EVOLUTION OF OPERA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 362, 24 May 1928, Page 14

EVOLUTION OF OPERA

THE FIRST IDEA The performance by the Gonsalez Grand Opera Company of Auber’s “Fra Oiavolo" and Bellini's “Norma,” both nearly one hundred years old, prompts interest in the origin and evolution of that form of art. Three hundred and thirty-five years ago a number of patrons of the fine arts at Florence, conceived the idea of combining music and the drama, somewhat like the ancient Creek plays in which words were set to melody and mondy, only in more concrete musical form. Jacopo Beri’s “Dafne,” composed in 1594, was the first work of the kind, and, owing to its success Peri was invited by the dilettanti :o compose a greater work for the celebration of the marriage of Henry IV. of France with Maria di Medici. The result was “Euridici,” the first true Italian opera. It is interesting to note that Peri, in having his orchestra (such as it must, have been) hidden, had anticipated Wagner in this respect. Monteverde (1568-1643) revealed greater possibilities, dramatic orchestral effects such as pizzicato and tremolo, and his pupil Cavalli introduced the operatic aria fully, and others continued the work until Scarlatti (1659-1725) made great improvements generally in the form. He composed 108 operas. Purcell's (16581695) “Dido and Erieas” is regarded as the first English opera. Meantime a number of French and German composers kept the operatic ball rolling until Gluck (1714-1787) influenced all other composers to a great extent with works of great beauty, such as “Orfeo” (1/62), “Alceste” (1767), and others that are still performed. Handel must be credited with very fine opera-

tic works, although he made no advancement upon the art of Scarlatti. Passing from Gluck on through the operas of Mozart, Weber, Donizetti, Meyerbeer, Rossini, Gounod, Massenet, and other contributors to Wagner, who revolutionised music drama, Verdi, Strauss, Puccini and others, well known to the present generation, and whose creations are interesting in inviting an imaginative comparison with what opera must have been at its birth in 1594.

Mr. Roland Foster, of the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, and well known in New Zealand, has been chosen as chief musical adjudicator this year at the South Street Competitions at Ballarat.