“Coronation of Poppea” describes how Poppea, who has an extramarital affair with the fifth Roman emperor Nero, becomes an empress. Nero promises to bring her to power and makes her his bride despite being married to Ottavia and conflicts with Seneca (Tommasini 34). The opera could be considered problematic since it celebrates adultery rather than the sanctity of marriage. Based on historical events, it shows how a powerful man can betray his spouse and even make her exiled from her land without punishment or social condemnation.
Arias, recitatives, and choruses are three separate terms from the music field. An aria is a type of musical composition that represents a song for a solo performance and is usually a part of a larger composition, such as an opera. Arias can be performed with or without accompaniment from orchestras, but the term refers to melodies rather than works that share similarities with common speech. Recitatives are works that are commonly used in operas but do not possess the features of formal musical compositions, for instance, rhyming or repetitive lines. In general, recitative parts performed by vocalists are closer to common speech accompanied by music, with a range of options on the spectrum from conversational to more melodic pieces. Unlike the previous terms, a chorus refers to a musical phenomenon on another organizational level and represents a smaller subsection of a song characterized by emphasis and repetitiveness. Also known as a refrain, a chorus is often contrasted with the remaining parts of the piece and may involve the use of additional instruments that offer more depth and dynamic development.
In the Baroque period, the musical instrument selection for orchestras facilitated the creation of complex and multi-layered works. Baroque orchestras commonly used string instruments, including violas, violins, or double basses, and instruments from the woodwind family, such as bassoons, oboes, or flutes. Continuo instruments, for instance, organs, were implemented to balance the other components and add depth and dynamics to the performed works. Orchestras also actively implemented components from the percussion family, for example, kettledrums, to support musical pieces’ rhythm while also adding harmony. Finally, brass instruments, including Baroque trumpets, were another common feature of Baroque orchestras.
Work Cited
Tommasini, Anthony. The Indispensable Composers: A Personal Guide. Penguin, 2019.