Riccardo III facts for kids
The opera Riccardo III is an exciting musical story from Italy. It was written by Luigi Canepa, who composed the music, and Fulvio Fulgonio, who wrote the words (called the libretto). This opera is based on a famous play by William Shakespeare, also called Richard III. The very first time Riccardo III was performed was in Milan, Italy, on November 10, 1879.
What is an Opera?
An opera is like a play where all the characters sing their lines instead of speaking them. It combines music, singing, acting, costumes, and scenery to tell a story. The libretto is the text or script of the opera. It contains all the words the singers perform.
Meet the Characters
In Riccardo III, there are several important characters. Each character is sung by a specific type of singer, based on their vocal range.
Main Characters and Their Voices
- Riccardo III - Sung by a bass. A bass singer has the lowest male vocal range.
- Rismondo - Sung by a tenor. A tenor singer has a high male vocal range.
- Scroop - Sung by a baritone. A baritone singer has a male vocal range between tenor and bass.
- Rutlando - Sung by a comprimary tenor. This is a tenor role that is usually smaller than the main tenor parts.
- Elisabetta, queen - Sung by a soprano or mezzo-soprano.
- A soprano singer has the highest female vocal range.
- A mezzo-soprano singer has a female vocal range between soprano and alto.
- Elisabetta, daughter - Sung by a soprano.
