Travelling opera troupes in the United States, 1825-1860. (Volumes I and II).
Item
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Title
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Travelling opera troupes in the United States, 1825-1860. (Volumes I and II).
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Identifier
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AAI9000724
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identifier
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9000724
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Creator
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Preston, Katherine K.
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Contributor
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Adviser: H. Wiley Hitchcock
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Date
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1989
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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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Music | History, United States | Theater
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Abstract
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The story of opera performance in North America during the colonial and revolutionary periods has been well documented. The history of opera in the United States during the nineteenth century, however, has been limited almost entirely to events that occurred during the final twenty-five years; the other seventy-five years of the century have been for the most part neglected. The lack of in-depth scholarship on this subject has led some historians to believe that opera was an unimportant and inconsequential part of American musical culture--especially during the antebellum period. The purpose of this study is to dispel that belief, and to demonstrate the importance of the genre as a form of entertainment that appealed to Americans of all social classes.;This dissertation is straightforward in organization. A Prologue provides background information on American and British theatre practices in the early nineteenth century. Chapters 1, 3, and 5 are survey chapters about specific types of troupes: vocal-star, Italian, and English opera companies, respectively. No individual troupes are examined in copious detail in these chapters; the point is to demonstrate the ubiquity and pervasiveness of itinerant opera performers in the United States during the period and to provide the context for the other three chapters. Chapters 2, 4, and 6, in turn, are detailed examinations of particular seasons by specific companies chosen as prototypes of the three kinds of troupes active at different times. All of the chapters have as focal points the successes and failures of the various troupes; their personnel, itineraries, modes of travel, repertories, and performance practices; and the makeup of the audiences in attendence at their performance. A short Epilogue serves as a conclusion.;Our knowledge of the history of music in America of this period is still too incomplete for anyone to write the definitive history of any one genre. This study fills a large gap in our understanding of musical culture in the United States during the period 1825-1860. It also makes available to scholars of American music, history, and culture a large body of information that can be expanded and built upon.
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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.
