Written Assignment #2: A Night at the Opera

 

Instructions:

 

1. Listen to three (3) arias (Ctrl+Click):
   1. Puccini’s “E Lucevan le stelle” from Tosca
   2. Bizet’s “Habanera” from Carmen
   3. Adam’s “News has a Kind of Mystery” from Nixon in China
2. Complete the Opera table below.
3. Use Microsoft Word and run a spell check/grammar check (under the “Review” menu in Word).
4. Correct grammar and spelling will be part of your grade.
5. Then copy and paste your assignment into the Assignment Drop Box (not the “Comments” Box.)
6. All written assignments will run through SafeAssign, Blackboard’s plagiarism checking tool. Be sure to paraphrase appropriately.
7. See the Rubric for how your grade will be determined.

 

See Calendar for due date.

 

Translation: E lucevan le stelle:

The stars were shining,
And the earth was scented.
The gate of the garden creaked
And a footstep grazed the sand…
Fragrant, she entered
And fell into my arms.

Oh, sweet kisses and languorous caresses,
While feverishly I stripped the beautiful form of its veils!
Forever, my dream of love has vanished.
That moment has fled, and I die in desperation.
And I die in desperation!
And I never before loved life so much,
Loved life so much!

Translation: Habanera:

Love is a rebellious bird
That no one can tame
And it is in vain that it is called
If it agrees to refuse
Nothing does, threatens or prays
One speaks well, the other is silent
And it is the other that I prefer
He said nothing but I like

Love! Love! Love! Love!

Love is a child of Bohemia
He never never knew a law
If you don’t love me, I love you
If I love you, take care of yourself!
If you don’t love me, if you don’t love me, I love you
But if I love you, if I love you, watch out!

The bird that you thought surprised surprised
Wing flaps and flew away
Love is far away, you can wait for it
You don’t wait for him, he’s there
All around you, quickly quickly
He comes, goes, then he comes back
You think you hold him, he avoids
you You think you avoid him, he holds you

Love! Love! Love! Love!

Love is a child of Bohemia
He never never knew a law
If you don’t love me, I love you
If I love you, take care of yourself!
If you don’t love me, if you don’t love me, I love you
But if I love you, if I love you, watch out!

 

Libretto/Text: News has a Kind of Mystery:
Nixon:News has a kind of mystery;
When I shook hands with Chou En-lai
On this bare field outside Peking
Just now, the world was listening

Chou: May I –

Nixon: Though we spoke quietly
The eyes and ears of history
Caught every gesture –

Chou: –introduce—

Nixon:
And every word, transforming us
As we, transfixed –

Chou: — the Deputy Minister of Security

Nixon: Made history. [Our shaking hands
Were shaping time. Each moments stands
Out sharp and clear.

Chou: — Army.] May I —

Nixon: On our flight over from Shanghai

Chou: The Minister —

Nixon:– the countryside
Looked drab and gray. “Breughel,” Pat said
“We came in peace for all mankind”
I said, I was put in mind
Of our Apollo astronauts
Simply —

Chou: — of the United States

Nixon: Achieving a great human dream.
We live in an unsettled time.
Who are our enemies? Who are
Our friends? The Eastern Hemisphere
Beckoned to us, and we have flown
East of the sun, west of the moon
Across an ocean of distrust
Filled with the bodies of our lost;
The earth’s Sea of Tranquility.
It’s prime time in the U.S.A
Yesterday night. They watch us now;
The three main networks’ colors glow
Livid though drapes onto the lawn.
Dishes are washed and homework done,
The dog and grandma fall asleep,
A car roars past playing loud pop,
Is gone. As I look down the road
I know America is good
At hearts. An Old cold warrior
Piloting towards an unknown shore
Though shoals. The rats being to chew
The sheets. There’s murmuring below.
Now there’s ingratitude! My hand
Is steady as a rock. A sound
Like mourning doves reaches my ears
Nobody is a friend of ours.
Let’s face it. If we don’t succeed
On this summit, our name is mud.
We’re not out of the woods, not yet,
The nation’s heartland skips a beat
As our hands shield the spinning globe
From the flame-throwers of the mob.
We must press on. We know we want —
What — Oh yes —

 

Opera
	“E Lucevan le stelle” (Puccini)	“Habanera” (Bizet)	“News has a Kind of Mystery” (Adams)	Discuss Similarities and Differences
Tempo (slow, medium, fast, dance-like?)
Unity that you hear in timbre (instrumentation), tempo, dynamics (loud or soft)
Variety you hear like changes in timbre (instrumentation), tempo, dynamics (loud or soft)
Lyrics (What story, if any, is told by lyrics each artist sings?)
Voice quality (Use adjectives to describe the different timbre of each singer’s voice.)
Rhythm (Does the song have a clear pulse or beat? Is there syncopation?)
Other (What else comes to mind as you listen to this music?)
Can you think of a modern artist or song that may have been influenced by each vocalist or each style? What similarities are apparent?