Scene 2 From Siegfried By Richard Wagner Essay - 805 Words

Each of the following excerpts, Act 2, Scene 2 from Siegfried by Richard Wagner, â€Å"Habanera† from Carmen (Act I, Scene 5) by Georges Bizet, and â€Å"Non So Piu Cosa Son† from The Marriage of Figaro (Act I, scene 4) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, present many different reflections of gender and gender stereotypes. In this short essay, I will address how each piece uniquely reflects gender, by discussing elements such as character dress, orchestral accompaniment, timbre, and body language. In â€Å"Habanera,† the main character is a woman named Carmen who is portrayed as an exotic seductress. The orchestra begins playing a hypnotic rhythm softly, and keeps the soft dynamic throughout the song. The orchestra is composed of strings, delicate chimes, and a tambourine. The softness in tone, and the choice of instruments show how feminine gender is being reflected through the music. Woodwinds and strings, symbolize softness and gentleness, in songs. Women have stereot ypically been considered gentle and nurturing throughout history. The orchestra follows Carmen’s melody, while never overpowering the sound of her voice. The timbre of Carmen’s voice is full, but also delicate. She reaches high pitches, falling slowly down to the bottom of the scale, like a feather that is floating to the ground. In addition, Carmen’s body language also reflects her femininity. She takes gliding steps across the stage, and makes dainty hand gestures. Her posture is always changing, quite frequently she rocksShow MoreRelatedRichard Wagner - Twilight Of The Gods1365 Words   |  6 PagesRichard Wagner - Twilight of the Gods (Gotterdammerung) http://www.biography.com/people/richard-wagner-9521202 †¢ Wagner birth name is Wilhelm Richard Wagner, he was one of the most influential and controversial composers; born May 22, 1813 in Leipzig, Germany and died of a heart attack on February 13, 1883 in Venice, Italy. He is known for writing serveral complex operas, At the age of 21, he wrote his first opera â€Å"The Fairies†. It is sid that his music was played at a concentration campRead MoreThe State University Academic Integrity Code Essay822 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"I pledge on my honor that I have not violated the Appalachian State University Academic Integrity Code.† Each of the following excerpts, Act 2, Scene 2 from Siegfried by Richard Wagner, â€Å"Habanera† from Carmen (Act I, Scene 5) by Georges Bizet, and â€Å"Non So Piu Cosa Son† from The Marriage of Figaro (Act I, scene 4) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, present many different reflections of gender and gender stereotypes. In this short essay, I will address how each piece uniquely reflects gender, by discussingRead MoreEssay on Wagnerian3838 Words   |  16 Pagesdenotes someone who listens to the operas of Richard Wagner and loves them to a degree bordering on the unreasonable. And hes continually amazed by the fact that I dont get off on Wagner to the degree that he does. He also hit me once when I referred to Wagner as a proto-Nazi. Granted we were both a bit drunk at the time, but even so, you may get a bit of an idea how much respect and love Matthew has for the various works of Richard W. Nonetheless, I stand by both of those