Chapter 26: Dramatic Alternatives: Exoticism, Operetta, and Verismo

I. Stereotyping the Other: “Orientalism” A. Through colonialism European powers followed expansionist policies throughout the nineteenth century. These made all things “Eastern” fashionable. B. Opera was the most likely vehicle for musical Orientalism. C. Musical Orientalism was encoded. 1. One of the most commonly used devices to suggest Orientalism is the augmented second. 2. Masculine barbarity and feminine sexuality were two often-used stereotypes.

II. Bizet’s Carmen A. While not typically Oriental by the usual definition, Carmen has the most familiar use of Oriental devices. B. The main character is exotic and an ethnic minority. C. It premiered at the Théâtre National de l’Opéra Comique, and the conductor resigned rather than be a part of such a passionate production in a family theater. D. As an outsider, Carmen threatened good French values. E. Traditional values win as Don José stabs Carmen, vindicating virtue.

III. Russian Orientalism A. Orientalism was particularly popular in Russia. B. It became an identifying characteristic of Russian music. C. Glinka and the “Mighty Five” all delved into Orientalism. D. The pinnacle of Russian Orientalism is Borodin’s Prince Igor.

IV. Gounod’s Opéra Lyrique A. Another trend in opera in the mid-century was French opéra lyrique—a genre of opera that was more restrained than grand opéra. B. The chief practitioner of this style was Gounod. C. The music is paired down to an almost domestic-appropriate scale. D. In his Faust, Gounod focused more on the love story between the characters than the metaphysical interests of Goethe. E. Wagner and others criticized Gounod for trivializing great literature.

V. Offenbach and Opera about Opera A. In reaction to the ever-growing grandeur of opera, composers reached back to an earlier idea that operatic behavior should pursue human or personal truth. B. Offenbach succeeded in writing a lighter style of opera that has come to be called “operetta.” C. Among Offenbach’s successes are Orpheus in the Underworld and The Tales of Hoffmann.

VI. Johann Strauss—The Waltz King and Viennese Operetta A. Operetta moved next to Vienna. B. Strauss’s Die Fledermaus established him as a rival to Offenbach.

VII. England’s Gilbert and Sullivan A. Gilbert and Sullivan wrote operetta in England during the long reign of Victoria I. B. They were so successful that they built a venue so that their works could be shown continually. C. As with Offenbach, they made fun of serious opera. D. They eventually began to make fun of their own works.

VIII. Italian Verismo A. Originally a literary movement, Italian verismo was the result of making opera more immediate and something to which the audience could relate. B. The idea was to forego vocal virtuosity in favor of emotional simplicity. C. Noteworthy examples are Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. 1. These two one-act operas are often paired together for performance. 2. Bot deal with crimes of passion (in each, murder by a jealous husband). 3. The point is to thrill the bourgeois audience, not to render judgment or justifiability. D. Arias in this style deviate from previous ones: 1. Melodic repetition is not mandatory 2. The form is dynamic. 3. Operatic convention takes the place of form so that the work is identifiably an aria. 4.. The entire feeling of the aria is free. E. There were questions raised as to the art in such composition.

IX. Innovation and Popularity—“Repetoire” versus “Canon” versus “Repertory” A. The relationship between the composer (artist) and listener was an issue at the end of the nineteenth century. B. Puccini’s operas fall into this question. C. The divergence of concert repertory (music performed for audiences) and canon (those considered worthy of academic study) took place over the twentieth century. D. Puccini wrote for the concert repertory.

X. Puccini’s Ascent A. Puccini’s first success was Manon Lescaut. B. Like Verdi, he had three major operatic successes at the midpoint of his career. C. One is La bohéme, based on a popular French novel. D. Another of the trio was Tosca (1900), based on a play created for Sarah Bernhardt. E. The third was Madama Butterfly, which saw four versions between 1904 and 1906. F. The aria “Un bel dí” from Madama Butterfly is one of the most popular in all Puccini. It reflects her faith in Pinkerton’s return. G. The idea of watching such tragedy—and enjoying it (after all, the viewers do pay to go to the opera)—can be seen as voyeurism, and a type of catharsis. H. Puccini’s next opera, La fanciulla del West, premiered at the Met (New York City), and three one-act operas were written for that venue in 1918. I. His final opera, Turandot, also deals with Orientalism and feminine humiliation.