Monday, March 15, 2010

The Barber of Seville (by Rossini)

Hello class,

This week, you will listen to two videos to the right. They are each different arias from The Barber of Seville. When you discuss the videos, please refer to them as "Figaro's Aria" and "Largo al factotum della citta," or you may refer to the singer.

Write one paragraph about Figaro's Aria, and another about Rosina's aria. In each paragraph, explain how the words/stories are displayed in the way that the singer's (Kathleen Battle and Pietro Spagnoli) act and sing.

Figaro's Aria (Largo al factotum della citta) Translation:

Make way for the factotum of the city, Hurrying to his shop since dawn is already here. Ah, what a fine life, what fine pleasureFor a barber of quality!
Ah, bravo Figaro! Bravo, bravissimo! A most fortunate man indeed! Ready to do everything Night and day, Always on the move. A cushier fate for a barber, A more noble life, is not to be had.
Razors and combs, Lancets and scissors, At my command Everything's there. Here are the tools Of my trade With the ladies...with the gentlemen...
Everyone asks for me, everyone wants me, Ladies, young lads, old men, young girls: Here is the wig...the beard is ready...Here are the leeches...The note is ready...Here is the wig, the beard is ready, The note is ready, hey!
Figaro! Figaro! Figaro!, etc. Ah, what frenzy! Ah, what a crowd! One at a time, please! Hey, Figaro! I'm here. Figaro here, Figaro there, Figaro up, Figaro down,
Swifter and swifter, I'm like a thunderbolt: I'm the factotum of the city. Ah, bravo Figaro! Bravo, bravissimo, You'll never lack for luck!

Io sono docile Translation:

I am docile, I am respectful, I am obedient, sweet, loveable

I am held down, I will take control, But if they hold me back where I have a partiality

If I’m thwarted, I will be a viper and have a hundred tricks

Before giving up I will make fools of them. Yes, yes, I will win him. If I at least will be allowed to have the chance.

Rubric:

20 pts. You wrote a blog!

30 pts. You described the acting and singing in Figaro's aria.

30 pts. You described the acting and singing in Rosina's aria.

20 pts. You used good grammar when writing.

Please write and submit your post for this assignment by Monday, March 22 for full credit.

In case you can't watch the videos to the right, here are the URL's for the videos:

Figaro's Aria (sung by Pietro Spagnoli) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=012dIqLM_qo

Rosina's Aria (sung by Kathleen Battle) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8LFUDwZhvQ

14 comments:

Steve Moody, P.8 said...

Figaro's aria was very enteraining to watch and hear. The actor is very dramatic and joyful in the way that he sings his song. His dynamics are very gradual in the way that they get louder and softer. Without even knowing the translation of the words I could tell that what the actor is saying is meant to be funny and he is obviously ecstatic.
Una Voce Poco Fa was different than what I was expecting. Again, the actress was very dramatic in the way that she sung and moved. The timbre of her soprano voice told me that she was happy and optimistic about what she was talking about. Her exaggerated expressions and face really set the tone for what she was singing.

Danielle Brooks said...

Largo al Factotum is sung by Kathleen Battle. She uses gradual dynamics when she is singing. In this song she is talking about all the qualities she has. She talks of these qualities to tell the audience why she deserves a man.

Figaro's Aria is sung by Pietro Spagnoli. The intruments in the song play the same melody he plays and goes at the same tempo. His voice is a medium tone. He is tlking about him being the greatest barber and how everbody comes for him.

Travis said...

In Figaro's Aria the story is displayed to be happy. It displayed to be happy because Pietro Spagnoli is singing in a happy way. Spagnoli is singing in a happy way because figaro has come to his shop to get a haircut for his wedding.

In the song that Kathleen Battle sings it is displayed to a more calmer song than the one that Pietro Spangoli sang. It is more calmer because get excited as Pietro does. This is almost Pietro's song during the middle of this song, but she slows it down. And also she sings pretty high, most of the time she is singing pretty calmly.

ColemanLaquesha said...

The singer Pietro Spagnoli sings his aria with excitement and confidence that he is the best barber in the city. He said eveybody loves to come to him because he's the goodest barber in town. He goes on bragging in excitement and is over joyed with all the people who have come to barbershop. He dances and sings and is so happy with all the attention he is getting.

The singer Kathleen Battle expressions and words are a bit different. She isn't all that joyful and confident like Spagnoil was. She's more calm and just grateful that people like her service. She did mention how she is a respactful and obedient person. She is so serious about how she is looked at in the world and by people. She is a strong person who doesn't give up easy.

Dimitrius Harrington said...

In Pietro Spangnoli's aria the singing was very strong. The song expressed a happy and calm mood. The acting in Figaro's aria seemed like the barber was very busy.

In Rosina's aria the singing was very smooth and clear. Kathleen's voice was very high pitched, and her voice expressed a very calm mood. There wasnt much acting going on during the aria.

pervis edmonds said...

Pervis Edmonds
In Figaro’s Aria the story is displayed by new barber coming into played by (Pietro Spagnoli) who is surprised about the area, and the people who live there. I noticed that he acted as if he was excited to be there, and with his facial expressions he looked fascinated by how people wanted him to be their barber. Also the words he used were descriptive to his conversation when he said “for a barber of quality” he meant that the place was great for a professional barber like him. Also when said “A barber could not wish for a better lot, a noble life” this shows that his character is more outgoing also it tells Figaro to act and sing with confidents when performing.
In Rosina’s Aria the story is displayed by a young woman who reads a letter and then becomes elated to what was written on it and then she writes something on the letter. When she sings I noticed that she used words like “docile, respectful, obedient, sweet, and lovable” this tells me that her character is sophisticated and caring. Also she shows terraced dynamics in her singing to emphasis certain words to her audience so they can better understand. Her facial expressions also describe the story because when she performs she looks lovesick and excited as if the letter made her want to express her feelings in song.

Alexzandria Jones said...

In "Figaro's Aria", the singer Pietro Spagnoli uses great pronunication and tone quality, so that the audience can hear exactly what he is saying. Also how in the beginnnig right before he begins he starts with a little playful "la la la", shows his characters playful side. His singing shows his confidence on being the best barber in his town, also by the others hanging onto his every word. In "Io Sono Docile" sung by Kathleen Battle, through her singing portrays a young woman who is willing to do whatever it takes to win over the man of her dreams,her resonance and tone quality allows the audience to understand what she is saying being that she is a first soprano and singing at an high octave.

Marvin Marshall said...

In Figaro's Aria, I can tell that Figaro was Joyful in the way that he sang. I can tell that he was joyful through his movements on the stage, and the joyous emotions in his voice. In this performance I saw gradual/ terraced dynamics which also supports my presumption that the actor playing figaro was happy.

The Kathleen Battle video,the singer was happy and optimistic when singing about her qualities, and you can see her emotion through her stage movements, and through her facial expressions. You can also see this in the way that she sings. Battle uses gradual dynamics like in the first video but uses it in a different way.She uses her voice to persuade the audience that she she deserves a husband

Nirah Gooch said...

In Figaros Aria they use a large sense of expression.They showed their feeling through their singing.he changed the pitch in his voice to show how he felt also.

In Rosinas Aria she expresses her feeling through sound.She changes pitch and volume in more expressive parts also to display her love sickness.

Kayla Roulhac,P8 said...

Pietro Spagnoli sings with great confidence. The dynamics in his voice changes gradually and he sings very strong and powerful. The acting in the video portrays that he does think he is the best barber and everyone wants to get cut by him. From the acting you can tell that the scene was supposed to be comical. His displays this by wondering around joking with the crowd surrounding him.

Kathleen Battle seems to be quite mysterious. It seems that she appears sweet but is very tricky. In the video she seems to be qutie happy about a letter she has recived. her facial expressions are very over dramatic.

Jeanette Greene said...

In Figaro's Aria the man sings with a lot of vibrato. His singing is very expressive, and you can tell becuase he puts accents in specific places and the way he uses dynamics. Also his facial expressions are very dramatic.

In "Largo al factotum della citta" Kathleen she had great tone quality, which helped her hit those very high notes. She is acting as is acting as if she is in love, especially when she sits on the table. She kind of throws herself on it, but i dont understand why she is acting like that because she is trying to take control of him, based on what the translation said.

Makeda Allen said...

In Pietro Spangnoli's aria the singing was deep it had more bass to it. the song gave a happy and calm feeling. The acting was good.

In Rosina's aria the singing was low and had sadness to it. It had terrace dynamics to it. She liked to express her feelings in words.

makayla hart said...

The two songs relate to the mood and tones because they sing in the tone that the song expresses. The singers sing at the same speed as the melody. the instruments also accompany the singers mood becaus they us high instruments to make happy songs.

Michael Staples said...

Figaro's opera had dynamics that gradually change. The singer knew how to show drama in certain parts of opera. Also the singer had a strong voice that he can use for high notes.

Kathleen Battle's song is slower than Figaro's opera. The tempo makes the listener more calm. Also her voice has very nice because of her vibrato.

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