Art music from 1800 to 1860

Preston, Katherine K.; Nicholls, David

doi:10.1017/chol9780521454292.009

Cited by 45 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 65 publications

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“…These theatres now hosted on a regular basis increasing numbers of theatrical and musical 'stars', who utilised the ever-expanding steam-powered transportation system. 24 The stock companieswith or without the 'stars'performed repertory that continued to be heavily musical in nature. Added to the mix of visiting stars were specialised musicaltheatrical performers who likewise traversed the theatrical circuit in ever-increasing numbers: blackface minstrel troupes; English, Italian and French opera companies; acrobats, dancers and pantomimistseach of these will be discussed later.…”

Section: The Nineteenth Century: C 1840-1865mentioning

confidence: 99%

Preface to the Third Edition

The Cambridge Companion to the Musical

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Most histories of American musical theatre give short shriftat bestto the 'origin of the species', to use Edith Borroff's apt phrase. Despite lofty ambitions (titles that claim coverage 'from the beginning to the present'), most authors are content to offer a brief essay about the antecedents of musical comedy, usually including definitive identification of 'the first American musical' (The Black Crook, Little Johnny Jones, Evangeline, Show Boat, The Beggar's Opera, The Wizard of the Nile or any number of other works), before turning, with an almost discernible sigh of relief, to musical theatre of the twentieth century. The reasons for the brevity and for the disagreement on the 'first' musical become readily apparent as soon as one attempts to sort out the myriad different types of musical theatrical forms that materialised, metamorphosed, became popular, disappeared, re-emerged and cross-fertilised prior to the twentieth century. To put it simply, for the scholar in search of a clear lineage to the forms of the twentieth century, musical theatre in the eighteenthand even more so in the nineteenthcentury was a tangled, chaotic mess. This was not the impression at the time, of course. To the contrary, a nineteenth-century American, especially the resident of a large city like New York, found musical theatrical life during the time to be gloriously rich, varied and ever-changing; it was a world that was entertaining, interesting, exciting and innovative to an extent that should elicit a twinge of envy from the modern reader. But the job of the historian is to clarify and attempt to put into some kind of order the messiness of a bygone era. And the richness of that period makes the job both difficult and important. What follows, then, is a carefully guided and succinct tour of the American musical-theatrical world of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. To some readersespecially those anxious to reach the more familiar terrain of the twentieth centurythe description of musical life of the earlier eras will be a little puzzling, primarily because this essay will describe genres that have since been removed from the general category of 'musical theatre'. But the varied musical forms that Americans enjoyed in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries (including opera,

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Section: The Nineteenth Century: C 1840-1865mentioning

confidence: 99%

Preface to the Third Edition

The Cambridge Companion to the Musical

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The Cambridge Companion to the Musical

2017

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The expanded and updated third edition of this acclaimed Companion provides an accessible, broadly based survey of one of the liveliest and most popular forms of musical performance. It ranges from the American musical of the nineteenth century to the most recent productions on Broadway, in London's West End, and many other venues, and includes key information on singers, audiences, critical reception, and traditions. Contributors approach the subject from a wide variety of perspectives, including historical concerns, artistic aspects, important trends, attention to various genres, the importance of stars, the influence of race, the various disciplines of theatrical production, the musical in varied media, and changes in technology. Chapters related to the contemporary musical have been updated, and two new chapters cover the television musical and the British musical since 1970. Carefully organised and highly readable, it will be welcomed by enthusiasts, students, and scholars alike.

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How to Create a Musical: The Case ofWicked

Laird¹

2017

The Cambridge Companion to the Musical

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Art music from 1800 to 1860

Cited by 45 publications

References 65 publications

Preface to the Third Edition

Preface to the Third Edition

The Cambridge Companion to the Musical

How to Create a Musical: The Case ofWicked

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