Opera Music in Cartoons: “Kill the Rabbit”
A look at how opera music has been used in various cartoons over the years, including in Warner Brothers’ “Kill the Rabbit.”
Introduction
It is no secret that many opera singers have been heard on cartoons. In recent years, there has been an increase in the use of opera music in cartoons. This is due to the fact that opera music can be very effective in creating a mood or atmosphere in a scene. It can also be used to add a touch of comedy or drama to a scene.
One of the most famous uses of opera music in cartoons is in the episode “Kill the Rabbit” from the television show “The Simpsons”. In this episode, Lisa Simpson is trying to kill a rabbit with a carrot. She eventually gets tired of chasing the rabbit and decides to sing an Italian opera song to lure it into a trap. The song she sings is called “La donna è mobile” from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto”.
A Brief History of Opera
Opera is a form of theater in which music has a leading role and the parts are taken by singers, but is not limited to that medium. Opera encompasses a wide range of styles, from the ornate, dramatic works of the early 1800s to the more experimental opera of the late 1900s. The history of opera can be traced back to ancient Greece, where plays were often accompanied by music. The first operas were written in the 1600s, and they rapidly gained popularity in Italy. Venices Teatro San Carlo hosted more than 500 operas between 1637 and 1800. By the mid-1700s, opera had spread to France, Germany, and other parts of Europe.
Opera in Cartoons
Opera music has been used in cartoons since the early days of the medium. In 1928, Disney’s “Steamboat Willie” featured a segment with Mickey Mouse singing “Turkey in the Straw” in an operatic style. In the 1930s and 1940s, Warner Bros. and MGM made several shorts featuring popular opera tunes. In 1948, Bugs Bunny sang “Kill the Rabbit” from Verdi’s “Il trovatore” in “Long Haired Hare.” In 1957, Daffy Duck starred in an animated version of Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.” And in 1962, Bugs Bunny sang a condensed version of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” in “What’s Opera, Doc?”
Since then, opera music has appeared in dozens of cartoons and animated films. In 1975, Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd sang snippets of Verdi’s “La donna è mobile” in “The Great Race.” In 1988, Disney’s “Oliver & Company” featured a scene with Fagin singing an aria from Verdi’s “Nabucco.” And in 1996, DreamWorks’ “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” included a sequence with Quasimodo singing an excerpt from Gounod’s “Faust.”
Opera music has also been used in more recent cartoons, such as Nickelodeon’s 2005 film “The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius,” which featured a scene with Jimmy and his friends singing an aria from Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” In DreamWorks’ 2007 film “_Shrek the Third_,” Fiona sings an excerpt from Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” while she is taking a bubble bath. And in Pixar’s 2009 film “_Up_,” Carl Fredricksen sings an excerpt from Puccini’s “_Nessun dorma_” while he is floating away on his house attached to helium balloons.
Whether they are used for comic relief or to add emotional weight to a scene, opera music can be a powerful tool for animators. Thanks to its wide range of emotions and styles, opera music has something to offer for every cartoon character and every situation.
“Kill the Rabbit”
“Kill the Rabbit” is a 2019 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The film was directed by Mark Henn and written by Daryn Tufts. It stars the voices of Roger Craig Smith as Mickey Mouse, Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck, Jim Cummings as Pete, and Bret Iwan as Goofy.
The short film centers on Mickey and his friends Donald and Goofy trying to kill a rabbit that has been terrorizing the town. They fail miserably in their attempts, but they do find out that the rabbit is actually a robot controlled by Pete. In the end, they destroy the robot and Pete is arrested.
“Kill the Rabbit” is a fun short film that will appeal to fans of opera music and cartoons alike. The animation is top-notch, and the voice acting is terrific. The short also has a great sense of humor, which makes it even more enjoyable. If you’re looking for a fun cartoon to watch, “Kill the Rabbit” is definitely worth checking out.
Conclusion
We have looked at the use of opera music in two animated cartoons, “Kill the Rabbit” and “The lost Prince”. In both cases, the opera music added to the emotional impact of the scene and helped to create a more suspenseful and dramatic atmosphere.
