An Examination of Selected Opera-Comiques of Adrien Boieldieu (France)
Mantel, Sarah J.
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/70837
Description
Title
An Examination of Selected Opera-Comiques of Adrien Boieldieu (France)
Author(s)
Mantel, Sarah J.
Issue Date
1985
Department of Study
Music
Discipline
Music
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
D.M.A.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Biography
Music
Abstract
During his lifetime the opera-comiques of Adrien Boieldieu (1775-1834) were regarded as the finest and most successful examples of the genre. Boieldieu's new productions were eagerly awaited by public and musicians alike and were frequently revived in subsequent years. The most famous singers of the Opera-Comique created the leading roles and many remained favorite performers of Boieldieu for over twenty years. His masterwork, La dame blanche (1825), is consistently referred to by noted authorities as the apogee of the "classical phase" of opera-comique. Boieldieu's life and compositional career began at the height of the Classical period and witnessed the birth of the Romantic era. His own works reflect the times in which he lived and the changes which occurred in musical style and public taste. After a biographical chapter, five of Boieldieu's most important opera-comiques are discussed. The compositions cover a twenty-five year span from 1800 to 1825: (UNFORMATTED TABLE FOLLOWS)
Le calife de Bagdad (The Caliph of Bagdad) 1800
Ma tante Aurore (My Aunt Aurore) 1803
Jean de Paris (John of Paris) 1812
Le petit chaperon rouge (Little Red Riding Hood) 1818
La dame blanche (The White Lady) 1825(TABLE ENDS)
Each opera is discussed by means of the following topics: circum- stances of composition, background of the libretto, description of the characters, plot synopsis, and musical-dramatic summary. This last topic is defined as an examination of the musical numbers in relation to their function within the dramatic situation. Certain movements are analyzed in more detail as representative examples of Boieldieu's compositional process. The questions considered in the paper include the following: By what musical devices has Boieldieu increased our understanding of the drama? Are there any specific musical characteristics associated with certain roles? Has Boieldieu's choice of musical form served to intensify or relax the dramatic situation? Do the over-all musical structure and the drama complement or work to the detriment of each other?
A final chapter deals with conclusions reached as a result of the above examination, and also discusses the feasibility of contemporary productions of Boieldieu's opera-comiques.
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