Description
Book SynopsisClaudio Monteverdi was the first important composer of opera. This work examines the composer's celebrated final works - Il ritorno d'Ulisse and L'incoronazione di Poppea. It casts light on the conflict between a world of emotional propriety and restraint and one of hedonistic abandon.
Trade Review"A strong contribution." -- Edward Rutschman, Western Washington University Opera Journal
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Tables List of Musical Examples Preface Editorial Procedure Abbreviations 1 Orpheus in Venice Prologue A New Ulysses The Myth of Venice 2 Discoveries and Reception Scholarship Performance 3 Sources and Authenticity: Three Librettos Il ritorno d'Ulisse Le nozze d'Enea L'incoronazione di Poppea 4 Two Scores Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria L'incoronazione di Poppea 5 Ancients and Moderns A Question of Genre Five Acts or Three Modern Taste 6 A Master of Three Servants Monteverdi's Way with Words Speech and Song, Recitative and Aria The Role of Meter Fashioning the "Just Lament": Arianna's Venetian Progeny Comedy 7 Constructions of Character Shaping an Epic or Rewriting Penelope The Wily Hero Deepening a Psychological Drama 8 The Parasite and the Philosopher Heroic Pedant, Ambiguous Philosopher Tragic Buffoon Directors and Critics Music and Text Post Mortem 9 Epilogue APPENDICES 1. Giacomo Badoaro, Il ritorno d'Ulisse, preface 2. Argomento et Scenario delle Nozze d'Enea in Lavinia 3. Giacomo Badoaro, Ulisse errante, preface 4. L'incoronazione di Poppea: argomento, scenario, preface 5. Il ritorno d'Ulisse: Badoaro's argomento compared with Dolce's Allegorie and Dolce's argomenti compared with Badoaro's structure 6. Le nozze d'Enea e Lavinia: scenario compared with Dolce's allegories 7. Supernatural scenes 8. Singers Bibliography Index
