Still more apprehensive of the disagreeable impression which might be gleaned from the libretto, Signora B***, in Venice, used to refuse to allow anybody at all to bring it into her box, even at the première. She used to get someone to prepare her a summary of the plot, some forty lines in all; and then, during the performance, she would be informed, in four or five words, of the theme of each aria, duet or ensemble, which had previously been numbered 1, 2, 3, 4… etc., as each item was introduced in the performance; for instance, simply: Taddeo is jealous; Lindoro is passionately in love; Isabella is flirting with the Bey, etc. – this condensed summary being followed by the first line of the aria or duet which happened to be in question. I observed that everyone approved of this procedure, and thought it most suitable. In such a fashion should libretti be printed for the amateurs. Such were the observations and proposals put forth by Stendhal in the chapter on L'italiana in Algeri in h...
Librettos and librettists
FABBRI, Paolo
2004
Abstract
Still more apprehensive of the disagreeable impression which might be gleaned from the libretto, Signora B***, in Venice, used to refuse to allow anybody at all to bring it into her box, even at the première. She used to get someone to prepare her a summary of the plot, some forty lines in all; and then, during the performance, she would be informed, in four or five words, of the theme of each aria, duet or ensemble, which had previously been numbered 1, 2, 3, 4… etc., as each item was introduced in the performance; for instance, simply: Taddeo is jealous; Lindoro is passionately in love; Isabella is flirting with the Bey, etc. – this condensed summary being followed by the first line of the aria or duet which happened to be in question. I observed that everyone approved of this procedure, and thought it most suitable. In such a fashion should libretti be printed for the amateurs. Such were the observations and proposals put forth by Stendhal in the chapter on L'italiana in Algeri in h...I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
