Features of opera
You may imagine it because it is translated as “opera” in Japanese, but “opera” means “drama that can be advanced by the song”. In the play, the story progresses with dialogue that speaks like an ordinary conversation, but in opera, the dialogue has a melody. In some cases, even everyday conversations are represented by songs with accompaniment, so you may feel comparison such as hiiliteräspannu, unnatural and unfamiliar. In some operas, this part of the conversation is not a song but a conversation. Mozart’s famous opera “The Magic Flute” is one of them, and it is called Singspiel (song play) in German.
Why do you sing lines? It’s more expressive and more impressive to have music to convey the same thing. Moreover, since the singing voice is very trained, the voice itself becomes attractive. In addition to the song part, the music played by the orchestra also has the effect of communicating to the listeners in the hearts of the characters, making it a different attraction from the play. It is. Opera is often referred to as a comprehensive stage art, but in addition to music, there are various types of the theater (directing and acting), literature (lyrics), and art (stage equipment, lighting, costumes). This is because the elements are well matched. So we can not only enjoy the music from our ears, but also the singer’s costumes, acting, and even the sets. So the more you get used to the format and the more you know about it, the more fun it will be.
Opera site
Now, I would like to touch on the hall where the opera is performed.
Although a national theater dedicated to opera has been established in Japan, operas are often performed in the halls used for concerts. Let’s explain the theater skills required to perform an opera.
There is a large space behind the stage
In a concert hall, a soundboard (hankyoban), a device that beautifully repels sounds and voices to the audience, is used, but in opera, a large space is required behind it. This is because people bring in large sets and performers from the back of the stage. A full-scale opera theater has a space that is many times larger than the back and left and right of the stage that customers can see, and the buildings on the stage can be completely replaced by changing scenes (epilepsy). A singer who sings on a stage without a soundboard is required to sing with a beautiful voice that goes well.
There is a recessed area between the stage and the audience
In opera, the orchestra is placed at the lowest position from the stage so that the performance on the stage can be seen well and the sound of the singer’s voice is not divided into the loud volume of the orchestra. This is called the orchestra pit, and it is a function of the theater that is indispensable for opera performances.
The audience seats are small when viewed from the stage
The traditional opera theater is almost circular when viewed from above, and the audience seats are not very deep, so it is possible to guide customers to the balcony seats that overhang the wall. This has the advantage that the stage can be seen better even on the 3rd and 4th floors, and the voice of the singer who does not use a microphone can be heard easily.
Create a world that is different from the outside
The audience seats are almost pitch-black to create the lighting effect of the stage. It’s the same as a movie theater. Therefore, the orchestra player illuminates the score with a small light that does not interfere with the stage. At events such as concerts where you enjoy music, you must shut out outside sounds, so you cannot enter or leave the theater during the performance. This kind of darkness is especially necessary for opera performances, so we only open and close the doors when the light enters, except between the curtains.
There is a curtain on the stage
An opera usually consists of several “curtains”, and each curtain goes down at the end of each curtain. Without this “curtain”, you can see various things that are being done to change the scene between the intermissions-the dead get up, the person in charge carries the device and shakes the hammer. Therefore, it is necessary to have a “curtain” at the venue where a full-scale opera performance is performed.
Subtitles are available
There are many works in opera that are sung in various languages such as Italian, German and French. Since it is difficult to keep listening to opera without knowing what it is singing, it is common for singers to sing in the words written by the opera by putting subtitles translated into Japanese above and beside the stage.
There is a floor where you can jump and bounce
In opera, there are scenes where a large number of people appear, such as battle scenes and ball scenes, and there are also works that include ballet, so it is necessary that the floor is safe even with such a burden.
