavatina, is usually slow and the second, or cabaletta is faster. There is often recitative between the two sections.

Duet

An extended musical passage performed by two singers. They may or may not sing simultaneously or on the same musical line.

Curtain Call

At the end of a performance, all of the members of the cast and the conductor take bows. Sometimes this is done in front of the main curtain, hence the name curtain call. Often, however, the bows are taken on the full stage with the curtain open.

Contralto (kuhn-TRAL-toh)

CONTRALTO (kuhn-TRAL-toh): The lowest female singing voice.

Blocking

Directions given to actors for on-stage movements and actions.

Coloratura

Elaborate ornamentation of vocal music written using many fast notes and trills.

Buffo

From the Italian for "buffoon." A singer of comic roles (basso-buffo) or a comic opera (opera-buffa).

Librarian

In charge of preparing the music for the orchestra. Scores are usually rented and have to be annotated to reflect cuts and other changes for a given production.

Cue

In opera, a signal to a singer or orchestra member to begin singing or playing.

Encore

Literally means "again." It used to be the custom for a singer to repeat a popular aria if the audience called "encore" loudly enough. This is still done in the middle of an opera in countries such as Italy, but it is rare elsewhere. Soloists frequently give encores at the end of a concert but not an opera

Bravo

Literally, a form of applause when shouted by members of the audience at the end of an especially pleasing performance. Strictly speaking, "bravo" is for a single man, "brava" for a woman, and "bravi" for a group of performers.

Lighting Director

One who designs and coordinates the light changes that help create opera's overall effect. Much of this is now computerized.

Electrician

One who is charged with executing the lighting design according to the specifications of the lighting designer.

Dramaturg

One who suggests repertory, advises on the suitability of competing editions of operas and writes or edits material for program books and supertitles.

Grand Opera

Strictly speaking, opera without spoken dialogue. It is usually used to refer to opera which uses a large orchestra and chorus and grand themes.

Bow, Bowing

The bow is the wand used to play string instruments. The concertmaster determines when the bows should rise or fall, and this bowing is noted in the score so that all move in the same direction.

Carpenter

The carpenter works on the construction of the sets. Production Carpenter is the title given to the one in charge of the backstage crew, even though working with wood may not be involved.

General Director

The head of an opera company. The one ultimately responsible for all artistic and financial aspects of everything in which the company is involved.

Dramatic Voice

The heaviest voice, capable of sustained declamation and a great deal of power, even over the largest operatic orchestra of about 80 instruments. This description applies to all voice ranges from soprano to bass.

Finale

The last musical number of an opera or the last number of an act.

Conductor

The leader of the orchestra, sometimes called maestro.

Bass

The lowest male singing voice.

Baritone

The male singing voice that is higher than bass but lower than tenor.

Cavatina

The meaning of this term has changed over the years. It now usually refers to the opening, slow section of a two part aria. In Rossini's time it referred to the entrance, or first aria sung by a certain character. Norma's "Casta diva" is an example of a cavatina in both senses.

Cover

The name given to an understudy in opera; someone who replaces a singer in case of illness or other misfortune.

Chorus Master

The one in charge of choosing chorus members and rehearsing them for performance. If there is a backstage chorus, it is usually conducted by the chorus master who is in communication with the conductor of the orchestra.

Choregrapher

The person who designs the motions of a dance.

Lyric

The sung words or text of a musical comedy or operetta song.

Libretto

The text or words of an opera. Little Book

Cord, Vocal

The wishbone-shaped edges of muscles in the lower part of the throat whose movements creates variations in pitch as air passes between them. Often spelled incorrectly as "chord."

Cut

To omit some of the original material from the score.

Dress a Wig

To prepare a wig for use.

Ensemble

Two or more people singing at the same time, or the music written for such a group.

Costume Master

Works with the set designer to prepare costumes that are appropriate for the rest of the production. Often oversees the preparation of the costumes.