Similarities
- Both opera buffa and opera seria are performed with an orchestra and singers on a stage in front of an audience.
- Both styles of opera use singing as the primary means of expressing the plot and characters' emotions.
- Both opera buffa and opera seria often feature elaborate sets and costumes.
Differences
- Opera buffa is a comic form of opera, while opera seria is a serious, or tragic, form of opera.
- Opera buffa typically has a lighthearted plot, often involving mistaken identities, love affairs, and social satire. Opera seria, on the other hand, usually has a more serious and dramatic plot, often involving historical or mythological events.
- The music of opera buffa is typically more lively and upbeat, with catchy tunes and dances. The music of opera seria, on the other hand, is usually more grand and majestic, with complex melodies and harmonies.
- The characters in opera buffa are often common people, such as servants, farmers, and merchants. The characters in opera seria, on the other hand, are often upper-class people, such as kings, queens, and heroes.
- Opera buffa is typically shorter than opera seria, with a runtime of around two hours. Opera seria, on the other hand, is typically longer, with a runtime of around three hours or more.
In general, opera buffa is a more accessible and entertaining form of opera for the general public, while opera seria is a more refined and sophisticated form of opera that appeals to a more specialized audience.