On Novemer 28 and 29, in the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg will be held the lecture «The magical world of opera». The script author and the host is Natalia Entelis, a musicologist, a developer of the subscription programs in Grand and Small Halls of the D. D. Shostakovich St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonia, a member of the Composers’ Union of St. Petersburg.
The format of the concert lecture will not only let the listeners enjoy the wonderful music, but also learn many interesting facts about the popular now, but created by mistake, opera. Music, performed by Symphony Orchestra, will transfer listeners to Italy of the XVI century and will tell about the intellectual tastes of the Florentine community and the history of opera appearance.
In the Renaissance there were study groups attended by writers and musicians. Their interest was directed to the ancient Greek art. Particular attention they paid to the ancient theater and the scripts that were read by ancient Greek actors. That scripts showed that the dramas were often performed in a singsong voice. It was decided, when the scrolls discovered unknown to Florentines icons. In an effort to revive the theatrical genre of ancient Greece, the Italian actors tried to perform new dramatic plays in a singsong voice. Centuries later, the researchers found out that the mysterious symbols taken by Italians over the musical notation were the signs of raising and lowering the intonation. However, this error did not prevent the popularity of the genre of opera.
Instead of the arid academic language listeners will be able to hear the story of the opera «straight from the horse’s mouth». The Mariinsky Theatre’s troupe will perform the members of Florentine study group, gathered at Bardi’s and Corsi’s salon. Artists of the XVI century in an entertaining way will tell the audience what inspired them to create a new genre.
Sources:
http://www.mariinsky.ru/playbill/playbill/2015/1/25/3_1200/
http://www.philharmonia.spb.ru/persons/biography/4022/
