Opera buffs as a European Phenomenon. Migration, Mapping and Transformation of a New Genre

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Kordula Knaus
• Subject Area: Musicology
• Term: from 2017 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 362114878

This project will systematically explore the dissemination of opera buffa in Europe from 1745 to 1765 in order to find out how and under which circumstances opera buffa became a European phenomenon during this time period. The establishment and dissemination of the new genre opera buffa characterizes eighteenth-century operatic landscape. Several scholars have already studied the formation of the three-act comic opera in Naples in the first half of the eighteenth century and its adaptation in North Italy (particularly Venice) in the 1740s. Thus, the early history of opera buffa on the geographical axis Naples, Rome, and Venice has been substantially explored. However, the questions why and how opera buffa was performed in St. Petersburg, Vienna, Copenhagen, London, Barcelona and many other European cities in the following decades remain largely unanswered. The terms "migration," "mapping," and "transformation" in the project's title designate particular conceptual approaches to central research questions that will be answered over the course of the project. The foundation for these analytical approaches is a database of opera buffa performances that the project group will generate. Additionally, the use of digital visualization tools allows for the depiction of migration movements and cultural spaces. The project part "migration" will generate knowledge about the dissemination mechanisms and migration processes of people (e.g. composers, impresari, singers, musicians, dancers, etc.) and objects (e.g. scores, libretti, costumes, stage designs, etc.) that were involved in the production and performance of opera buffa in Europe. A particular focus lies on travelling troupes. The project part "mapping" will generate a map of opera buffa performances and the corresponding migration processes in Europe. In this context, the terms "mapping" and "space" should also be understood as concepts for a broader cultural analysis. The project group will identify the cultural spaces in which opera buffa was established in Europe and examine them with regard to their particular preconditions for the import of this genre as a means of aristocratic entertainment. The project part "transformation" will identify the transformation processes of both musical works and the genre of opera buffa as a whole when moving from one place to another in Europe. The applicant and her team will explore early opera buffa reception on institutional and social levels. Additionally, aspects of repertoire, taste, audience, and function of opera buffa are examined with regard to transformation processes. As this general outline implies, the project will not only contribute to a better understanding of eighteenth-century opera and court culture, but will also provide new insights into the changing aesthetic values during the Enlightenment.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants