Chapter 17: Romantic Opera Early Romantic Opera
Romantic Opera Transcendence of artistic barriers Romantic era fused music & poetry (the Lied) as well as music & literature (program music) Also committed to union of music & drama 19th century a golden age for opera In Germany, France, Italy, Bohemia, Russia If music is the most profound of all arts – Composers must take the “message” seriously Opera subjects taken from highly regarded novels (Scott, Dumas) & plays (Shakespeare)
Early Romantic Opera Made its serious start in the 1820s After the Viennese Classical period ended Comic opera remained popular at first Especially Italian operas of Rossini & Donizetti In the 1820s tastes shifted to more serious, even tragic operas French grand operas by Meyerbeer & Rossini Tragic Italian operas by Bellini & Donizetti German Romantic operas by Weber
Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) Best known for his opera buffa Crisp, elegant – style not far from Mozart Barber of Seville is his most famous work Admired equally for his serious operas Set the style & form of Italian Romantic opera Called bel canto – glorifies beautiful singing Full of coloratura arias for virtuoso singers Gave up opera entirely in 1829! After success of William Tell, a grand opera