Opera in Portugal in the Eighteenth Century

by Manuel Carlos de Brito

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. This 1989 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.

272 pages, Hardcover

First published April 13, 1989

About the author

MANUEL CARLOS DE BRITO desempenha a função de Professor Associado e Coordenador do Departamento de Ciências Musicais da Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas da Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Anteriormente, foi responsável pelo Centro de Estudos Musicológicos da Biblioteca Nacional de Lisboa e Director da Revista Portuguesa de Musicologia. Tem-se dedicado ao estudo da História da Música Portuguesa, particularmente dos séculos XVII a XIX, e em especial da História da Ópera no século XVIII. Destacam-se, entre outras publicações: "Vilancicos do Século XVII do Mosteiro de Santa Cruz de Coimbra", Lisboa, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 1983; "Opera in Portugal in the Eighteenth Century", Cambridge University Press, 1989; "Estudos de História da Música em Portugal", Lisboa, Editorial Estampa, 1989; "Crónicas da Vida Musical Portuguesa na Primeira Metade do Século XIX", com David Cranmer, Lisboa, Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda, 1990; "História da Música Portuguesa", com Luísa Cymbron, Lisboa, Universidade Aberta, 1992.

Reviews

[Willy Schuyesmans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessante geschiedenis over opera in Portugal in de 18e eeuw. De vraag is alleen wie daarop zit te wachten? Ik dus, want ik heb het zeer goed kunnen gebruiken als research voor mijn historische roman Hoerenjong over de Verlichting in Europa en hoe die een duwtje in de rug heeft gekregen na de grote aardbeving die Lissabon trof op 1 november 1755. De splinternieuwe opera van Lissabon ging na amper 7 maanden dienst ten onder in die aardbeving, annex tsunami, annex brand.