Claudio Monteverdi: Orfeo

A detailed study of the earliest opera in the modern repertoire.

John Whenham (Author)

9780521284776, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 27 February 1986

232 pages
21.6 x 14.1 x 2.4 cm, 0.335 kg

A detailed study of the earliest opera to have gained a foothold in the modern repertoire, the book begins with a historical section in which all the known evidence about the creation and early performances of Orfeo is drawn together and evaluated. The second section of the book includes a detailed history of the rediscovery of the opera; an influential essay by Joseph Kerman is reprinted here, together with a review by Romain Rolland of the first modern performance of Orfeo. The final section includes essays by a conductor and a producer who have staged notable performances of the opera in recent years. They explain their approaches to the work, and offer solutions to some of the problems it poses in performance.

Part I. Text and Context: 1. The Mantuan Orfeo Iain Fenlon
2. The Orpheus myth and the libretto of Orfeo F. W. Sternfeld
3. Orfeo, Act V: Alessandro Striggios's original ending John Whenham
4. Five acts: one action John Whenham
Part II. The Rediscovery of Orfeo: 5. The rediscovery of Orfeo Nigel Fortune
6. A review of vincent d'Indy's performance (Paris 1904) Romain Rolland
7. Orpheus: the neoclassic vision Joseph Kerman
Part III. Re-creating Orfeo for the Modern Stage: 8. Solving the musical problems Jane Glover
9. Telling the story David Freeman
Appendices.

Subject Areas: Opera [AVGC9]