The Peculiarities of the Formation of Russian Serious Opera

Abstract

Serious opera in Russia began its formation long before the works of M. I. Glinka, and although it is represented by few samples, it reveals rather specifi c features in its genre and expressive means. The ideas that fed it in the 18th century were widely discussed in the literary and musical sphere, and they were also largely shared by Empress Catherine II, who was one of the authors of musical and theatrical projects at the end of the century. From the works of Italian composers, who largely focused on the genre of the Italian opera seria, but created music based on the Russian text, serious opera moved on to melodrama with choruses, focused on the example of ancient Greek tragedy. This made the line of succession of Russian and Greek culture especially clear, which was important both in the light of classicist aesthetics and in the context of Catherine II’s “Greek project”.