Abstract
This essay traces the diverse sources and fates of the pursuit of laughter in Sergei Prokofʼevʼs first full-length opera The Love for Three Oranges (1921) – arguably the composerʼs only pronounced take on modernism. Conceived and composed during the turbulent times of war and exile, the opera at once harked back to the pre-revolutionary Petersburg theater suffused with historical homage, and leaped forward to the amnesiac ebullience of the interwar modernist stage. In a series of examples, I demonstrate Prokofʼevʼs distinctive ways of generating comedy, the multi-media techniques that allowed, even if for a brief while, for a happy marriage between modernism and the up-and-coming Soviet “culture industry”.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.