Synopses & Reviews
Fidelio is Beethoven's only complete opera and one of the most admired, and problematic, in the repertoire. This Opera Handbook explores the fascinating musical and dramatic elements within the work as well as the debt to the traditions of French opera in the late eighteenth century and the French Revolution. Winton Dean offers a comparison of the opera's first (1805) and final (1814) versions. Essays by Michael Tusa and Joseph Kerman consider its musical idiom and the challenges Beethoven faced as an instrumental composer trying his hand at opera. A final chapter examines the opera's performance history, and the volume also includes a synopsis, bibliography, and informative illustrations.
Review
"This is a well-rounded and provocative collection of essays." Choice
Review
"This is a well-rounded and provocative collection of essays." Choice"...Ludwig van Beethoven: `Fidelio' is a useful and stimulating addition to the Cambridge series." Christopher Hatch, Opera Quarterly
Synopsis
This book explores the fascinating musical and dramatic elements within Fidelio, Beethoven's only complete opera.
Synopsis
Fidelio is one of the most admired, and problematic, operas in the repertoire. This book explores the musical and dramatic elements of the work. David Charlton examines the debt to the traditions of French opera and the French Revolution. Winton Dean offers a comparison of the opera's first and final versions. Essays by Michael Tusa and Joseph Kerman consider its musical idiom and the challenges Beethoven faced as an instrumental composer trying his hand at opera. A final chapter examines the opera's performance history. The volume also includes a synopsis, bibliography, and informative illustrations.
Synopsis
Beethoven's only complete opera is one of the most admired and problematic. These essays explore the fascinating musical and dramatic elements within the work as well as its debt to the traditions of French opera in the late eighteenth century and the French Revolution.
Table of Contents
List of illustrations; General preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Synopsis; 3. Beethoven and opera Winton Dean; 4. The French theatrical origins of Fidelio David Charlton; 5. Fidelio and the French Revolution; 6. Music as drama: structure, style and process in Fidelio Michael C. Tusa; 7. Augenblicke in Fidelio Joseph Kerman; 8. An interpretive history; Notes; Select bibliography; Index.