Music and the Stage - Lecture Notes Review

Comprehensive practice flashcards for MUS 109 / MUS 120 (Chapter 9: Music and the Stage), covering musical theatre, opera, operetta, ballet, Romanticism, and theatrical production categories.

According to the lecture, what is one of music's most vital functions on stage and screen, and which three elements does it enhance?

Music functions primarily as an aid in storytelling, enhancing the audience's sense of location, character, and plot.

How do sung-through musicals and operas compare in narrative structure, and how do they differ in performance style?

Both are staged theatrical works where the story is told entirely or almost entirely through music rather than spoken dialogue; however, they differ significantly in vocal style, amplification, orchestration, and vocal training.

Who composed the music and who wrote the lyrics for the 1970 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar?

The music was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and the lyrics were written by Tim Rice.

What is the plot premise of Giacomo Puccini's 1924 opera Turandot?

Set in China, Prince Calaf falls in love with Princess Turandot; suitors must correctly solve three riddles to win her hand, with an incorrect answer resulting in execution. When Calaf solves them and she resists marrying, he offers that if she discovers his name before dawn, he will accept death.

What famous tenor aria from Giacomo Puccini's Turandot was popularized by the operatic trio Il Volo, and what label do they give their style?

The aria is "Nessun Dorma", and Il Volo describes their musical style as "popera".

Which 19th-century German composer (1813–1883), pictured below, revolutionized opera by writing his own libretti and unifying music, poetry, drama, and visual spectacle into a "music drama"?

Richard Wagner

What is a leitmotif, as popularized by Richard Wagner?

A recurring theme throughout a musical or literary composition associated with a particular person, idea, or symbol that provides unity and coherence to a story.

What modern film theme composed by John Williams is cited in lecture as a 21st-century example of a leitmotif?

"Hedwig's Theme" from the Harry Potter films.

What is Richard Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung?

A cycle of four German-language epic operas (music dramas) based loosely on characters from Germanic heroic legend, namely Norse legendary sagas.

In the British operetta writing partnership of Gilbert and Sullivan, what was each person's role?

Arthur Sullivan wrote the music and W. S. Gilbert wrote the libretti (words).

Which 1885 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta features the trio "Three Little Maids From School Are We"?

The Mikado

What distinguishes the primary purpose of a nonprofit theatre from a for-profit theatre?

A nonprofit theatre's purpose is defined by its charitable mission rather than generating profit for owners, whereas a for-profit theatre exists for the primary purpose of making money.

What are the seating capacity and main characteristics of an Off-Off Broadway theatre in New York City?

They typically seat fewer than $99$ people, operate in small or unorthodox spaces (such as converted storefronts, garages, or school auditoriums), present untested and experimental work with short runs of a week or two, and feature affordable ticket prices.

What seating size and function define Off-Broadway theatres in New York City?

They seat between $99$ and $500$ patrons, stage innovative and experimental works with smaller budgets and casts than Broadway, and serve as an incubator for productions destined for Broadway.

What criteria must a venue fulfill to be designated an official Broadway theatre?

It must be one of $41$ designated Broadway houses, seat $499$ or more people, be located almost entirely within a $10$-block corridor on Manhattan's West Side Theater Subdistrict, and host shows eligible for the Tony Awards.

Which historic Minneapolis theatres are managed under Hennepin Arts?

The Pantages Theatre (1916), the State Theatre (1921), and the Orpheum Theatre (1921).

What classic 1957 Broadway musical reimagines William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?

West Side Story

How long before the opening of The Music Man did West Side Story open on Broadway?

West Side Story opened $2\frac{1}{2}$ months before The Music Man.

What is a finaletto in opera and musical theatre, and what song in West Side Story serves as one?

A finaletto is a short scene or ensemble concluding a scene or act; the "Tonight Quintet" serves as an example (as well as a reprise of "Tonight").

In West Side Story, which musical number serves as an example of an "I Want" song?

"Something's Coming"

Who wrote the book, music, and lyrics for The Music Man, and who choreographed the production?

Meredith Willson wrote the book, music, and lyrics, and Ona White was the choreographer.

What is the historical linguistic origin of the term "Romantic" in Romanticism?

It derives from the noun "romance", which was a story or poem dealing with legendary people or events written in one of the Romance languages descended from Latin (Roman), such as the Medieval Arthurian Romances.

What did the adjective "Romantic" denote when it first entered usage in the 17th century?

It referred to something far off, legendary, fantastic, and marvelous—an imaginary realm contrasting with the everyday real world—having little connection to physical love or affection.

What four thematic fascinations characterized the Romantic Era?

Extreme emotional states, musical nationalism, nature (especially its wilder aspects), and the supernatural and macabre (disturbing and terrifying).

Which 19th-century American author (1809–1849) is associated with the Romantic Era's obsession with the supernatural and macabre?

Edgar Allan Poe

Where did theatrical ballet originate, and what is the world's oldest national ballet company?

Ballet originated in French Baroque opera (with roots in the 15th-century Italian Renaissance); the Paris Opera Ballet, founded in 1661 by King Louis XIV, is the oldest national ballet company.

Who composed the score for the 1913 ballet The Rite of Spring, and what ritual narrative does it depict?

Igor Stravinsky composed the score; it portrays a pagan Russian ritual worshiping nature, culminating in Part II ("The Sacrifice"), where a Chosen One dances to death in syncopated rhythms so Spring will return.

Who composed the music and who choreographed the 1942 American ballet Rodeo?

Aaron Copland composed the music, and Agnes de Mille choreographed the ballet.

What is the plot and musical character of Aaron Copland and Agnes de Mille's ballet Rodeo?

It blends classical ballet with the American West, incorporating dance rhythms and Celtic-American fiddle tunes; the narrative follows a socially awkward cowgirl who eventually wins the heart of a champion roper at a hoe-down.

According to the lecture comparison chart, how do musicals, operas, and operettas differ regarding spoken dialogue?

Musicals contain substantial spoken dialogue ("Yep, lots."), operas contain none ("Nope, never."), and operettas almost always include spoken dialogue ("Almost always.").

According to the lecture comparison chart, how do musicals, operas, and operettas contrast in vocal style and orchestration?

Musicals feature a popular vocal style and popular instruments in the orchestration, whereas operas and operettas both use classical vocal styles and traditional orchestras.

According to the lecture comparison chart, what are the typical performance lengths of musicals, operas, and operettas?

Musicals typically run between $2$ and $3\,\text{hours}$, operas run from $3$ to $5\,\text{hours}$, and operettas run from $90\,\text{minutes}$ to $2\,\text{hours}$.