THE VIENNESE VOGUE FOR OPÉRA-COMIQUE 1790-1819 : VOL 1. Carolyn Kirk A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 1985 Full metadata for this item is available in Research@StAndrews:FullText at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7282 This item is protected by original copyright The Viennese vogue for opera—comique 1790-1819 submitted by Carolyn Kirk In fulfilment of the requirements for Ph.D. degree of the University of St. Andrews, November, 1983 ii ABSTRACT In the mid-eighteenth century, Vienna, like other European cities, began to manifest the influence of modern French culture; In 1752, a troupe of French players was appointed to the Austrian court to entertain the aristocracy. Four years later, links were forged • between the Parisian and Viennese stages via Favart who corresponded with Count Durazzo in Vienna and sent opera scores and suggestions about personnel. In 1765 problems with finance and leadership led to dismissal of Vienna's first French troupe but others performed there for shorter periods between .:1765 and 1780. Opera-comique was introduced to Vienna by French players. Occasional performances of opera-comique in German translation took place in Vienna during the 1770s. When, in 1778, the Nationalsingspiel was founded, French opera formed part of the repertoire because of a lack of good German works. A renewed interest in opèra-comique began in about 1790 when fear of revolutionary France and the reigns of Leopold and Franz led to a return of interest in Italian opera at the court theatres, and the virtual disappearance of opêra-comique from its repertoire. Once an aristocratic entertainment, opera-comique now enjoyed popularity at the suburban theatres. Many recent and historically important French operas were performed in Vienna during the next iii thirty years, putting Italian opera temporarily out of .fashion and having an important influence on the emergent German Romantic opera. After 1802 the Theater an der Wien and the court theatres engaged in serious competition. Over T.: 120 French operas were performed in Vienna between 1790 and 1819. Printed French scores and textbooks were purchased from Paris; they were hastily translated by salaried members of the Viennese theatres. Before 1790 Viennese versions of operas-comiques had usually remained close to the originals. Later, in order to make them more appealing to Viennese audien- ces, the opera texts and music were often altered. Authentic performance was not a concern of the theatres. After 1803, following successful Viennese premieres of several great operas by Mehul and Cherubini, Vienna was flooded with operas by lesser men whose entertaining texts and tuneful music were good for the box office. The vogue for French opera caused some resentment among German musicians, though few contemporary German operas could match the popularity of the French ones. Opera-comique reminded a Viennese public nourished during the eighteenth century mostly on Italian opera, of the literary importance of opera. Viennese interest in op6ra-comique began to decline in .. 1816 with the rise to fame of Rossini. By 1820 Italian opera was back in fashion. DECLARATION I was admitted as a research student under Ordinance No. 12 on 10 October 1976 and as a candidate for the degree of Ph.D. on 10 October 1977; the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St. Andrews between 1976 and 1983. date // 44//eAdier M83 signature ^ I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appropriate to the degree of Ph.D. of the University of St Andrews and that she is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree. date a* kiiisG4v tit signature of supervisor Pier 0 ru..44•4.— In submitting this thesis to the University of St Andrews I understand that I am giving permission for it to be made available in accordance with the regulations of the University Library for the time being in force, subject to any copyright vested in the work not being affected thereby. I also understand that the tit],. abstract will be published, and that a copy of the work may be made and supplied to any bona fide library or research worker. For my wonderful parents vi Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the isles like fine dust. It is he who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; Lift up your eyes on high and seel who created these? Be who brings out their host by number, calling them alLby name; by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing. The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is unsearchable. Isaiah:40. TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE ILLUSTRATIONS LIST OF TABLES MONETARY VALUES ABBREVIATIONS AND SPELLING: INTRODUCTION Chapter 1. OPERA-COMIQUE IN VIENNA 1752-1790 French troupes in Vienna 1752-1772 1 Austria in the eighteenth century The Viennese theatres French culture in Vienna The first French troupe Durazzo's correspondence with Favart The repertoire of the first French troupe The first French troupe's brief period of success The dismissal of Durazzo The second French troupe The end of the permanent French theatre in Vienna Opera-comique in Vienna 1772-1790 38 The third French troupe The fourth French troupe Opera-comique in German in Vienna The fifth French troupe The reign of Joseph II Conclusion 52 2. SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT: 1790-1819 Introduction 56 The Austrian government, 1790-1819 57 Austrian reactions to the French Revolution 66 "Sooln French as a-fashionable Viennese affectation 75 French revolutionary opera 78 The theatres in Vienna •89 The court theatres The suburban theatres The Theater in der Leopoldstadt The Theater auf der Wieden and Theater an der Wien The Theater in der Josefstadt viii page The smaller theatres The Penzinger Theater The Theater zum weissen Fasan The Theater in Meidling The Theater auf der Landstrasse Schanbrunn palace theatre Small troupes and huts Private theatres Effects on the wars on Vienna and its theatres 112 Censorship 126 Newspapers and almanacs 135 Conclusion 139 3. FRENCH OPERA IN VIENNA 1790-1848 Introduction 148 Opera-comique in Vienna 1790-1819 150 Italian opera at court 1790-1801 • 0pera-comiqie in the Viennese suburbs 1790-1801 Opera in Vienna around 1800: the new Theater an der Wien 1802: The first Cherubini season 1803: Mehul and other composers 1804 1805: Cherubini in Vienna; French occupation of the city 1806-1808: Successes and failures with French opera 1809: War with France; the sixth French troupe 1810-1814: Decline of the Italian school of influence 1815 1816: Disillusionment with French opera 1817 Opera-comique in Vienna 1820-1848 309 1820-1826 The seventh French troupe;1826-1848 4. THE ACQUISITION AND ADAPTATION OF OPERAS- COMIQUES FOR VIENNA The acquisition of French operas for Vienna .320 Introduction The spread of opera-comique by the French troupes Viennese contacts abroad Austrian links with theatres in the Netherlands Visits by Viennese to Paris French publishing French journalism The exchange of letters ix page Links with other German theatres Visits to Vienna by French composers& playwrights Conclusion to part I The translation and adaption of opera- 364 comiques for Vienna - Introduction The Viennese and the French language 1790-1819 Viennese adaption of opera-comique at the time of the French troupes Early German opera translations Translations of Gluck and Salieri operas Viennese reactions to the French opera texts The cost of translation The translators Castelli Joseph Ritter von Seyfried Georg Friedrich Treitschke Josef Sonnleithner Joachim Perinet Natthan Ste gmayer T. Hell A translator at work Problems with translation Adaptation of the music Composers who adapted opera-comique for Vienna Anton Fischer Ignaz Ritter von Seyfried SUssmayr, Weigl and B. A. Weber Others Conclusion 424 5. A STUDY OF CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE MATERIAL Research method 427 Finding extant performance material The manuscripts Aims of this chapter A study of performance material from Viennese opera-comique productions • . • • 1436 Monsigny's Rose et Colas Monsigny's Le deserteur Gretry's Richard Coeur-de-lion Gretry's Raoul Barbe-bleue Dalayrac's Les deux petits Savoyards Dalayrac's Renaud d'Ast Dalayrac's Raoul, Sire de Crequi Cherubini's Lodoiska Cherubini's Les deux journees Cherubini's L'hOtellerie portugaise page Le Sueur's La caverne Spontini's Fernand Cortez Resettings by Viennese composers of French opera texts 531 • Introduction Pleyel's Die Fee Urgele Two resettings of French texts by Sassmayr Soliman der Zweite Gulnare Two Viennese parodies 547 Jean de Paris: Johann von Wieselburg Raoul Barbe-bleue: Die Braut in der Klemme 559 Conclusion 6. THE STANDARD AND STYLE OF OPERA-COMIQUE PERFORMANCE IN VIENNA 570 Introduction Op6ra-comique in French in Vienna . 574 Op6ra-comique in translation in Vienna . 578 The soloists Casting The singing Acting Performance of spoken dialogue Ensemble Learning of parts A study of casting problems Cendrillon • Jean de Paris The theatre The sets and costumes The audiences Programme planning Payment of artists Versatility versus specialisation Direction The theatre orchestra The chorus General stylistic differences Conclusion 666 7. CONCLUSION 668 APPENDIX 687 BIBLIOGRAPHY 770 PREFACE Opera-comique is recognised as having been the most important impetus behind the emergence of German Romantic opera.