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From:  dclark <DCLARK@r...>
Date:  Wed Sep 20, 2000  8:40 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] College Ensemble Requirements: Choir vs. Opera


Dorisoprano wrote:

> > I beg to differ!!! There are more than a few duets in opera. What about
the
> > wonderful Mozartean finales, after each act, of course; that is formulaic to
> > the opera buffa. Rossini is full of ensemble. Vaughn-Williams and Britten
> > are ensemble rich. I could go on, but you get the idea.

And Tako Oda replied:

> Could you maybe say "it depends on the opera"? Some operas are just one
> aria after another, while others are one ensemble scene after
> another. Perhaps "soloish" operas could be assigned one course number,
> while the "ensembleish" operas could be assigned another? Maybe it could
> even depend on the role? So the student "adds" whichever course number is
> relevant to her/his role/opera.

Of course, I am aware that there are more than a few duets in lots of operas.
And
wouldn't it be lovely if we could do as Tako suggests? However, in the real
world, I believe that would be an administrative nightmare. Who would make the
decisions about which operas would count as ensembles and which wouldn't? Then
someone would have to figure out a way to set up an administrarive structure to
accommodate all those differences. Most schools I know about could (or would)
not
manage such; thus, the decision is made either to call opera an ensemble or not,
period. That was Jeff's original question, I believe. Anyway, I stand by my
opinion, because without such special designations, one could not guarantee
that a
student who signed up to be in an opera would really get ensemble experience.
Of
course, Jeff's faculty will have to weigh the issues and make their own decision
that works in their situation.

--
|\ Dr. Diane M. Clark, Assoc. Prof./Chair, Music Department
| Rhodes College, 2000 N. Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112
| 901-843-3782, dclark@r...
() http://gray.music.rhodes.edu/musichtmls/faculty/dclark.html




  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
4469 College Ensemble Requirements: Choir vs. Opera Tako Oda   Wed  9/20/2000   4 KB
4471 Re: College Ensemble Requirements: Choir vs. Oper Shawna   Wed  9/20/2000   6 KB
4481 Re: College Ensemble Requirements: Choir vs. Oper Reg Boyle   Thu  9/21/2000   2 KB

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