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During the current season, enjoy these opera events at Krannert Center:
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This elaborate art form seamlessly unites music, drama, and spectacle. Singers, instrumentalists, actors, dancers, poets, choreographers, and those who work the magic of stagecraft -- scenery, costume, and lighting designers, among others -- join together to create electrifying evenings of entertainment. Operas are known as "complete artworks" because the music can strengthen any spoken words, carry hints about feelings not expressed in words, and telegraph implications about the relationships between the characters.
Many people think of opera as an art form that originated in Italy at the end of the 16th century, but that only includes western opera. Countries around the world have combined music and drama into operatic forms. The operatic arts of China, India, Tibet, and other Asian countries are very sophisticated and beloved in those cultures.
Operas can be serious or funny. Opera seria, tragic opera, or grand opera frequently tell stories about gods, heroes, and political figures living and dying in an atmosphere of high tragedy. Opera buffa uses Italian commedia dell'arte characters such as Harlequin and Columbine and involves servants with attitudes, senile masters, and all sorts of roguish and clownlike characters. Another lighter form of opera is known as operetta. The subjects of operas may be Bible stories or fairy tales, tales of love and murder, history and folklore, even horror stories.
Some of the most famous composers of opera include Handel, Gluck, Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, and Britten. Two of the most famous composers of operetta were the team of Gilbert and Sullivan and the Frenchman Jacques Offenbach. People could hardly wait for these composers to write new operas; when a new opera came out, vendors would hawk copies of the most famous songs from the opera on the street and everyone would learn to sing them.
Throughout opera's history, the most brilliant singers have been stars of the highest order, much like rock singers today. The most famous female opera singers are called divas. Opera singers also have inspired much intrigue at various times in history as they vied for the best roles. Many composers would write their operas with very specific singers in mind for each role. The history of opera and the famous people involved with it can seem like the script of a popular soap opera.
The University of Illinois School of Music has supported an Opera Program since 1946, and its presentations have been incorporated into Krannert Center’s season since the Center opened in April 1969. The Opera Program trains its students as complete singing artists with classes in singing, diction, history, and stagecraft, and students participate in three fully-staged productions each year. They also have an opportunity to share their knowledge with elementary school children through the Youth Opera Preparation and Education (YOPE) program.
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