Sounds of Learning

Welcome to Opera-Online! After a break for a few weeks, we're back with Opera-Online! We begin our look at Benjamin Britten's fascinating The Rape of Lucretia . You may be going through the items in the student guide with your teacher. If not, this source has opportunities for you to do your own preparation for the opera with plenty of online content, including the complete student guide, and almost 100 online links within the Lucretia portion of the Sounds of Learning web pages. Youtube Clip of the Week Our first clip contains some of the most famous music in the opera. It's Tarquinius's ride over the Tiber on his way to Lucretia's home. He's racing on his way there. As the Male Chorus comments regarding Tarquinius, "Now who rides? Who’s ridden? Tarquinius, the stallion? Or the beast, Tarquinius?" When the clip opens, listen for the cricket theme that is repeated by the harp before the Male Chorus begins to sing. While the Male Chorus sings Lucretia...

Sounds of Learning TM Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges and Puccini's Gianni Schicchi Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 6:15 p.m. Students in the Opera Company of Philadelphia's Sounds of Learning TM program saw the final dress rehearsal of Ravel's enchanting L'enfant et les sortilèges and Puccini's wickedly comic, Gianni Schicchi, on Wednesday, April 22nd. The operas are both comedic and teach great lessons about morality and love. The production for L'enfant is whimsical and filled with monumental projections, while Gianni Schicchi, could have stepped out of a 1920s art-deco painting. Now that you've studied the opera and seen it, what were your impressions? Tell us what you think and post your reviews here! Did you like the opera and why? Which was your favorite character and why? Did you like the projections, costumes and sets? Your review should be at least 50 words or more. Please include your first name, school and grade in your post. Click he...

Welcome to Opera-Online! Many of you may have this week off for Spring Break. If so, I hope you are having a great time! Youtube Clip of the Week In this scene from Gianni Schicchi, the relatives all try to bribe Schicchi into rewriting Buoso Donati's will to benefit themselves. Notice here how clearly defined each character is. Each one has their own immediately identifiable personality distinct from everyone else. Web Site of the Week This week we'll look at the website for one of the places that the Opera Company performs: the Academy of Music. Many students will be coming to see Gianni Schicchi and L'enfant et les sortileges in about a week and a half. You can find out more infinformation about the Academy here . Nation-Wide High School Arts Competition Each year US Representative Allyson Schwartz from our 13th district champions a nation-wide high school arts competition sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest i...

Welcome to Opera-Online! Welcome to Opera Online! This week we continue our look at Puccini's comedic gem, Gianni Schicchi. Youtube Clip of the Week We'll see the opening scene of the opera as the money-grubbing relatives "mourn" the loss of the rich relative, Buoso Donati. Donati was one of the richest men of his time. His relatives can't wait to see the will to find out what they will inherit from the rich man. Imagine their disappointment when they find his will and discover that they are getting nothing! Web Site of the Week Our web site of the week may seem a bit macabre, but it's directly inline with the themes of Gianni Schicchi . This site was recommended to me by one of the Sounds of Learning teachers, so I wanted to share it with you. The plot of Schicchi centers on Buoso Donati's will. Have you ever thought of what it takes to write a will. Well, review this site and learn how to make your own will. Nation-Wide High School Arts Competition Ea...

Welcome to Opera-Online! Welcome to Opera Online! This week we focus on Puccini's comedic gem, Gianni Schicchi. Youtube Clip of the Week We start our look at Schicchi with the opera's hit tune, one of the most popular opera arias ever written, "O mio babbino caro." In the aria, Lauretta begs her babbino , or daddy, to let her marry her boyfriend, Rinuccio. If he doesn't she will fling herself into the Arno River. Before we hear the aria, review its text on page 30 of the student guide. If you don't have a guide handy, you can download it onto your computer by clicking on the image above. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of performances of this aria on youtube, featuring legendary singers like Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, and Leontyne Price , up and coming singers in conservatories, 9 year old girls, and more. We'll actually look at three different performances of this aria: two by legendary singers who were known for their acting ability, and...

Welcome to Opera-Online! Welcome to Opera Online! This week we're still looking at Ravel's enchanted L'enfant et les sortilèges . Youtube Clip of the Week Have you ever been intimidated by word problems in your math class? Well, the Child in L'enfant et les sortilèges is definitely intimidated by them! In this clip, Mr. Arithmetic comes to life and starts shouting silly word problems that don't make any sense. It's a bit like a mini-nightmare for the Child. You can follow along with the text on page 20 of the workbook where you'll find the costume design for Arithmetic in the our production. This video comes from a performance at the Glyndebourne Festival in England and was filmed in 1987. How many years ago was that? This production uses animations, just like the Opera Company's production will. Web Site of the Week Our Web Site of the Week visit's the Maurice Ravel official homepage. While he died in 1937, this web site is run by Ravel enth...

Welcome to Opera-Online! Welcome students and teachers to Opera Online! This week we'll concentrate on Ravel's magical L'enfant et les sortilèges . Youtube Clip of the Week One of the most brilliant moments in the opera is when Fire bursts out of the fireplace to taunt the Child. This clip features famous French coloratura soprano Natalie Dessay singing the role of Fire. This production is more similar to the Opera Company's production. Here the singer represents the "spirit" of fire rather than actually looking like fire. Eventually the Child manages to quench the fire by smothering it in a blanket. Slowly and reluctantly the "fire" finally goes out. You'll see a black screen for about the first 20 seconds of this clip and there is no audio during the first 39 seconds. Web Site of the Week In 2004 a filmaker from Finland made a fascinating film of L'enfant et les sortilèges called The Bewitched Child . It played at several film festival...

Welcome to Opera-Online! Welcome students and teachers for this edition of Opera Online! This week we start looking at our next production, the comedic double bill of Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges and Puccini's Gianni Schicchi. The first thing I want to talk about this week is the pronunciation of both of these visually intimidating titles. Both the vowels in "L'en" and "fant" of L'enfant sounds a bit like the "aw" sound in the English word lawn, but without the "n" at the end, like "law faw ". " Et " sounds like ay, " les " sounds like "lay". The last syllable of sortilèges sounds sort of like the English word ledge, but replace the "d" with a soft g sound like in the word mirage: sore-tee-LEHZH. The title is pronounced: law-FAW ay lay sore-tee-LEHZH. Gianni Schicchi is much easier. Gianni sounds just like the name Johnny and Schicchi is just like combining the wo...

Welcome to Opera-Online! About 1900 people came to the final dress rehearsal of Turandot last Wednesday, over half of them through the Sounds of Learning program. Over 100 students from across the area have shared their thoughts on the opera on our Sounds of Learning blog. Teacher Patrizia Clerico from Bishop Shanahan High School used the Turandot and 3s lesson on the teacher CD-Rom. She challenged her students to find references to the number 3 during Turandot. This is their list of observations: 1. ministers 2. servants of the ministers 3. henchmen of the executioner 4. riddles 5. correct answers 6. repetitions of "hope", "blood", and "Turandot" by wise men when Calaf answers the riddles 7. 3 sets of 3 heads on stakes 8. times that Turandot walks up and down stairs while stating riddles 9. female suitors in each of the four groupings 10. chests of riches 11. sets of two people carrying the chests 12. dragon hands on set 13. times that the people say ...

Sounds of Learning TM Student Dress Rehearsal Giacomo Puccini's Turandot Wednesday, February 15, 2009 6:15 p.m. Students in the Opera Company of Philadelphia's Sounds of Learning TM program saw the final dress rehearsal of Puccini's brilliant fairytale opera, Turandot , on Wednesday, February 15th. The opera is filled with thrilling arias, dramatic scenes, and powerful choruses, including the famous aria Nessun Dorma . The ice princess Turandot requires all suitors to pass a test of three riddles. If they are unsuccessful, they forfeit their lives. Now that you've studied the opera and seen it, what were your impressions? Tell us what you think and post your reviews here! Did you like the opera? Which was your favorite character? Did you like the sets? Please include your first name, school and grade in your post. Click here if you want to learn more about Puccini, Turandot , singers in the production, China and more. JOIN OUR OPERA EMAIL LIST! Email education@operaph...

Welcome to Opera-Online! Just a few days left until the Sounds of Learning presentation of Puccini's Turandot . The cast has some incredibly important rehearsals over the next few days including the Sitzprobe (pronounced ZITS-probe), when the singers finally get to sing all the way through the score with the orchestra, and two orchestra dress rehearsals where the entire opera will be run from start to finish as if it were a performance. Youtube Clip of the Week We have two clips this week. First we'll feature a performance of Liù's final moments onstage. We'll see a performance of her back-to-back arias "Tanto amore segreto" and "Tu che di gel cei cinta" which can be found on page 29 and 30 of the student workbook. This is the last scene in the opera that Puccini completed before his untimely death from throat cancer. This performance is from Vienna and features Italian soprano Katia Ricciarelli as Liù with Eva Marton as Turandot and José Carreras ...

Welcome to Opera- Online! The opening night of Turandot is just two weeks away! The Opera Company artists have been hard at work in rehearsals with the director and conductor, in costume fittings, and working with our music coaches to make sure that Turandot will be an amazing production. To check out what's going on behind the scenes of this production visit our web site and click on the Rehearsal Photos link to see photos from the rigorous rehearsals. Youtube Clip of the Week Last week we looked at Calaf's famous aria "Nessun dorma." This week's clip of the week features the dramatic riddle scene in which Turandot challenges Calaf, the Unknown Prince, to answer her three enigmas! If he doesn't answer the three questions, his life will be in grave danger. How will he do? This clip features Welsh soprano Dame Gwyneth Jones as Turandot and Italian tenor Franco Bonisolli as Calaf. This clip may take a little while to load onto your computer. If it stops ...

Welcome to Opera- Online! It's been a big week for the Opera Company of Philadelphia. On Tuesday the Company announced the repertoire for its 2009-2010 season. It includes some of the world's most favorite operas and one that's never been seen before in Philadelphia. It's an amazingly exciting season. For more information on next season, click here to visit our website. Be Our Guest! Also, we'd like to invite you to attend A Taste of Opera, the Company's FREE recital on Turandot. It's at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts at 128 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia on Sunday, February 15, 2009 from 2:00-3:00 PM. If you'd like to go, just email outreach@operaphila.org with your name and the number of people going with you. Reservations are required for this event. For more information about A Taste of Opera, please visit our website. Youtube Clip of the Week This week we have two "Clips of the Week", both feature Calaf's famous ari...

Welcome to Opera Online! We're still in Turandot mode at Opera-Online! We're gearing up for next month's Sounds of Learning event when students from across the Delaware Valley will come to Philadelphia 's beautiful Academy of Music to see Puccini's grand fairy tale. We've got a great video clip of the week and website of the week for you, too, that are sure to help you get ready for Turandot ! Youtube Clip of the Week This week we'll see a clip of dramatic soprano Francesca Patanè singing the title role of Turandot. Ms. Patanè will be singing the role for the Opera Company in this production. In this clip, we'll hear Turandot's famous aria "In questa reggia" ("Within this kingdom") in which Turandot explains to Calaf, the Unknown Prince, why she tests her suitors to answer the three riddles. Website of the Week Our website of the week is our Company's own. Our featured article is an interview with soprano Francesca Patanè. ...

Welcome to the first edition of Opera Online! To kick of this week's clip of the week, we're turning to a tune that Puccini used throughout his opera Turandot . Here is a performance of the traditional Chinese folk song Jasmine Flowers. This music is used in association with Princess Turandot throughout the opera. The first time this music is heard is at the end of the mammoth chorus "Gira la cote!" (Grind the whetstone) in Act I as the temple boys walk through the streets of Peiking. Here are the lyrics to the song: Flower of jasmine, oh so fair! Flower of jasmine, oh so fair! Budding and blooming here and there, Pure and fragrant all declare. Let me take you with tender care, Your sweetness for all to share. Jasmine fair, oh jasmine fair. Our website of the week features soprano Ermonela Jaho who sings the role of the slave girl Liu. Get to know a little bit about Ermonela, see photos of her, and more at her official website . Until next week...

Sounds of Learning TM Student Dress Rehearsal Gioacchino Rossini's The Italian Girl in Algiers Wednesday, November 12, 2008 6:15 p.m. Students in the Opera Company of Philadelphia's Sounds of Learning program saw the final dress rehearsal of Rossini's comic opera, The Italian Girl in Algiers , on Wednesday, November 12th. The opera is brilliantly funny and the Opera Company's production can almost be described as slapstick. Isabella, a beautiful woman from Italy, is searching the seas for her fiance Lindoro who she fears has been taken captive by pirates. She suffers the same fate when she becomes shipwrecked in the North African country, Algiers. Lo and behold who happens to be there but her long lost Lindoro. While there she turns the tables on the Bey to win her freedom and her Lindoro's so that they can happily return to Italy. Now that you've studied the opera and seen it, what were your impressions? Tell us what you think and post your reviews here! ...

Sounds of Learning TM Student Dress Rehearsal Ludwig van Beethoven's Fidelio Wednesday, October 08, 2008 2:15 p.m. Students in the Opera Company of Philadelphia's Sounds of Learning program saw the final dress rehearsal of Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio , on Wednesday, October 8th. The opera opens as a comedy with Marzelline and Jaquino's quarrel, then turns dark and melodramatic when Leonore enters, disguised as Fidelio, searching for her lost husband Florestan. Then the opera ends in a burst of joy at Florestan's freedom. Now that you've studied the opera and seen it, what were your impressions? Tell us what you think and post your reviews here! Did you like the opera? Which was your favorite character? Did you like the sets and projections? Click here if you want to learn more about Beethoven, Fidelio , or singers in the production. JOIN OUR OPERA EMAIL LIST! Email education@operaphila.org and we'll deliver free opera right into your inbox once a wee...

Sounds of Learning TM Student Dress Rehearsal George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess Wednesday, February 09, 2007 2:15 p.m. Gershwin's Porgy and Bess is one of the greatest operas ever written, and now you've gotten the chance to see this American classic. Tell us what you think and post your reviews here! Would you consider it a great classic? Did you like the opera? Which was your favorite character? What was your favorite song? How did Bess change during the opera?

Sounds of Learning TM Student Dress Rehearsal Gioacchino Rossini's Cinderella Monday, November 06, 2006 6:15 p.m. Now that you've attended the final dress rehearsal of Rossini's Cinderella, tell us what you thought about the rehearsal and post your reviews here! Did you like the opera? Which was your favorite character? What was the meaning behind the gold picture frames on the stage? Were the stepsisters mean or funny? What would you do if you were in Cinderella's situation?

Sounds of Learning TM Student Dress Rehearsal Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème Tuesday, October 24, 2006 6:15 p.m. Now that you've attended the final dress rehearsal of Puccini's La Bohème as the conclusion of the Sounds of Learning TM program, tell us what you thought about the rehearsal and post your reviews here! Did you like the opera? How were the singers? Were they believable? How were the sets and costumes? What do you think happens to the characters after the curtain falls?