Biblical and religious symbols in Italian romantic opera. Perspectives of musical hermeneutics

Edith Georgiana Adetu

doi:10.31926/but.pa.2020.13.62.2.1

Abstract

The 19th century brings in opera music new ways of thematic and stylistic approach. The escalation of revolutionary and political events influences the artistic life of the Italian nation, awakening in composers such as Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi another kind of spirituality. During this period, the Italian lyrical theater is moving towards new ways of expression, emphasizing the relationship between man and divinity. In these conditions, we can observe a stylistic evolution of the musical discourse, dominated by the influence of the biblical themes that the opera composers develop through dramaturgy. Numerous scenes taken from the Old Testament are found in the music of Italian operas from this period, marking an initiatory path of Italian spirituality and ethos of the nineteenth century. In this research we will present relevant musical examples from works such as Mose in Egitto - Rossini, Il diluvio universale - Donizetti, Nabucco - Verdi, Jerusalem – Verdi, highlighting the symbolic elements taken from the biblical text, rendered through music and stage action.

Highlights

Jerusalem: religious symbol in Giuseppe Verdi’s operaThe Old Testament and Jerusalem have been written countless times. the recent literature offers us two interesting readings
The 19th century brings in opera music new ways of thematic and stylistic approach
We can observe a stylistic evolution of the musical discourse, dominated by the influence of the biblical themes that the opera composers develop through dramaturgy

Summary

Jerusalem: religious symbol in Giuseppe Verdi’s opera

The Old Testament and Jerusalem have been written countless times. the recent literature offers us two interesting readings. Referring to the symbol "Jerusalem", Verdi offers an example of innovative lyrical theater among Italian music, following the example of Rossini in mastering the requirements of the grand opera style. The group of Italian composers whose works were performed in the lyrical theaters of Italy at that time consisted of names such as Gioachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti, Nicola Zingarelli, Federico Ricci, Nicola Vaccai, Giovanni Pacini Some of their works have enjoyed an ephemeral success, which draws the attention of critics and writers of the time on the need to adapt the genre of opera to the current artistic requirements of the nineteenth century. In the context of our research, the elements that are the subject of our hermeneutic analysis are centered around the aquatic symbol Moses parting the waters of the Red Sea - realistically rendered through music and dramatic action. We notice that both the role of Moses and that of Noah are distributed to the bass voice, a custom not very common among opera composers of that time, which reveals the solemn character of the music

Nabucco: biblical and revolutionary drama

Conclusions