Politics in Opera Imprint
Information Viva la Liberta! - Politics in Opera by Anthony
Arblaster is published by Verso in 1992 in London, Great
Britain. It was the book's first edition and publication. The book contains 340 pages of text, no illustrations, and includes a tables of contents, nine main chapters, conclusion, notes and and an index. The chapters start with the period of modern politics, the French Revolution in 1789 and with
"Mozart: Class Conflict and Enlightenment" from that period till modern opera / musicals in "Democratic Opera: Victims as Heroes". All nine chapters are written by the same author,
Anthony Arblaster. Each chapter tries to concentrate on one to a few composers from the same period who share similar political views and actions. Each chapter can be viewed as an individual work / essay. The nine chapters follow the time frame sequentially and are respectively: Ch.1 Mozart: Class
Conflict and Enlightenment, Ch.2 Opera and Revolution,
Ch.3 Patria Oppressa: Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and
Risorgimento (Nationalism I), Ch.4 Verdi: the Liberal
Patriot, Ch.5 Wagner: from Revolution to Racism, Ch.6
Russia, Czechoslovakia and a Footnote on England
(Nationalism II), Ch.7 Women in Opera, Ch.8 Interlude -
Opera without Politics: Puccini and Strauss and Ch.9
Democratic Opera: Victims as Heroes. The introduction and conclusion helps in giving coherence to the vast time frame of two hundread years and the different emphasis on political of composers in their works. The detailed index is also helpful in the cross referencing a particular work or composer which might be mentioned in different chapters for comparisons. The notes offer a detailed bibliography with chance for further reference material on the issue of politics in opera. General Summary Although the book does not formally state the meaning of "politics", the definition used throughout the book is the "beliefs about how a country ought to be governed" instead of politics as in political power and actions or activities. The book also presents the argument of social context at the particular period and place as "politics" and that if opera lacks the political element
(social context), it lacks a convincing element in which communication and mutual consensus among composer and audience would be neglected, that opera cannot be 'pure' music. Music and especially opera has to be out of
'something', a 'something' that lies outside and beyond the music itself and in many instances, political beliefs play are a major part in it. The book's intend is not to illustrate politics as the major cause or result of opera but that the influence exist and to refute the common downplay and negligence of politics in opera from critics. In all chapters, the author follows a similar pattern in presenting his arguments.
Porgy and Bess, America’s first opera opened on the 10th of October in 1936. Porgy and Bess chronicles the unlikely romance between Porgy and Bess and takes place in the fictitious town of “Catfish Row” in Charleston South Carolina. The opera is based on “Porgy”, a novel written by Dubose Heyward and the play also written by Heyward and his wife Dorothy Heyward.
"History of Castrati in the Opera." By Irini Kotroni. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2014
With the arrival of the opera Le nozze di Figaro this stereotype of the operatic genre changed as Mozart brought new ideas of equality and freedom to the surface. These ideas could be identified with the ideas of the act of Enlightenment which were concentrated in the triptych of freedom, equality and
Eastern Washington University Department of Music presented a program of Opera works by Giacomo Puccini, Aron Copland, W.A. Mozart, John Dowland, Franz Shubert, Maurice Ravel, and Robert Schumann on Friday, March 7, 6:30 p.m., in the Music Building, Recital Hall. These Opera works were sung by Senior Recitalist, Alexandra Rannow.
Parker, Mary Ann. “Reception of Handel Operas, Then and Now.” University of Toronto Quarterly 72.4 (2003): 850-857. Academic Search Premire. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.
Othello is noble, tender, and confiding; but he has blood of the most inflammable kind. Unfortunately, Othello was naïve enough to be swayed by Iagos misplaced trustworthiness and the accusations cause the entire play to unfold. Once someone brings up a sense of all his wrong doings, he cannot be stopped by considerations of remorse of pity until Othello has extinguished all that fuels his rage and despair. Othello is described as a “Moor” by his critics (Brabantio, Iago). A “Moor” is a slang word used for the dark skinned appearance of the Muslim people from the northwest part of Africa.
In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, we see a black man marrying a wealthy young white woman named Desdemona. The black man named Othello serves the Italian government, as a general, this man is a very a loyal and trusting person. Othello is easily persuaded as stated by Iago, his ancient, who wrights this passage about him ““The Moor is of a free and open nature, That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, And will as tenderly be led by the nose As asses are. (Act 1, 3,405.)“ This shows us the kind of man Othello is a trusting man, and thinks that everyone is telling the truth. This opens Othello, to believe on the lies that Iago, is telling him. However, Othello is not a stupid man, he is a general after all, and must be shown proof when people put up arguments especially against his own wife, cheating on him. Now the question is why did Othello not look for his own proof of the acquisition laid up against his wife cheating. He surly is not stupid, considering that he has such a high position. In this essay, I will explain why, Othello does not look for more proof, of his wife’s affairs and merely believes Iago.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in 1756 in Salzburg, part of what is now modern day Austria (BBC, 2014). The son of a Musician, Leopold, Mozart was born into a musical upbringing. He quickly became very proficient at the harpsichord, and was even composing his own works at the ripe young age of 5 years old. Mozart gained important development on an early childhood trip through Europe, where he and his family met and played for famous musicians of the time. He was strongly influence by his interactions with Johann Christian Bach, the song of the much more famous Johann Sebastian Bach. Mozart also encountered opera throughout his journeys through Europe.
Othello, a play by William Shakespeare, takes place in Venice during the invasion of the island of Cyprus by the Turks. The protagonist of the story, Othello, is a newlywed, Moorish general with a very gullible nature. The antagonist of the story is Iago, an officer under Othello who wishes to be promoted to lieutenant, but the position was given to the young and attractive Cassio. Other major characters in the play are Desdemona, Othello's wife who is accused of having an affair with Cassio. In addition, there are Roderigo, a Venetian who is deeply in love with Desdemona; and Emilia (Iago's wife) who could have prevented the death of Desdemona.
The Othello of the Fourth Act is Othello in his fall. His fall is never complete, but he is much changed. Towards the close of the Temptation-scene he becomes at times most terrible, but his grandeur remains almost undiminished. Even in the following scene (III iv), where he goes to test Desdemona in the matter of the handkerchief, and receives a fatal confirmation of her guilt, our sympathy with him is hardly touched by any feeling of humiliation. But in the Fourth Act "Chaos has come". A slight interval of time may be admitted here. It is but slight; for it was necessary for Iago to hurry on, and terribly dangerous to leave a chance for a meeting of Cassio with Othello; and his insight into Othello's nature taught him that his plan was to deliver blow on blow, and never to allow his victim to recover from the confusion of the first shock. Still there is a slight interval; and when Othello reappears we see at a glance that he is a changed man. He is physically exhausted, and his mind is dazed. He sees everything blurred through a mist of blood and tears. He has actually forgotten the incident of the handkerchief, and has to be reminded of it. When Iago, perceiving that he can now risk almost any lie, tells him that Cassio has confessed his guilt, Othello, the hero who has seemed to us only second to Coriolanus in physical power, trembles all over; he mutters disjointed words; a blackness suddenly intervenes between his eyes and the world; he takes it for the shuddering testimony of nature to the horror he has just heard, [Endnote 6] and he falls senseless to the ground. When he recovers it is to watch Cassio, as he imagines, laughing over his shame. It is an imposition so gross, and should have been one so perilous, that Iago would never have ventured it before. But he is safe now. The sight only adds to the confusion of intellect the madness of rage; and a ravenous thirst for revenge, contending with motions of infinite longing and regret, conquers them. The delay till night-fall is torture to him. His self-control has wholly deserted him, and he strikes his wife in the presence of the Venetian envoy. He is so lost to all sense of reality that he never asks himself what will follow the deaths of Cassio and his wife.
One of the key figures in the history of opera, Wagner was largely responsible for altering its orientation in the nineteenth century. His program of artistic reform accelerated the trend towards organically conceived, through-composed structures, as well as influencing the development of the orchestra, of a new breed of singer, and of various aspects of theatrical practice. As the most influential composer during the second half of the nineteenth century, Richard Wagner's conception of music remains very much with us even a century after his death.
What are the similarities between the plot of Cinthio’s work and Shakespeare’s Othello? (the main themes and conflicts)
Modernism, a major artistic movement of the first half of the twentieth century, is traditionally a classification of the visual arts, including such schools as Abstraction, Impressionism, and Expressionism. In architecture, too, was Modernism recognized, in the work of people like Frank Lloyd Wright. Even in literature, with the increasing use of symbolism, Modernism was an influence. Modernists in all of these art forms are consciously engaged in the expansion of the boundaries of their art, and in asking their audiences to reject the status quo, both of the art and of some aspect of society or culture the art form addresses. When faced with a discussion about the possibility of the existence of Modernist opera, classificationists around the world can be heard coughing quietly into their drink and muttering something vague about having somewhere else to be. Until recently, opera and Modernism were two terms rarely, if ever, heard together. The large amount of scholarship that has been devoted to the study of Modernism and its principles has not been extended with the same vigour to include its application to opera. Questions have been raised about whether it is even possible to define “Modernist opera,” and few have attempted such a feat. I confess some confusion as to why the issue raises such difficulties. An examination of just three of the operas written in the time period, Richard Strauss’s Salome, Alban Berg’s Wozzeck, and Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera, shows us that a categorization of Modernism is not inappropriate to the genre. Like the visual and literary arts of the time, these operas are attempting to redefine their genre and to bring public awareness both to the possibilities of the genre and to societal issues.
The book “Othello” and movie “Othello” are both surrounded with race and jealousy. Othello is the only black guy in this play. Because of his capability make him more stronger in the play. All the people around Othello are white, and you can clearly notice that in the movie. Desdemona is also a important role in this play. She is white, which makes she and Othello not that great to be together. That’s why even though Othello knows she loves him, he still can’t believe what she says. Finally he kills Desdemona. Othello has no self-confidence, because he was different than other. That’s why after Iago tells him that Desdemona is cheating on him, he easily believes. Iago hate Othello and envies him. Because of the power Othello has, makes him feel his position is really low. The jealousy urges him to make a plan to revenge Othello, so he asks help from Cassio. Cassio is a character who is also jealous Othello, because he loves Desdemona too. He is the white guy, so thinks he is more suited to be with Desdemona.Jealous is a big factor in this play, also it’s how this play starts and end.
The opera Rigoletto is a significant cultural object, containing many symbolic forms in its physical production and in its use of musical conventions to convey meaning. The story pertains to topics of broad ideologies which are consistent with varied audiences, and in its time, the opera challenged popular belief. Today, it stands rather as an icon of the tragic exploitation of the lower class, and of the injustices that every person must face.