Opera in Portugal in the Eighteenth Century

A history of opera in Portugal from the beginning of the eighteenth century to the inauguration of the Teatro de S. Carlos in 1793.

Manuel Carlos de Brito (Author)

9780521353120, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 April 1989

272 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.9 cm, 0.57 kg

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.

List of illustrations
Preface
Abbreviations
Note on currency
1. Opera during the reign of Joáo V (1708–50)
2. Court opera during the reign of José I (1750–77)
3. Court opera and music in the reign of Maria I (1777–92)
4. Commercial opera 1760–93
Chronology
Appendix: original texts of documents
Notes
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Opera [AVGC9]