What the assignment should outline: Character’s role and significance within the story, and the ways in which the music reflects the character’s nature and emotions in the musical selections provided for the character.
1. What might the shape, articulation and style of these melodies communicate to the listener about the character as a person? Do they parallel any specific speech patterns or movements? What might they suggest about this characters nature and/or motivations? Do you notice a difference between the style and shape of the melodies in each of the two musical selections provided based on the characters emotional state at that point in the narrative?
2. What emotions do you perceive within each of the two musical selections for your chosen character? What elements of the music do you feel are responsible for communicating these emotions?
3. Do you think the emotion and meaning are communicated more strongly in the music or the text? In the absence of an English translation, do you think the emotions of the character would still be perceptible to the listener?
Character-specific questions:
1. Both of the Queen of the Night’s arias utilize virtuostic coloratura singing – what does this communicate to you about her character? For example: does it make her seem more human or immortal? Vulnerable or powerful? Genuine or deceptive? Does the melodic contour (ascending/descending) parallel speech patterns that imply or suggest any particular emotions?
2. How do the vocal styles of the Queen of the Night and her rival Sarastro differ? How are they similar? What differences/contrasts do you observe between the tones, textures and melodies in both of their vocals throughout the opera, and what does this tell us about their characters?
Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXsxQXzCMZ0
