Probably because of Baroque opera's heavy reliance on classical mythology there are several examples of allegorical characters personifying ideas -- from the muses to emotions (like love, discord, folly, etc.). Here, though, I'm looking for people who symbolize cities, countries, regions, continents, etc.
Hello,
I'm not sure if this is what you are interested in, but I've just written an article in which I discuss patriotism in Bolognese oratorios and sacred cantatas, which includes instances of the character 'Felsina', which stands as short-hand for Bologna.
Carrie
Ah, very interesting, Carrie. What time period would this be? Does Felsina turn up in other works or areas of the culture, or is she unique to one work? Very interesting!
Thanks! Now that I think of it, I have worked with La púrpura in its later Peruvian version (presented just at the Bourbon shift in Spain). Besides the French connection, theorists have looked at the use of gods and humans, and high and low musical components as representations of Europe and the Americas. I had forgotten this!
I don´t know if this can help, but between 1580 and 1587, Miguel de Cervantes, author of "Don Quixote, " wrote an early tragedy titled "Cerco de Numancia" (The Siege of Numantia), in which allegorical figures personified Spain, the River Duero, and three rivulets.
There's a colonial 'Opéra Serenade' titled “Venid, Venid, Deydades” composed by Fray Esteban Ponce de León, who was born in America (it's thought to be the second opera made in the new world). It was made for the ascension of the new bishop in Paraguay, and the two main characters are the cities of Cuzco and Arequipa. The whole piece is about a dispute between these two places.
There is, of course, the symbolism of the characters in Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas." We see this in Act I, scene I, where Dido represents both England as a whole, as well as Queen Anne in particular. Aeneas, as the legendary founder of Rome, also represents England as the heir of empire, as well as in part representing William III of Orange. As Belinda councils Dido:
The greatest blessing Fate can give,
Our Carthage to secure, and Troy revive.
And the chorus echos: When monarchs unite, how happy their state;
They triumph at once o'er their foes and their fate.
You'll find several examples in late seventeenth-century London: Ariane, ou le mariage de Bachus, performed at the King's Theatre Drury Lane in 1674 by a French troupe, featured three nymphs, Thames, Tiber and Seine. They float on the waves in a great shell.
In Calisto, performed at court in 1675, the part of the river Thames was sung by the actress Moll Davies (in the prologue).
In Albion & Albanius, performed in 1685 at the Dorset Garden Theatre, we find Thamesis and Augusta (London) lying on couches, attended by rivers and cities (Act I).
In Brutus of Alba, 1696, also in the Dorset Garden Theatre, we'll find the same groups again. Recycling was normal practice in order to survive financially.
In the finale of the Purcell-Dryden semi-opera King Arthur (1691, Dorset Garden) Britain is symbolized by the figure of Britannia, rising from the sea on an island.
As to Dido: it is most likely that the only documented performance in Chelsea in 1689, was not the first one, and that it was produced at court at an earlier time during the 1680's. William III was not yet in the picture, let alone Queen Anne.
An example from France is Ercole Amante (1662) at the Salle des machines in Paris: Fourteen rivers lying around on the rocks, during the prologue. Their costumes may have given the audience a clue as to which rivers they represented.
I hope this helps, even though it is late. However, it is my first day on Researchgate.
Hello Peggy,
I came across a reference to a work I don't know, La Flora, from 1628, with music by Marco Galliano. The finale is described as: "a celebration of Florence, in which,' Clori, having changed her name to Flora, augurs the future greatness of Florence'."
Hope that's useful!
Michael Hutcheon