A DOCUMENTARY STUDY OF GIUDITTA PASTA ON THE OPERA STAGE (ITALY).
Item
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Title
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A DOCUMENTARY STUDY OF GIUDITTA PASTA ON THE OPERA STAGE (ITALY).
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Identifier
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AAI8319804
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identifier
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8319804
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Creator
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STERN, KENNETH A.
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Contributor
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Edward O. D. Downes
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Date
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1983
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Theater
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Abstract
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Giuditta Pasta (1797-1865) was one of the most influential and important singers of the first half of the nineteenth century. She was one of the few performers whose acting ability was judged to be on a par with her vocal talents. In an age where opera performances were little more than concerts in costume, Pasta managed to approach the ideal of opera; her unification of vocal, and mimic arts created believable characters on stage. Pasta's histrionic ability was a revelation to her contemporaries. Her simple, relevent attitudes and effective stage deportment appeared stunningly real. The mechanical and often inappropriate gesticulation that frequently disfigures opera on the stage was noticeably absent from Pasta's performances. Though it was not a perfect instrument, Pasta's voice had an encyclopedic range of colors and shades; even with only a few notes she could make a profound impression upon her listeners. It is, of course, impossible to re-create the actual sound of Pasta's voice, but the effect of her art is certainly suggested in the great operas written especially for her: Donizetti's Anna Bolena, and Bellini's La Sonnambula and Norma.;This dissertation is a chronology of Pasta on the opera stage which charts her growth as an artist. There are brief summaries of the roles she sang and, in order to create a meaningful document of Pasta's life and art, utmost care has been taken to transcribe accurately letters written either by or to Pasta. These letters are in the original languages. To preserve their historical value, spelling and grammar of the authors have not been corrected. Often their form is as important as the content. Contemporary newspaper reviews, which are often quoted at length, have also been left in their original languages.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Theatre
