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Opera has often used classical literature as a means of expressing the most vital concerns of the period in which the operas were written.
Sing Sorrow explores the classical roots of many noted operas, illustrating the ways in which the operas reflected the political concerns of their time through these ancient narratives. In particular, though female opera characters are often regarded as victims, they are actually quite heroic, frequently shaping their own destinies.
Each chapter provides background and historical context, examines the relationship between the opera and the original work of literature, and suggests what the music contributes to the interpretation. Through the lens of the classics,
Sing Sorrow approaches opera from a unique aesthetic and cultural standpoint, giving a new perspective to both opera and its literary and dramatic ancestors.
Sommario
Prelude
The Birth of Opera and Transmission of Classics
Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria: Heroism at Home
Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas: Witches and Weddings
Mozart's Idomeneo, re di Creta: The King of the Day
Berlioz's Les Troyens: Making the Romans Romantic
Strauss's Elektra: A Father's Daughter
Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex: The King in a Trap
The Gospel at Colonus: Black Pearls and Greek Diamonds
Theodorakis and Euripides' Medea: The Wife and Mother from Hell
Coda
Selected Bibliography on Music
Index
Info autore
Marianne McDonald
