Opera, Theatrical Culture and Society in Late Eighteenth-Century Naples

Rezensionen / Stimmen

'All lovers of music theatre will welcome this book dealing with the development of opera and ballet in late eighteenth-century Naples, then one of the leading music centres in the Western world. Naples' contribution to opera is well known, but its place in the development of ballet is less well documented. It is to DelDonna's great credit that he gives ballet its rightful place in the history of theatre in the city. Concentrating on a few carefully selected operas and ballets, DelDonna highlights the theatrical politics of the time, the aims of the various dramatists, choreographers and musicians working in Naples, and the significance of the results they obtained.' Michael Robinson, Cardiff University, UK 'Focusing on relevant episodes of the late eighteenth century, DelDonna provides insight into the most delicate phase of the golden age of Neapolitan theatre. The southern capital's reputation as a major centre for musical and theatrical activities was firmly acknowledged and destined to last over the centuries; but Naples was also a centre for innovation, discussion of formulas, and promotion of new genres, which demonstrated a fascinating experimental attitude. DelDonna's book reconstructs the vitality and prestige, which contributed to the rise and establishment of the Neapolitan myth.' Francesco Cotticelli, Seconda UniversitA degli Studi di Napoli, Italy '... in conclusione, il vero pregio di questo volume, che risiede nella capacitA di offrire solide sintesi di interi decenni di vita culturale napoletana e di incentivare il distanziamento da quell'autoreferenzialitA disciplinare che spesso impedisce di connettere in rapporto dialettico vita sociale e melodrammaturgia, musica e storia, arte e politica.' [... in conclusion, the value of this volume resides in its capacity to offer robust syntheses of entire decades of Neapolitan cultural life while also encouraging a turning away from the disciplinary auto-referentiality that often i