ACCEPTED FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES JOSEPH HAYDN AND THE DRAMMA GIOCOSO by Patricia Anne Debly Mus.Bac., University of Western Ontario, 1978 M.Mus., Catholic University of America, 1980 M.A., University of Victoria, 1985 A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the School of Music We accept this dissertation as conforming to the required standard I^an G. Lazarevich, Supervisor (Faculty of Graduate Studies) Dr. E. Schwandt, Departmental Member (School of Music] Dr. A. Q^fghes, Outside Member (Theatre Department) Dr. J. ..ujiey-r-Outside (History Department) Dr. M. Tér^-Smith, External Examiner (Music Department, Western Washington University) © PATRICIA ANNE DEBLY, 1993 University of Victoria All rights reserved. Dissertation may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopying or other means, without the permission of the author. 11 Supervisor; Dean Gordana Lazarevich ABSTRACT Haydn's thirteen extant Esterhdzy operas, composed from 1762-85, represent a microcosm of the various trends in Italian opera during the eighteenth century'. His early operas illustrate his understanding and mastery of the opera seria, the intermezzo and the opera buffa traditions which he would utilize in his later draimi giocosi. In addition to his role as Kapellmeister Haydn adcpted and conducted over eighty-one operas by the leading Italian composers of his day, resulting in over 1,026 operatic performances for the period between 1780-90 alone and furthering his knowledge of the latest styles in Italian opera. This dissertation examines the five draimi giocosi which Haydn wrote, beginning with Le pescatrici {1769) through to La fedelta preiniata (1780), within the context of the draima giocoso tradition. To fully understand this tradition, as well as Haydn's compositional style, the comic and serious genres are analysed first since they are the basis for the draima giocoso. All these operas not only represent Haydn's development as an opera composer, but serve to exemplify the general changes in eighteenth-century Italian opera. Haydn is seen as an important part of this tradition, both as a borrower and as an innovator. In the first two drammi giocosi, Le pescatrici and L'incontro improvviso (1775), the characters are portrayed Ill as stock character types and the structure of the libretto generally adheres to the separation of serious and comic characters. In these works Haydn follows the musical conventions for each character type with only slight deviations. It is in the last three drammi giocosi, II mondo della luna <1777), La vora costanca (1778/79 and 1785) and La fedelta premiata that the characters are musically portrayed as multi-dimensional personalities with many belonging to the category of the mezzo carattere. The structure of the libretto is more realistic, no longer strictly following earlier formulas and contains social commentary with explicit criticism of the upper class. Through musical analysis Haydn is shown to be the consummate musical dramatist, as he both follows and subverts the tradition, while observing the exigencies of the libretto. Examiners : D ^ n G. Lazarevich, Supervisor (Faculty of Graduate Studies] Dr. E. Schwandt, Departmental Member (School of Music] Dr. A. Hu^hes^^^side Member (Theatre Department) Dr. J. Money, ^^Outs_ids-MeinE£r>^i^i story Department) Dr. M. Térey-sjnith, External Examiner (Music Department, \ Western Washington University) IV CONTENTS ABSTRACT il CONTENTS iv TABLES vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii DEDICATION ix INTRODUCTION - JOSEPH HAYDN AND THE DRAMMA GIOCOSO 1 CHAPTER 1 - HAYDN : THE EXPERIMENTAL YEARS 15 1. Introduction 15 2. The Opera Séria Style 20 3. The Comic Style: The Short Comic Works and Lo speziale 52 CHAPTER 2 - THE DRAMMA GIOCOSO AS A GENRE 7 6 1. The Evolution of the Dranma Giocoso Libretto 76 2. Carlo Goldoni: Social Reformer 86 3. The Music of the Dranma Giocoso 93 CHAPTER 3 - HAYDN'S EARLY DRAMl^I GIOCOSI 103 1. Le pescatrici (1769): The First Dranma Giocoso 103 a) The Libretto 103 b) The Music 110 i) Manuscript Sources 110 ii) Tonal Structure of the Opera 112 iii) Musical Characterization of the Upper Class Characters 117 iv) Musical Characterization of the Lower Class Characters and the Accompanied Recitative 120 v) The Opening Number andEnsembles 127 vi) Finales 129 I'Sncontro improvviso (1775): An Abduction Opera 13-1 a) The Libretto 134 b) The Music 142 i) Manuscript Sources 142 ii) Tonal Structure of the Opera 143 iii) Opening Number 143 iv) Musical Characterisation of the Upper Class Characters 144 v) Musical Characterization of the Lower Class Characters 146 vi) Ensembles 151 vii) Recitative 152 viii) Finales 153 CHAPTER 4 - THE DRAMMI GIOCOSI AFTER 1776 161 1. Introduction 161 2. II mondo della luna (1777): The World Turned Upside-Down 166 a) The Libretto 166 b) The Music 179 i) Manuscript Sources 179 ii) Tonal Structure of the Opera 183 iii) Opening Numbers 188 iv) Musical Characterization of the Upper Class Characters 190 v) Musical Characterization of the Lower Class Characters 200 vi) Ensembles 208 vii) Accompanied Recitative 214 viii) Finales 216 3. La vera costanza (1778/79 and 1785): A Sentimental Comedy 235 a) The Libretto 235 b) The Music 243 i) Manuscript Sources 243 ii) Tonal Structure of the Opera 246 iii) Opening Number 249 iv) Musical Characterization of the Upper Class Characters 256 v) Musical Characterization of the Lower Class Characters 263 vi) Ensembles 268 vii) Accompanied Recitative 270 viii) Finales 273 VI fedelta premiata (1780): A Pastoral 283 ) The Libretto 283 ) The Music 292 i) Manuscript Sources 292 ii) Tonal Structure of the Opera 294 iii) Opening Number 297 iv) Musical Characterization of the Upper Class Characters 299 V) Musical Characterization of the Lower Class Characters 3 04 vi ) Ensembles 313 vii ) Accompanied Recitative 316 viii) Finales 318 CHAPTER 5 - CONCLUSION 328 1. The Libretti 328 2. The Music 332 i) Tonal Structure of the Operas 332 ii) Opening Number 333 iii) Musical Characterization of the Upper Class Characters 334 iv) Musical Characterization of the Lower Class Characters 337 v) Ensembles 338 vi) Accompanied Recitative 340 vii) Finales 341 viii) Conclusion 343 BIBLIOGRAPHY 345 APPENDIX - PERSONAGGI AND PLOT SUMMARIES 3 61 VI I TABLES 1. List of Haydn's Operas for Eszterhaza 3 2. Musical Structure for Le pescatrici-. Acts I, II and III 115-16 3. Structure of the Finales for Le pescatrici 130 4. Act I Finale - L ’incontro improvviso 154 5. Act II Finale - L'incontro improvviso 157 6. Musical Structure for 12 mondo della luna ].85-86 7. Act I Finale - II m.ondo della luna 218-19 8. Act II Finale - II mondo della luna 224-25 9. Act III Finale - II mondo della luna 233 10. Musical Structure for La vera costanza 247 11. Act I, no. 2, Introduzione 253-55 12. Act I Finale - La vera costanza 276-77 13. Act II Finale - La vera costanza 280-81 14. Musical Structure for La fedelta premiata 295-96 15. Act I Finale - Lafedelta premiata 320-22 16. Act II Finale - La fedelta premiata 325-26 Vlll ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many people who deserve to be thanked for their guidance and support during my years of graduate study at the University of Victoria. Unfortunately, it is impossible to acknowledge my indebtedness to all concerned and my remarks will be limited to those • irectly involved in my dissertation. Firstly, ny dissertation advisor and mentor, Gordana Lazarevich, who willingly gave of her time and energy concerning both ny dissertation and my career. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed but have been greatly appreciated. The other members of my dissertation commit­ tee, Erich Schwandt, Alan Hughes and John Money as well as my external examiner, Mary Térey-Smith deserve a special word of gratitude for their careful reading of my work and willingness to share their knowledge. I am indebted to my brother, Wayne, for his constant help and knowledge concerning the computer programmes used in this dissertation. For their encouragement and under­ standing over the years, my friends deserve a special thank you. And finally, my sincere gratitude to my parents, George and Elizabeth, whose support and love was unfailing. IX DEDICATION Sd. Augustinr tells the story of a pirate captured by Alexander the Great. "How dare you molest the sea?" asked Alexander. "How dare you molest the whole world?" the pirate replied. "Because I do it with a little ship only, I am called a thief: you, doing it with a great navy, are called an emperor." from: Pirates and Emperors by Noam Chomsky to the victims of pirates and emperors Introduction Joseph Haydn and the dramma aiocoso In 1761 Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) entered the service of the Esterhâzy court and remained there as Kapell­ meister until 1790. During this period he composed seven­ teen Italian operas (thirteen extant) in addition to numer­ ous instrumental and sacred works.* Haydn not only pro­ duced original compositions in his role as Kapellmeister to this Hungarian court, but he also adapted and conducted over eighty-one operas by the leading Italian composers of his day, resulting in over 1,026 operatic performances for the period between 1780 and 1790 alone." This prodigious output is even more impressive when one 1. The seventeen Italian operas include the thirteen listed in Table I plus the three lost works (II dot tore. La vedova and II scanarello) probably written between 17 51-65 that Haydn listed in his Entwurf-Katalog, and possibly a fourth lost opera, the proof of which is an extant recita­ tive and aria, no. 5: Costretta a piangere (which could also be an insertion aria). The scores for the operas written before 1770, except for La Canterina are incomplete, either missing entire numbers or scenes.