CHAPTER 35 Making It Real: Mozart and Classical Opera
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. During the Classical era, the prevalent form of opera, which contained many recitatives and arias designed to display virtuosity, was
called
a. opera seria. c. opéra comique.
b. opera buffa. d. Singspiel.
2. Which of the following is characteristic of opera seria?
a. plots drawn from Greek antiquity
b. virtuoso display by soloists
c. rigid conventions and highly formalized presentation
d. All answers shown here.
3. Metastasio helped shape the rigid conventions of
a. opera seria. c. Singspiel.
b. opera buffa. d. opéra comique.
4. How did comic opera differ from opera seria?
a. It was sung in the vernacular.
b. It presented down-to-earth plots.
c. It featured ensemble as well as solo singing.
d. All answers shown here.
5. Which of the following was a new type of opera intended to reflect simplicity and real human emotions?
a. Singspiel c. opéra comique
b. opera buffa d. All answers shown here.
6. Mozart’s librettist for Don Giovanni was
a. Count Almaviva. c. Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais.
b. Lorenzo da Ponte. d. Pietro Metastasio.
7. Which of the following descriptions characterizes the story of Don Giovanni?
a. It is a tragedy.
b. It presents a Greek myth.
c. It mixes elements of opera seria and opera buffa.
d. It is a sacred drama with religious overtones.
8. Don Giovanni attempts to console Donna Elvira, who has been betrayed by
a. Leporello. c. Don Giovanni himself.
b. Don Ottavio. d. the Commendatore.
9. The tone of the Catalogue Aria from Mozart’s Don Giovanni is
a. tragic. c. romantic.
b. sentimental. d. comic.
10. The Catalogue Aria from Mozart’s Don Giovanni lists Don Giovanni’s
a. sexual conquests. c. future goals.
b. enemies. d. debts.
11. What was the prevalent form of opera during the early eighteenth century?
a. opera seria c. opéra comique
b. opera buffa d. Singspiel
12. Which poet helped shape the rigid conventions of opera seria?
a. Pietro Metastasio c. Shakespeare
b. Dante d. Mozart
13. Comic opera in England was called
a. ballad opera. c. opera buffa.
b. Singspiel. d. opéra comique.
14. Comic opera in France was called
a. ballad opera. c. opera buffa.
b. Singspiel. d. opéra comique.
15. What did the Italians call comic opera?
a. ballad opera c. opera buffa
b. Singspiel d. opéra comique
16. Serious opera was almost invariably sung in
a. French. c. German.
b. Italian. d. English.
17. Comic opera was generally sung in
a. the vernacular. c. German.
b. Italian. d. French.
18. Lorenzo da Ponte wrote the ________ for Don Giovanni.
a. music c. program notes
b. libretto d. choreography
19. The character of Don Giovanni is based on
a. an amoral womanizer. c. the king of Spain.
b. St. John. d. a kindhearted merchant.
20. What is the main love duet in Don Giovanni?
a. “La ci darem la mano” c. “A chi mi dice mai”
b. “Madamina, il catalogo e questo” d. “Notte e giorno faticar”
21. Which character kills the Commendatore?
a. Don Giovanni c. Donna Anna
b. Leporello d. Don Ottavio
22. Which characters sing the duet “La ci darem la mano”?
a. Zerlina and Maseppo c. Donna Elvira and Don Giovanni
b. Zerlina and Don Giovanni d. Donna Anna and Don Ottavio
23. Which character sings the Catalogue Aria?
a. Maseppo c. Leporello
b. Don Giovanni d. Don Ottavio
24. How does Don Giovanni meet his fate?
a. He is dragged to his death by a statue of the Commendatore.
b. He is dragged to his death by the Commendatore.
c. He is stabbed to death by Donna Anna.
d. He dies of a broken heart.
25. Leporello sings the famous
a. Catalogue Aria. c. duet with Don Giovanni.
b. love duet with Donna Elvira. d. funeral aria of Don Giovanni.
TRUE/FALSE
1. Comic opera generally was sung in the language of the audience, or the vernacular.
2. In the latter part of the eighteenth century, new opera types were developed that featured naturalness and simplicity.
3. Opera buffa was typically serious in tone, with plots dealing with historical or legendary figures.
4. Mozart’s Don Giovanni is a comic opera about a legendary lover.
5. Mozart’s Don Giovanni is an example of pure opera seria.
6. Don Giovanni is Mozart’s only major opera.
7. Comic opera in England was known as Singspiel.
8. Comic opera in Italy was known as opera buffa.
9. Serious opera was almost always sung in French.
10. Comic opera portrayed down-to-earth plots.
11. Don Giovanni recounts the tale of an amoral womanizer.
12. Mozart wrote the libretto for Don Giovanni.
13. Lorenzo da Ponte wrote the libretto for Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, and Cosi fan tutte.
14. Don Giovanni is doomed to hell by the ghost of the Commendantore.
15. The Catalog Aria recounts Don Giovanni’s sexual conquests.
1. Describe the various types of opera of the Classical era.
2. Discuss the mixture of serious and comic opera in Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
3. Why do Mozart’s operas such as Don Giovanni still speak so strongly to modern audiences?
4. Discuss Mozart’s portrayal of male and female characters in Don Giovanni.
5. Why is opera considered a mirror for real life?