Carl Maria Von Weber and the Search for a German Opera
- Author: Meyer, Stephen
Carl Maria Von Weber and the Search for a German Opera
- Author: Meyer, Stephen
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About
Stephen C. Meyer details the intricate relationships between the operas Der Freischütz and Euryanthe, and contemporary discourse on both the "Germany of the imagination" and the new nation itself. In so doing, he presents excerpts from a wide range of philosophical, political, and musical writings, many of which are little known and otherwise unavailable in English. Individual chapters trace the multidimensional concept of German and "foreign" opera through the 19th century. Meyer's study of Der Freischütz places the work within the context of emerging German nationalism, and a chapter on Euryanthe addresses the opera's stylistic and topical shifts in light of changing cultural and aesthetic circumstances. As a result, Meyer argues that the search for a new German opera was not merely an aesthetic movement, but a political and social critique as well.
Contents
- Dedication
- Acknowledgements
- 1. Introduction: Inventing German Opera
- 2. The Native and the Foreign: Models for the German Opera
- 3. Der Freischutz and the Character of the Nation
- 4. Euryanthe: Reconfiguration and Transformation
- 5. Epilogue: Institutions, Aesthetics and Genre after Weber's Death
- Appendix 1: Synopsis of Das unterbrochene Opferfest
- Appendix 2: Comparative Table: Versions of Das unterbrochene Opferfest
- Appendix 3: Synopsis of Mehul's Joseph
- Appendix 4: Comparative Table: Versions of the Joseph Finale
- Appendix 5: Synopsis of Euryanthe
- Bibliography
- Index
