MUS 15 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Papal Household, Alessandro Moreschi, Status Symbol
Document Summary
Lecture 9 unit 5 public and public: g. f. handel and john. Setting the stage: london, 1720s, a brief introduction to italian opera, opera: drama in music. Selling tickets: guaranteed by nobility (i. e. , loans, economy of boxes, box seats -- be noticed, had to cater to its audience, visually and aurally striking, castrato. Spectacle: castrati: castrated male singers, common in 17th and 18th centuries, lots of physical effects, highly prized as singers. London in the 18th century: 18th century london is thriving, popularity of italian opera, the royal academy of music. Founded as joint-stock company in 1719: handel was music director. Why: public entertainment (visual / aural spectacle) -- opera, but still an icon of aristocracy. Italian opera in london = pubic entertainment: but directed to a specific type of public (wealthy / nobility, opera composers (like handel) were concerned with pleasing that public.
