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Chapter 9 - Grand opéra and the visual language of opera

from Part II - The nineteenth century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

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Summary

Although ‘Grand Opera’ is used as a general expression it is actually a technical term It refers to a specific kind of opera rooted in the French repertoire of the three decades following the Restoration. In particular it is associated with the serious operas of Auber, Halévy and Meyerbeer, significantly all written in collaboration with the playwright Eugène Scribe.

The interest in grand opera lies in the works themselves, but also in their integration of words, music and physical presentation. While all operas are designed for stage production, grand operas were inseparable from the production practices and values that were built into their very fabric. This emphasis influenced Verdi and Wagner but beyond that changed the understanding of opera as a theatrical form and the audiences’ expectation.

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Opera , pp. 169 - 193
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2012

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