Meyerbeer Studies: A Series of Lectures, Essays, and Articles on the Life and Work of Giacomo Meyerbeer"In 1936 Meyerbeer's opera Les Huguenots achieved its 1,120[superscript th] performance at the Paris Opera. This extraordinary record is an indication of the vast fame and influence of its composer who was once a household name, like Verdi or Puccini. Now he is unknown to the ordinary opera lover. These essays represent something of an odyssey to seek out and know the shadowy figure behind so much divided opinion and long neglect. They represent attempts, at various stages over thirty years, to find Meyerbeer and enter the world of his remarkable operatic creations that once so characterized the musical life of European civilization."--Jacket. |
Contents
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History Myth and Music in a Theme of Exploration Some Reflections on the MusicoDramatic Language of LAfricaine | 41 |
The Thematic Nexus of Religion Power Politics and Love in the Operas of Giacomo Meyerbeer | 64 |
Meyerbeer and the Comic Spirit Miniature Variations on Grand Themes | 96 |
Che Sara Sara The Star of Which Dreams Are Made Scribe and Meyerbeers Opera Comique LEtoile du Nord | 106 |
The Diaries of Giacomo Meyerbeer | 126 |
Giacomo Meyerbeers Briefwechsel und Tagebucher Vol 5 | 130 |
Meyerbeer Halevy and Auber Some Perspectives on the World of MidNineteenthCentury French Opera | 141 |
Bellini and Meyerbeer Melodic Structure and Dramatic Exigency | 165 |
Hector Berlioz and Giacomo Meyerbeer A Complex Friendship Revisited | 187 |
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Common terms and phrases
achievement Anabaptists aria artistic attended Auber becomes beer beer's Bellini Berlin Berthe Bertram Brandus Briefwechsel und Tagebücher captures Catherine celebration century characterized chorus composer composer's concert Crociato in Egitto death depicting destiny Diaries of Giacomo Didon Dieu Dinorah doux dramatic duet faith famous Fidès final French genre Giacomo Meyerbeer grand opéra Halévy Halévy's Hector Berlioz Heinz Becker heroic Huguenots idyll Inès interest L'Africaine L'Étoile du Nord La Juive later Le Prophète Les Huguenots Les Troyens letter librettist libretto London Marcel March melody Meyerbeer's Meyerbeer's diaries Meyerbeer's operas Nélusko noble Norma opéra comique orchestral overture Paris pastoral perception performance Ploërmel political Portuguese prayer première Prophète Queen Raoul record rehearsal religion religious revival Robert le Diable romance Rossini scene score Scribe Sélika situation song spirit stage style sustained symbolic thematic theme tion tradition trio Troyens Valentine Vasco vocal voice Wagner woodwind
Popular passages
Page 19 - Meyerbeer's object was to make the mere externals tell. He did not care in the least whether his details were commonplace or not. His scores look elaborate and full of work, but the details are the commonest arpeggios, familiar and hackneyed types of figures of accompaniment, scales, and obvious rhythms.