Opera and the Politics of Tragedy: A Mozartean Museum

Opera and the Politics of Tragedy explores the Telemacomania scandal through key artifacts, including operas by Mozart and Cigna-Santi and Idomeneo, revealing the creative potential of the ambiguous space between ancient and modern.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 14 March 2023
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

Opera and the Politics of Tragedy is a captivating exploration of a tumultuous period in European culture marked by the Telemacomania scandal. This scandal, a fervent cultural frenzy with dangerous political implications, left an indelible mark on a curated collection of Enlightenment operas, paintings, and literary works. Imaginatively structured as a guided tour, the book delves into the profound impact of the Telemacomania crisis through a diverse range of key artifacts, including literary pamphlets, spoken dramas, paintings, engravings, and opera librettos (drammi per musica).

Two operas, Mozart and Cigna-Santi's Mitridate (1770) and Mozart and Varesco's Idomeneo (1781), stand out as prominent examples of the aesthetic and political war that defined this era. By traversing the cultural spaces of the Enlightenment, including its new public museums, encyclopedias, and controversial operatic theater, Opera and the Politics of Tragedy showcases the disorderly historical revisionism of the period alongside its progressive politics.

Through its meticulous analysis, the book reveals the fertile creativity that emerged from the ambiguous space between what is ancient and what is modern. It sheds light on the ways in which Enlightenment thinkers challenged traditional narratives and embraced a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of history. By examining the intersection of art, politics, and culture during this period, Opera and the Politics of Tragedy offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of the Enlightenment and its enduring impact on the world.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781648250491