What are the similarities and differences between opera, cantatas, and oratorios? (The answer needs to be one short paragraph.)

Baroque era
1. What are the similarities and differences between opera, cantatas, and oratorios? (The answer needs to be one short paragraph.)
2. Describe da capo aria form.
3. You need to convince someone that Barbara Strozzi is a worthwhile person to include in a discussion of the Baroque era. What do you tell them? Why was she important? Why was she unique? (The answer needs to be one short paragraph.)

Classical era
1. How did changes in patronage help bring about the popularity of comic opera? (The answer needs to be one short paragraph.)
2. What characteristics of older time periods do you hear in the Dies irae and Tuba mirum sections of the Requiem Mass?
3. How does the overture of Don Giovanni prepare the audience for the opera? Be as specific as possible, and cite specific musical characteristics. (The answer needs to be one short paragraph.)
4. Comic opera in the Classical era makes frequent use of da capo aria form. TRUE or FALSE?

Romantic era
1. Why might the royal and upper classes have viewed the story of Rigoletto as subversive? In other words, why might they have felt that the story sent a message to the public that was dangerous to their way of life? (The answer needs to be one short paragraph.)
2. What is leitmotif, and how did Wagner use it in his operas? How would you differentiate between leitmotif and a theme songs? (The answer needs to be one short paragraph.)
3. What are the differences between Italian opera and Richard Wagner’s German opera in the Romantic era? What musical characteristics can you use to tell them apart? (The answer needs to be one short paragraph.)

Romantic era leider and sacred music
2. How did Gabriel Faur’s views on death possibly affect the music in his Requiem? Be as specific as possible. You may even want to compare his composition to Mozart’s Requiem.
3. Explain how Franz Schubert used musical characteristics to differentiate the four characters in Erlkong. (The answer needs to be one short paragraph.)

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