The Sound of Power

Introduction 

Displays of power are often visual—how someone stands or occupies space, how they interact with other people. Even mere physical presence can imbue a person or group with authority. (“There is power in numbers.”) In Verdi’s Macbeth, power also necessarily has an aural dimension embedded in its score and brought to life on stage. 

This activity invites students to explore how music communicates different forms of power. Then, they will examine key musical moments from Macbeth before creating a visual “power map” that traces how characters gain, perform, challenge, and lose power throughout the opera.  

Steps

STEP 1. EXPLORE

When we hear the word power, we often think about kings, queens, presidents, and rulers, but power comes in many forms. Some people command power through force; others persuade. Some gain influence because people trust them; others manipulate, intimidate, or inspire. 

In opera, power is communicated not only through words but also through music. A character can sound confident, fearful, persuasive, threatening, desperate, or triumphant long before they ever say so directly. 

Before examining the opera, use the “Defining Power” handout included with this guide to help students to think about different forms and expressions of power. For each category, write a definition, identify a real-world example, and explain how that form of power differs from the others.

As students complete their charts, they should consider the following questions:

• Is power always visible?
• Can someone appear powerful while feeling powerless?
• Which kinds of power tend to last? 

STEP 2. LISTEN

Once students have brainstormed different manifestations and meanings of power, they should review the opera’s synopsis or illustrated synopsis to gain familiarity with the plot and characters of Macbeth.

Next, listen to the following excerpts from the opera and read along with the “Text and Translations” handout included with this guide.

TRACK 9
Act I: The Witches, “S’allontanarono!—N’accozzeremo”

TRACK 10
Act I: Lady Macbeth, “Ambizioso spirto”

TRACK 11
Act II: Macbeth, “Di voi chi ciò fece?”

TRACK 12
Act II: Lady Macbeth, “La luce langue”

TRACK 13
Act IV: Macduff, “Ah, la paterna mano”

As they listen, students should pay attention not only to what the characters are telling us but also how they’re communicating musically. Does the character singing seem powerful? Why or why not? What type of power is exhibited in each scene? How does the music communicate that power? Use the “Listening for Power” handout included with this guide to help students in their thinking.

The following questions may be helpful in facilitating group discussion around who has power and how that power changes hands throughout the opera.

• Who makes decisions?

• Who influences the direction of events in the story?

• Who advocates for the general good?

• Who tells the stories and/or creates messages about what’s happening?

• Who brings people together around shared values?

• Who influences people?

• Who provides essential services?

• Who knits the community together?

• Are there other forms of power or influence?

A NOTE TO INSTRUCTORS: This is a great place to pause the lesson. Steps 3 and 4 can be completed during a different session, as long as students (or you!) hold onto their handouts.

STEP 3. CREATE

“Power mapping” is a way to identify who has power in a community and figure out what will move those individuals or institutions to act. Using their notes from the previous two steps, students should create visual maps showing how power shifts throughout the opera.

Each map should show who gains power, who loses power, how power changes, and whether power comes from force, persuasion, fear, prophecy, or something else. Students might use arrows, create a timeline, design a flowchart, build a network diagram, or find other ways to depict the ebb and flow of different kinds of power over the course of the opera.

An example power map for Macbeth is provided in the “Additional Resources” section of the HD Live in Schools Educator Hub (metopera.org/educator-hub), though students should be encouraged to create a map in any style they choose.  

STEP 4. REFLECT

At the conclusion of this activity, reflect on the following questions, either in writing or via discussion: Who is the most powerful character in Macbeth? How do you know? Once students have attended the Live in HD screening (or watched this new production on Met Opera on Demand), revisit these questions to see how the staging impacts their understanding of the opera.  

Scaffold

• Practice power mapping your school or local government. Who has the power on paper? Who actually holds the power? How do you know? 
• Activate the flow of power physically. Choose six students to embody the six main characters of the opera (Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, Macduff, the Witches, and the Scottish refugees/chorus). While you read the synopsis aloud, have students pass an object (e.g., a ball or toy) among them as the power shifts and changes across the four acts.