Opera in Portugal in the Eighteenth Century

by Manuel Carlos de Brito

• ISBN13: 9780521353120
• ISBN10: 0521353122
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1989-05-26
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

A detailed documentary history of opera in Portugal from the beginning of the eighteenth century to the inauguration of the still existing Teatro de S. Carlos in 1793. The study shows how the introduction of opera into the country at the beginning of the century was connected with the recruitment of Italian singers and players during the reign of Joao V, even though the court's interest in opera was small and the activity of public opera houses was hampered by the church and the King himself. This study is valuable not only as a much-needed authoritative and thorough history of the Portuguese musical theatre in the eighteenth century, paralleling existing studies for all other major European operatic centres of the time, but also for the significant contribution it makes to the study of Italian opera with which it interconnects, and of musical theatre in general.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations

Preface

Abbreviations

Note on currency

Opera during the reign of Joao V (1708-50)

Court opera during the reign of JosF I (1750-77)

Court opera and music in the reign of Maria I (1777-92)

Commercial opera 1760-93

Chronology

Appendix: original texts of documents

Notes

Bibliography

Index

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