Question

Consider the audience for Italian opera in eighteenth century London. How would you describe this audience socially and culturally?

What do they value as consumers?
Be prepared to discuss how specific works support your answers.
A-Italian opera called "public" but tailored to high-class, elite, wealthy, aristocrats that valued virtuosity, prestige; plots usually revolving around history
B-significance placed on fact that entertainment was a privilege
C-spectacle; expensive production; luxury imported goods created entertainment value (spectacle, virtuosic display) ,only in Italian; no dialogue completely singing
D-There was a new form of patronage (value to consumer): social seating, box economy in which people wanted to be seen in the most expensive seats rather than the ability to see the actual stage,
E-valued vocal fireworks which were beautiful melodies sang by famous, talented singers and valued technique which was ornamentation with changes in melody in an improvised way. Julio Cesar's rage aria was a particular opera which emphasized emotional reflection and time suspension and was melodic.
F_Specific work: George Handel - Giulio Cesare = performed in Italian to an English audience, gave a feeling of luxury and Italian import. It included castrati, who were boys with high voices because they had been castrated, which the audience valued because these boys looked physically and sounded different from non-castrated men.

Answer 1

Answer & Explanation:

Genre had prestige and aristocratic association. During this time and location, arts were thriving. The opera was "public" entertainment but mostly for wealthy people. social seating existed, meaning that people wanted to be seen in the most expensive seats rather than ability to see the actual stage, luxury imported goods created entertainment value (spectacle, virtuosic display), significance placed on the fact that entertainment was a privilege. plots about myth history, characters are noble heroes, music was technically difficult. elaborate ranges, styles. only highly trained professionals could do. recitative. Julio Cesar's rage aria - emotional reflection, melodic, time suspended.