Credited
with composing the first opera in history, Jacopo Peri wrote Dafne in 1598. He modeled it after Greek
plays by creating a drama that was sung throughout.
Two
years following Dafne, Peri set the
drama L’Euridice to music. The plot
is based on the mythological tale of Orfeo, who uses the emotion created by
music to persuade the creatures of the underworld to let his wife, Euridice,
return to life. In his opera, Peri created a new technique now widely known in
the opera world as recitative. This musical term refers to a type of singing
meant to resemble speech. He also used what is known as arias between the
recitative sections during which singers had the opportunity to show off a bit
in a solo song.
Peri’s
L’Euridice was performed at the
wedding celebration of Maria de’Medici to King Henry IV of France. Around the
same time, another early-opera composer was emerging on the scene with an opera
of the same plot. Though not opera’s originator, Claudio Monteverdi is
recognized in high regard by music historians for his accomplishments with his
first opera, L’Orfeo (1607). Like
Peri, Monteverdi used the same mythological story of Orfeo and Euridice as well
as arias and recitative. He expanded the instrumental ensemble and included
various duets and dances throughout to better reflect the drama.
Monteverdi
does an excellent job in L’Orfeo at
conveying the character’s emotions through music. For instance, when Orfeo
discovers that his wife has died, the music changes from a major mode to minor
and adds an organ to reflect his sad state. Listen to Orfeo’s lament here.
Do
you think Monteverdi effectively conveys Orfeo’s emotion following this
tragedy?
This
month is a significant one for Monteverdi fans – May 9 marks 450 years since
his birth!
