Cavatina is a short aria in an opera or a piece for any instrument.
What is cavatina
In instrumental music, cavatina is a short play. Typically, such works are not too fast paced. They are performed very melodiously, as if it were a song, only for a musical instrument. For example, Ludwig van Beethoven Adagio molto espressivo from the B-dur string quartet. But in instrumental music this term is still rarely used.
The word Cavatina has Italian roots. It is a diminutive form of cavata (kavata), which comes from cavare (kavare), which means "extract . "
This term is mainly used in opera music. Cavatina is an aria, small in size (usually it is one verse preceded by a short instrumental introduction), light, with a lyrical character. Performed, as a rule, contemplatively and thoughtfully. It differs from ordinary aria in that it is simpler, much more modest in scale and it rarely uses textual repetitions and coloratura. The pace of cavatines is usually slow.
At the end of the 18th century, it often became the weekend aria of the main character of an opera performance. Since the 19th century, cavatines, masterly performed, as well as moderately slow in tempo, have spread. In addition, those whose tunes are more like a song. A striking example of the latter type are the two cavatins of J. Haydn from the oratorio "The Seasons", one of them belongs to the heroine Agatha, and the other to Antonida. Musical works of this genre, created in the 19th century, are more free in their construction and much larger than those that were adopted in the 18th century. There are also cavatins, which are Aryans in shape.
"The Wedding of Figaro"
Cavatina Figaro from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera is one of the most famous works of this genre. She is the weekend aria of this character. It reveals the character of Figaro. The musical portrait of the main character speaks of him as a temperamental, courageous, and proud man. The size of the cavatina is 2/4.
The Barber of Seville
Another famous character whose mouth is filled with Cavatina is Rosina from the opera of Joacchino Rossini. This aria is written as a short song from 1 verse. Her character is masterly. Cavatina Rozina belongs to those rare works of her genre in which coloratura is present. The heroine here talks about herself, about how she is obedient and inferior to everyone, but if necessary, she will always be able to insist on her own.