Well-known for having generated new interest in Verdi as a subtle and elaborate musical thinker, Pierluigi Petrobelli offers here penetrating explanations of how musical theatre works. Why is it that only a few operas constitute the standard repertory of all opera houses throughout the world? What makes these operas as effective today as they were at the time of their creation? Is there a governing principle in their organization and structure? In this collection of essays, many appearing in English for the first time, Petrobelli answers such questions by analyzing specific operas, mainly by Verdi, in terms of historical context, musical organization, and dramatic conventions. From the exploration of stylistic models, the essays move to the study of Verdi's compositional processes as revealed by sketches for "Alzira", "I due Foscari" and "Rigoletto". Unifying musical devices are discussed in essays on "Il trovatore" and "Macbeth". Using "Aida" and "La forza del destino", Petrobelli builds a theory based on three elements of communication within opera: the dramatic structure; the libretto and its metrical arrangement; and the score. The volume culminates with the application of these analytic tools to the opening of Gluck's "Alceste" and the making of Bellini's "I puritani".
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Petrobelli was putting Verdi and other early nineteenth-century Italian opera composers to analytical scrutiny at a time when few thought the venture worthwhile. It is good to have his essays (among them two new ones, on "La forza del destino and "Macbeth), some of which have reposed as far afield as a Slovene journal.
Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Italian
Original Language: Italian
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