Monstrous opera
Subtitle: Rameau and the tragic tradition
By: Charles Dill.
Series: Princeton studies in opera
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Princeton, N.J
Language: eng
Number of pages: 197
Subjects: Rameau, Jean Philippe, 1683-1764; Opera -- France -- 18th century; Tragedy in music
Description: One of the foremost composers of the French Baroque operatic tradition, Rameau is often cited for his struggle to steer lyric tragedy away from its strict Lullian form, inspired by spoken tragedy, and toward a more expressive musical style. In this fresh exploration of Rameau's compositional aesthetic, Charles Dill depicts a much more complicated figure: one obsessed with tradition, music theory, his own creative instincts, and the public's expectations of his music.

Dill examines the ways Rameau mediated among these often competing values and how he interacted with his critics and with the public. The result is a sophisticated rethinking of Rameau as a musical innovator.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [183]-193) and index.