«Huguenots» by J. Meyerbeer in the context of spiritual-Christian quests of the era of romanticism

The purpose of the article is to identify the poetical and intonational features of J. Meyerbeer’s «Huguenots» in the context of the spiritual quest of romanticism, the evolution of French musical theater in the first half of the 19th century and its mystery component. The methodology of the work is the intonation concept of music from the perspective of intonation-stylistic analysis inherited from B. Asafiev and his followers. The analytical-musicological, genre-style, interdisciplinary, historical and cultural approaches are also essential for this work, revealing the spiritual and moral specifics of the poetics of the French «grand opera» and its mystery primary sources using the example of J. Meyerbeer's «Huguenots». The scientific novelty of the work is determined by its analytical perspective, focused on the consideration of the «Huguenots» by J. Meyerbeer in the context of the spiritual-Christian quests of the romantic era. Conclusions. The poetics of J. Meyerbeer’s opera «Huguenots», which is one of the exemplary examples of «grand» French opera, was formed at the intersection, on the one hand, of creative discoveries in the field of French musical theater of the first half of the 19th century and its vocal and performing stage practice. On the other hand, the named work demonstrates a deep connection with the mysterious traditions of the French spiritual theater, dating back to the Middle Ages, to the spiritual, religious and stylistic attitudes of the musical theater of French classicism («lyric tragedy» by J. B. Lully) and at the same time consonant with the religious quests of romanticism and the moral and ethical positions of French historicism. The essential role of religious confrontation in the Huguenots, which determinesthe intonational and dramatic specificity of the work, right down to the quotations of the Lutheran chant, ultimately focuses on the «collegiality of the highest order», which overcomes confessional barriers, defining the spiritual and moral pathos of the French «grand opera» and its spiritual attitudes.

Henri Duponchel and the Birth of Romantic Theatrical Decor

Is devoted to Henri Duponchel, the brightest personality in Romantic musical and theatrical art. Being an architect, stage and costume designer, stage director and theatre manager of Académie Royale de Musique, he was the first who made Paris audience interested in Medieval colours, which became an essential part of Romantic theatre setting. Duponchel’s work and his input to development of the French grand opera are analysed within the Russian art criticism tradition for the first time.

The Sociability of History in French Grand Opera

French grand opera relied heavily on historical sources for its stories, settings, and characters. This article reexamines why representations of the past captivated Parisian audiences. For these spectators, history was not just a purely factual discourse about what happened centuries ago, it was also a social phenomenon. As such, grand opera's appropriation of historical subjects depended on new social spaces formed by new patterns in text production and consumption. When these spaces first emerged, historical grand opera became socially feasible, and as they were transformed, the genre began to wane. Focusing on Auber's La Muette de Portici, this article reconsiders the emergence of historical grand opera in terms of such material conditions of possibility. It then outlines how new material conditions in the middle decades of the nineteenth century reshaped attitudes toward operatic history, drawing on the historical materialist philosophy of Walter Benjamin to clarify the effects of these social and technological changes.

The Sociability of History in French Grand Opera: A Historical Materialist Perspective

French grand opera relied heavily on historical sources for its stories, settings, and characters. This article reexamines why representations of the past captivated Parisian audiences. For these spectators, history was not just a purely factual discourse about what happened centuries ago, it was also a social phenomenon. As such, grand opera's appropriation of historical subjects depended on new social spaces formed by new patterns in text production and consumption. When these spaces first emerged, historical grand opera became socially feasible, and as they were transformed, the genre began to wane. Focusing on Auber's La Muette de Portici, this article reconsiders the emergence of historical grand opera in terms of such material conditions of possibility. It then outlines how new material conditions in the middle decades of the nineteenth century reshaped attitudes toward operatic history, drawing on the historical materialist philosophy of Walter Benjamin to clarify the effects of these social and technological changes.

Die Umwertung der Idee der Nationaloper um 1900

The years immediately following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise (1867) would politically have been the best time to make Bánk bán, Ferenc Erkel’s most important opera known in Vienna, thus launching his work in the German cultural area. However, the plot of Bánk bán and Erkel’s personal attitude regarding the Compromise were probably at that time too much of a sensitive issue. In terms of cultural policy the International Exhibition of Music and Theatre at the end of the 19th century could have presented itself as an opportunity to premiere it in Vienna. Instead, Katona’s Bánk bán was presented. One could have expected that Gustav Mahler would stage Bánk bán at the Vienna Court Opera, as he did Dalibor at the beginning of his period as artistic director. Apparently Mahler did never even consider the idea of its staging which may have been connected with both his personal tastes and the unfavourable memories he had of Budapest. The success of Smetana’s Dalibor in winning a wide recognition on German stages around 1900 as opposed to Erkel’s neglect, may partly be explained by its post-Wagnerian musical language. However, since in the meantime opera houses have again been conquered by Italian belcanto and French grand opéra — the two main operatic styles from which Erkel took his inspiration — stylistic reasons clearly cannot explain why his work remains internationally unknown up to this day. One of the reasons for the lack of success may very well be the over-emphasizing by its Hungarian partisans of the opera’s national qualities instead of its inherent dramatic values.