Milan 1790-1802: Music, Society and Politics in the City of Many Regimes
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MILAN 1790-1802: MUSIC, SOCIETY AND POLITICS IN THE CITY OF MANY REGIMES Alessandra Palidda BA, BMus, MA Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2017 School of Music Cardiff University Image on the title page: 1800 engraving depicting the wax statue of Democracy melting under the sunrays emanating from the members of the Second Coalition (Austria, Russia, Portugal and the Ottoman Empire). Abstract Between the end of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the following one, the Napoleonic wars caused the whole of Northern Italy to live an unstable political era, the old absolutist regimes being replaced by republican states strongly subjected to France. In the case of Lombardy and its capital city Milan, for almost a century a part of the Habsburg Monarchy, this era was particularly intense and problematic: following the alternate outcome of the war, the government changed repeatedly from monarchy to republic over rather short time span. In a situation as such, rather unique in the history of the city, the various governments made a programmatic use of the arts and especially music for propaganda and control purposes. In Milan, a prominent venue for operatic performances already during the second half of the eighteenth century, musical theatre was identified as the primary vehicle for the dissemination of the rapidly changing political and social values and the monitoring of public opinion: La Scala opera house, at the very centre of Milan’s both musical and social life already in the Habsburg years, became the centre of diffusion of new cultural policies and social mechanisms. In addition to a carefully conceived and implemented plan of intervention within the theatre, new occasions were also found for the performance of appositely composed music outside the theatrical buildings in the city’s public spaces, i.e. the great republican feasts, rather complex events mixing music, visual arts, celebrative elements and popular entertainment. Cultural and more specifically musical phenomena taking place both inside and outside the theatre also played a major part in shaping Milan’s cultural environment and defining its role in the following Risorgimento years. Drawing on both dedicated literature and an extensive research based on archival and primary sources, the present thesis aims at reconstructing the unique historical context of these years and its consequences on the Milanese society and cultural production, also analysing the effect that the repeated government changes had on Milan’s musical environment not only in terms of repertoire, but also in the complex links established between politics, society and music. Traditionally overlooked, these years represent not only a complex transition between two very different historical and cultural contexts, but also a highly creative and vibrant period that had undeniable consequences on the following years. iii Acknowledgements The present thesis constitutes the arrival point of a very long and intense research journey. This experience would have not been possible without the help and support from many wonderful people and institutions, whom I would like to thank. First of all, I wish to thank my supervisor, Prof. David Wyn Jones, for having first glimpsed the interest of this project and for assisting and supporting me during all the different, demanding phases of my research. Prof. Jones has also presented me with new, precious challenges and has given me invaluable guidance and insight not only into research methodologies, but also into many of the numerous faces of the academic world. Thanks to his tireless support and supervision, the experience of carrying out this doctorate at Cardiff University has been incredibly enriching. I also wish to give special thanks to my second supervisor, Dr. Clair Rowden, who, despite her countless commitments, has always found time for me and, most of all, has showed me deep understanding and trust. It is thanks to her that I could not only complete my programme of study, but also undertake teaching and research commitments that have turned out to be challenging, but also invaluable for my growth as an academic. A special acknowledgement also goes to the various members of staff, both academic and administrative, at Cardiff University, School of Music. So many people, each within his/her area of competence, have helped me making my experience as smooth and profitable as possible by untangling bureaucratic issues, discovering and exploiting various opportunities and much more . The department has rapidly become not only a place of study, research and growth, but also a friendly and supportive environment. A significant part of the research connected to the present thesis also had to take place outside Cardiff, within numerous Milanese libraries and archives. My deepest gratitude goes to all those people who have helped me exploring those institutions and uncovering the treasures hidden within. In particular, I wish to thank Matteo Sartorio for having granted me access to the historical archive of La Scala theatre and having assisted me in finding my way through its monumental documentary corpus. Special thanks also go to Gianni Fidanza for letting me consult the precious Somma and Noseda collections in the library of the Conservatory ‘Giuseppe iv Verdi’ of Milan and for helping me to retrieve even the most obscure documents. Finally, I wish to thank the librarians of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Biblioteca nazionale Braidense, Biblioteca comunale centrale Sormani, Biblioteca of the Conservatorio ‘Giuseppe Verdi’ of Milan and of the Biblioteca ‘Angelo Maj’ of Bergamo who have kindly helped and assisted me in accessing and consulting specific literature as well as documentary funds. In addition, I wish to offer my special thanks to those institutions that have allowed me (and often generously supported me) to take part in prestigious conferences where some of the findings coming from the present research project could be shared and discussed. The papers presented and the following debates have sometimes led to themed publications, which have also greatly helped me in developing a richer academic profile. In addition to the School of Music, I wish to thank the BSECS (British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies), the Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini of Lucca, the Music and Letters Trust and the RIdIM (Association Répertoire International d’Iconographie Musicale). Finally, I would like to thank all those people who have supported me, both personally and financially, during the last four years in Cardiff, without whom this whole project would have been ultimately impossible. Special thanks go to my colleagues from the School of Modern Languages for their friendship and continuous interest in my work, and to my family for their tireless support and affection. Grazie, davvero. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ………………………………………………………………………. p. 1 Chapter 1 – Music and society in the last Habsburg years (1790-1796) 1.1 Times on transition …………………………………………………....................... p. 10 1.2 Milan in the second half of the eighteenth century: a ‘second Renaissance’ ……… p. 25 1.3 The city and its music …………………………………………………………… p. 31 1.4 Ferdinand, the court and the opera house ………………………………………. p. 42 1.5 The Teatro alla Scala and the city ………………………………………………... p. 56 1.6 An overview of La Scala’s operatic seasons 1790-1796 …………………………... p. 63 Chapter 2 – Cultural and musical life during the Republics (1796-1799) 2.1 The Napoleonic invasion: the end of an era …………………………………....... p. 70 2.2 From the French to the Cisalpine Republic ……………………………………... p. 77 2.3 Social and cultural life in Napoleonic Milan……………………………………… p. 87 2.4 Le pubbliche feste: republican feasts and celebrations …………………………... p. 95 2.5 The musical repertoire of the feasts: …………………………………………….. p. 116 Chapter 3 – The patriotic theatre (1796-1799) 3.1 A Theatre for the People ……………………………………………………….. p. 138 3.2 Theatrical management during the Jacobin triennium …………………………… p. 150 3.3 Teatro patriottico: a new Regolamento …………………………………………. p. 156 Chapter 4 – The patriotic repertoire (1796-1799) 4.1 Teatro patriottico: old and new conventions …………………………………….. p. 167 4.2 A new repertoire? ……………………………………………................................. p. 172 4.2.1 Opere serie …………………………………………………………….. p. 178 4.2.2 Opere buffe …………………………………………………………….. p. 185 4.4.4 Ballets ………………………………………………………………….. p. 190 4.3 Beyond opera and ballet ………………………………………………………... p. 194 vi Chapter 5 – Old and new governors (1799-1802) 5.1 The return of the Austrians: the ‘painful thirteen months’ ………………………. p. 209 5.2 The return of the French: from Cisalpine to Italian …………………………….. p. 229 Conclusions ……………………………………………………………………….. p. 246 Appendix 1 Catalogue of musical Works performed in La Scala Theatre 1790-1802 ………... p. 252 Appendix 2 Catalogue of the other musical and political Events …………………………… p. 281 Bibliography ………………………………………………………………………. p. 290 vii TABLE OF FIGURES CHAPTER 1 Fig. 1.1: Painting by Pompeo Batoni showing, left to right, Leopold and Joseph in 1769. Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum ………………………………………….. p. 11 Fig. 1.2: Painting (1776) showing Ferdinand, his wife Maria Beatrice of House Este and their daughters in Milan’s Ducal Palace. Vienna, Schönbrunn Castle …………… p. 18 Fig. 1.3: Painting showing Francis II in 1792. Vienna, Schönbrunn Castle ………….. p. 21 Fig. 1.4: Engraving showing the severed head of Ignaz von Martinovics, a Hungarian