Changing the Score: Arias, Prima Donnas, and the Authority of PerformanceThis study seeks to explore the role and significance of aria insertion, the practice that allowed singers to introduce music of their own choice into productions of Italian operas. Each chapter investigates the art of aria insertion during the nineteenth century from varying perspectives, beginning with an overview of the changing fortunes of the practice, followed by explorations of individual prima donnas and their relationship with particular insertion arias: Carolina Ungher's difficulties in finding a "perfect" aria to introduce into Donizetti's Marino Faliero; Guiditta Pasta's performance of an aria from Pacini's Niobe in a variety of operas, and the subsequent fortunes of that particular aria; Maria Malibran's interpolation of Vaccai's final scene from Giulietta e Romeo in place of Bellini's original setting in his I Capuleti e i Montecchi; and Adelina Patti's "mini-concerts" in the lesson scene of Il barbiere di Siviglia. The final chapter provides a treatment of a short story, "Memoir of a Song," narrated by none other than an insertion aria itself, and the volume concludes with an appendix containing the first modern edition of this short story, a narrative that has lain utterly forgotten since its publication in 1849. This book covers a wide variety of material that will be of interest to opera scholars and opera lovers alike, touching on the fluidity of the operatic work, on the reception of the singers, and on the shifting and hardening aesthetics of music criticism through the period. |
Contents
3 | |
1 A Discourse of Change | 13 |
Carolina Ungher and Marino Faliero | 37 |
Italian OneHit Wonders | 66 |
4 Maria Malibran I Capuleti e i Montecchi and a Tale of Suicide | 100 |
5 Che vuol cantare? The Lesson Scene of Il barbiere di Siviglia | 135 |
6 An Insertion Aria Speaks | 169 |
Memoir of a Song | 189 |
205 | |
217 | |
Other editions - View all
Changing the Score: Arias, Prima Donnas, and the Authority of Performance Hilary Poriss Limited preview - 2009 |
Changing the Score: Arias, Prima Donnas, and the Authority of Performance Hilary Poriss Limited preview - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
aesthetic alteration appears aria insertions arti e letteratura audiences autumn barbiere di Siviglia bel contento Bellini Bologna cabaletta canto Capuleti e i Montecchi carnival Catalani cavatina composer context critic Divas Donizetti duet Elena entrance aria example favorite insertions Florence Gazzetta Gioachino Rossini Giovanni Giuditta Pasta Giulia Giulietta Gossett Grisi Hoffmann’s I-Vgc I:Vgc impresario insertion aria introduced Italian Opera lesson scene libretto Lisa maestro Maria Malibran Marino Faliero Memoir Milan Naples nineteenth century nol rammento numbers œ J œ œ œ œ opera house original Otello Pacini palpiti Paris Patti performance piano pieces premiere prima donnas production repertory Ricordi Rode’s role Romeo rondò Rosina Rossini Rubini Sancia sang scena score sing singers soave e bel Song soprano spectators stage Stefano substitution sung talor più nol Teatri arti Teatro alla Scala Teatro Comunale Teatro della Pergola Teatro la Fenice tenor theater tion Vaccai’s Venice vocal voice Xanthi