Not without Madness

Perspectives on Opera

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Music, Theory & Criticism, History & Criticism, Reference
Cover of the book Not without Madness by Fabrizio Della Seta, University of Chicago Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Fabrizio Della Seta ISBN: 9780226749167
Publisher: University of Chicago Press Publication: November 22, 2012
Imprint: University of Chicago Press Language: English
Author: Fabrizio Della Seta
ISBN: 9780226749167
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Publication: November 22, 2012
Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Language: English

Opera often seems to arouse either irrational enthusiasm or visceral dislike. Such madness, as Goethe wrote, is indispensable in all theater, and yet in practice, sentiment and passion must be balanced by sense and reason. Exploring this tension between madness and reason, Not without Madness presents new analytical approaches to thinking about eighteenth- and nineteenth-century opera through the lenses of its historical and cultural contexts.

 

In these twelve essays, Fabrizio Della Seta explores the concept of opera as a dramatic event and an essential moment in the history of theater. Examining the meaning of opera and the devices that produce and transmit this meaning, he looks at the complex verbal, musical, and scenic mechanisms in parts of La sonnambula, Ernani, Aida, Le nozze di Figaro, Macbeth, and Il trovatore. He argues that approaches to the study of opera must address performance, interpretation, composition, reception, and cultural ramifications. Purely musical analysis does not make sense unless we take into account music’s dramatic function. Containing many essays available for the first time in English, Not without Madness bridges recent divisions in opera studies and will attract musicologists, musicians, and opera lovers alike.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Opera often seems to arouse either irrational enthusiasm or visceral dislike. Such madness, as Goethe wrote, is indispensable in all theater, and yet in practice, sentiment and passion must be balanced by sense and reason. Exploring this tension between madness and reason, Not without Madness presents new analytical approaches to thinking about eighteenth- and nineteenth-century opera through the lenses of its historical and cultural contexts.

 

In these twelve essays, Fabrizio Della Seta explores the concept of opera as a dramatic event and an essential moment in the history of theater. Examining the meaning of opera and the devices that produce and transmit this meaning, he looks at the complex verbal, musical, and scenic mechanisms in parts of La sonnambula, Ernani, Aida, Le nozze di Figaro, Macbeth, and Il trovatore. He argues that approaches to the study of opera must address performance, interpretation, composition, reception, and cultural ramifications. Purely musical analysis does not make sense unless we take into account music’s dramatic function. Containing many essays available for the first time in English, Not without Madness bridges recent divisions in opera studies and will attract musicologists, musicians, and opera lovers alike.

More books from University of Chicago Press

Cover of the book Doctoring Traditions by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book The Fatal Conceit by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book Women in the Club by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book Walter Benjamin's Grave by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book Blackface Nation by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book Who Cleans the Park? by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book The Sit-Ins by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book Pictures from an Institution by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book Herzog by Ebert by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book My Father's Name by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book Abundant Earth by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book Awakening to Race by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book The Afterlife Is Where We Come From by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book Writing Science in Plain English by Fabrizio Della Seta
Cover of the book Desperately Seeking Certainty by Fabrizio Della Seta
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy