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- Bel canto, meaning 'beautiful singing' in Italian, is a style of singing that emphasizes the beauty of the voice, lyrical melody, and expressiveness, with a focus on technique and control.
library.fiveable.me/key-terms/history-music-1750-1850/bel-cantoBel canto - Vocab, Definition, and Must Know Facts | Fiveable
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As generally understood today, the term bel canto refers to the Italian-originated vocal style that prevailed throughout most of Europe during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Bel canto, style of operatic singing that originated in Italian singing of polyphonic (multipart) music and Italian courtly solo singing during the late 16th century. Masters of bel canto included soprano Farinelli, tenor Manuel del Popolo Garcia, soprano Maria Malibran, and soprano Jenny Lind.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Bel canto is a style of operatic writing designed designed to show off the beauty of the voice. ‘Bel canto’ means, literally, ‘beautiful singing’. If only it were that simple. As so often with artistic concepts, bel canto bears out a remark by the decidedly non-operatic Joni Mitchell: ‘you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.’.
- Bel Canto as A Style
- Bel Canto as A Genre
- An Example
- Diva Worship
- Bel Canto Examples
Despite the fact that the term has been thrown around rather loosely, it is possible to pinpoint a few characteristics of bel canto as a singing style. As the name implies, the focus of bel canto is on the music, especially the voice. “Beauty” is the key word when it comes to bel canto. There is plenty of room for rubato (the freedom to slow down a...
There are also identifiable features of bel canto when the term is used as an operatic sub-genre. In bel canto works, much of the drama is expressed only in their gorgeous, supple, mouth-watering arias. The orchestra is often little more than a beautiful accompaniment to one of the greatest instruments of all: the human voice. The stories in these ...
Having discussed the two distinct uses of the term bel canto, I think we’re ready for an example. Listen for some of the characteristics mentioned above in this excerpt from Bellini’s I puritani. You will hear Luciano Pavarotti and Joan Sutherland, two extraordinary singers well-versed in bel canto, in this recording of “A te, o cara”. Did you hear...
“Diva worship” is also deeply associated with bel canto as a sub-genre. While there are rich roles for all types of voices in the repertory, the soprano voice of the leading lady is almost always the most important, so much so that many operagoers believe that a bel canto work shouldn’t be attempted without a particularly strong soprano. Past leadi...
Here is a quick list of some of the great bel cantooperas: 1. Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Opera Sense recommended recording: 2. Norma (Bellini) Opera Sense recommended recording: 3. Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti) Opera Sense recommended recording: 4. La Cenerentola (Rossini) Opera Sense recommended recording: 5. L’Elisir d’amore (Donizetti) Opera ...
Mar 28, 2019 · The quickest answer is, “It means ‘beautiful singing.’. ” That doesn’t explain much. Yet when I say, “Bel canto denotes the style of Italian opera of the early 19th century, specifically the...
Apr 26, 2022 · ‘Beautiful singing [1] ’ is how The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians describes the term bel canto. It goes without saying that the beauty of a certain sound is subject to the ears of the individual and what he deems as beautiful.
May 18, 2018 · bel can·to / bel ˈkäntō; ˈkan-/ • n. a lyrical style of operatic singing using a full rich broad tone and smooth phrasing: a superb piece of bel canto [as adj.] the bel canto arias of Bellini.
