IE Concerto dicembre 2015 - Concert December 2015

L'Istituto Europeo è lieto di invitarvi al Concerto degli studenti. Il Concerto avrà luogo giovedì, 17 dicembre alle ore 21:00.

INGRESSO LIBERO

Istituto Europeo is honoured to invite you at the Concert of the students. The Concert will be held this Thursday, December 17 at 21:00 pm
FREE ADMISSION

Programma:

Program:

V. Bellini: Almen se non poss'io (Aria da camera)
soprano: Shoko Maehara

G. Donizetti: Havvi un Dio che in sua clemenza (Maria di Rohan)
soprano: Mayumi Usui

F.P. Tosti: Malia
Baritono: Yosuke Kajitani

W.A. Mozart: Se il padre perdei (Idomeneo)
soprano: Atsuko Miyamoto

P. Mascagni: Voi lo sapete (Cavalleria rusticana)
mezzosoprano: Miyuki Endo

W.A. Mozart: Non piu andrai, farfallone amoroso (Le Nozze di Figaro)
Baritono: Yosuke Kajitani

W.A. Mozart: Prenderò quel brunettino (Così fan tutte)
Duetto
Duet
soprano: Mayumi Usui
soprano: Atsuko Miyamoto

Adeste Fideles 

All together

Pianoforte: Maestro Francesca Giovannelli
Grand piano: Giovanna Giovannelli

Contact us! info@istitutoeuropeo.it - www.istitutoeuropeo.it

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Why study Italian? Interview to Sylvia Plyler, musician and student at ISTITUTO EUROPEO

Sylvia

by Ilaria Gelichi

 

1) Sylvia tell us something about yourself. How was your passion for the Italian language and culture born?

I come from a small town in South Carolina and I’m a musician, so I’ve always been attracted by sounds. As a young girl I played the piano, so I came to the language through music – Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, etc… The 24 Italian hits, as we call them. Hearing Italian for me is like listening to music: the sounds are very beautiful.

2) Why did you decide to study Italian?

I decided to start the study because of music, which was my profession. I’m here also to improve my pronunciation, so that I can speak better Italian with Italians. For me it’s not difficult to pronounce Italian sounds, probably because at school we were taught the use of IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) – and because I have an ear for music, which is important also with languages. I think it’s very important to know the IPA if you want to start studying a language; nowadays young people do not know it anymore.

3) Why did you choose Florence?

Because Florence is where the music was born! We could mention the Florentine Camerata, a group of poets, musicians and intellectuals who, during the Renaissance, gathered under the patronage of Count Giovanni de’ Bardi to discuss about music and arts. Florence is not only the home town of music, but also of Italian language - with the masterpieces of Dante, Boccaccio and Petrarca.

4) How long have you been studying Italian?

I came to Italy – and specifically, Florence - to study Italian for the first time in 1980. I stayed 1 month in this beautiful city, trying to hear the sounds of the language in my ears. I’ve taught music for 25 years, so sounds are really important for me!

In the USA I studied Latin, then I had a wonderful teacher who taught me how to translate opera’s librettos. I understood the music fairly well but the root of the language, not as well as the music. So I learned a lot of ancient, difficult words, which I couldn’t use in everyday language. My objective is now to improve all these skills.

5) What do you like most of Italy and Florence?

Well, all the things I haven’t done yet! I will never forget my first visit to Uffizi, when I saw for the first time a painting by Botticelli. It was an incredible emotion. I like Florence because it’s the birthplace of a lot of things: language, art, Renaissance. I have to stay in Florence not only for the language, but also for the air you breathe here: there is something fascinating in it.

6) How did you know Istituto Europeo?

By accident. I had a student, a wonderful pianist who works in Germany, who had studied at Istituto Europeo in 2011. He told me “Why don’t you study here?”. I was in touch with an organization in Chicago, I got a scholarship and finally came here at the Istituto. I think that musicians and above all opera vocalist absolutely need to spend time in Italy, because hearing the language in its country it’s far better.

7) How was your experience at Istituto Europeo? Would you recommend it?

Fabulous, absolutely wonderful. I’ve studied Italian in other schools and Institutes, but I think that this is a better program. Here classes are small, we have a lot of attention and can ask questions. The atmosphere is so tranquilla here! You give the students the opportunity to do what they like. I would strongly recommend this experience.

History of Opera at ISTITUTO EUROPEO in 14 lectures

History of Opera

1- DESCRIPTION

The course surveys the historical and artistic evolution of Italian opera, from the Renaissance (Monteverdi) to the Modernity (Puccini).  The historical aspects of opera, like singing, instruments, structure, will be studied as well the peculiar components of literature (libretto) and theatre. Emphasis will be placed on the major operatic composers and their masterpieces: From the madrigalistic comedy to the Recitar cantando - C. Monteverdi - The comic and the serious opera (from the 17th until the 18th century) - The Neapolitan School and the Neoclassicism - G. Rossini - V. Bellini, G. Donizetti and the Belcanto - G. Verdi - The melodrama after Verdi and the Verismo - G. Puccini - The opera after Puccini and the contemporary composers.

LECTURES

Week 1   Introduction to the course. The birth of opera. Florentine camerata. Music  and poetry: the recitative dramatic style.

Week 2  Monteverdi, the founder of opera: his life and works. Opera goes to Venice: theatres and show business.

Week 3    Opera in XVIII c.: the triumph of Opera Seria. The Neapolitan and Venetian schools. Lyricism and virtuosity: the aria. The Reform opera of Gluck and Calzabigi: a search for unity.

Week 4    Opera Buffa: the tradition of comedy. A Musical entertainment: the intermezzo. Italian era in Europe: Paris, London, Vienna.

Week 5   Mozart’s operas: towards an absolute truth. Da Ponte, a librettist and a libertine.

Week 6   Opera in France in the late XVIII c.: Cherubini e Spontini. The spirit of the French Revolution and  the magnificence of the Grand Opera. Beethoven’s Fidelio.

Week 7     Written MID-TERM EXAM. 

Week 9.   Elements of opera in XIX c.: composers, singers, production, structures. A change of the century: Rossini from Opera Buffa to Romantic opera.

Week 10  The season of Bel Canto. Bellini lyricism in drama. Donizetti: bourgeois spirit in comedy and  tragedy

Week 11  Verdi’s operas: human passions and ideals in the era of Risorgimento. Verdi from Nabucco to Falstaff: an evolution in style.

Week 12    Scapigliati and bohemians: Boito and Verdi.

Week 13   A slice of life: the young school of  Verismo. Mascagni and Leoncavallo.

Week 14   The sentimental naturalism of Puccini.