Operatic Pasticcios in Eighteenth-Century Europe: Contexts, Materials, and Aesthetics - Paperback

by Berthold Over (Editor), Gesa Zur Nieden (Editor)

In Early Modern times, techniques of assembling, compiling and arranging pre-existing material were part of the established working methods in many arts. In the world of 18th century opera, such practices ensured that operas could become a commercial success because the substitution or compilation of arias fitting the singer's abilities proved the best recipe for fulfilling the expectations of audiences. Known as pasticcios since the 18th century, these operas have long been considered inferior patchwork. The volume collects essays that reconsider the pasticcio, contextualize it, define its preconditions, look at its material aspects and uncover its aesthetical principles.

Author Biography

Berthold Over (PhD), born in 1964, is a researcher in the project »PASTICCIO. Ways of Arranging Attractive Operas« at Greifswald University. He previously worked and taught at Mainz University where he was member of projects on musical mobility and migration as well as on Roman cantatas in Händel's times. His research focuses mainly on 17th and 18th century music as evident from numerous publications.

Gesa zur Nieden (Prof. Dr.), born 1978, teaches musicology at the University of Greifswald. Her research and publications focus on the early modern musicians mobility, on spaces and buildings for music, on intermedial dimensions of music and on the reception of Wagner after 1945.