Inventing the Business of Opera : The Impresario and His World in Seventeenth Century Venice

In mid-seventeenth-century Venice, opera first emerged from courts and private drawing rooms to become a form of public entertainment. Early commercial operas were elaborate spectacles, featuring ornate costumes and set design along with dancing and music. As ambitious works of theater, these productions required not only significant financial backing, but also strong managers to oversee several months of rehearsals and performances. These impresarios were responsible for every facet of production from contracting the cast to balancing the books at season's end. The systems they created still survive, in part, today. Inventing the Business of Opera explores public opera in its infancy, from 1637 to 1677, when theater owners and impresarios established Venice as the operatic capital of Europe. Drawing on extensive new documentation, the book studies all of the components necessary to opera production, from the financial backing and the issue of patronage to the commissioning and creation of the libretto and the score; the recruitment and employment of singers, dancers, and instrumentalists; the production of the scenery and the costumes; and the nature of the audience. The authors examine the challenges faced by four separate Venetian theaters during the seventeenth century, and focus particularly on the progress of Marco Faustini, the impresario most well known today. Faustini made his way from one of Venice's smallest theaters to one of the largest, and his advancement provides a personal view of an impresario and his partners, who ranged from Venetian nobles to artisans. Throughout the book, Venice emerges as a city that prized novelty over economy, with new repertory, scenery, costumes, and expensive singers the rule rather than the exception. Through close examination of an extraordinary cache of documents--including personal papers, account books, and correspondence--Beth and Jonathan Glixon provide a comprehensive view of opera production in mid seventeenth- century Venice. For the first time in a study of Venetian opera, an emphasis is placed on the physical production-- the scenery, costumes, and stage machinery--that tied these opera productions to the social and economic life of the city. This original and meticulously researched study will be of strong interest to all students of opera and its history. In mid seventeenth-century Venice, opera first emerged from courts and private drawing rooms to become a form of public entertainment. Early commercial operas were elaborate spectacles, featuring ornate costumes and set design along with dancing and music. As ambitious works of theater, these productions required not only significant financial backing, but also strong managers to oversee several months of rehearsals and performances. These impresarios were responsible for every facet of production from contracting the cast to balancing the books at season's end. The systems they created still survive, in part, today. Inventing the Business of Opera explores public opera in its infancy, from 1637 to 1677, when theater owners and impresarios established Venice as the operatic capital of Europe. Drawing on extensive new documentation, the book studies all of the components necessary to opera production, from the financial backing of various populations of Venice, to the commissioning and creation of the libretto and the score; the recruitment and employment of singers, dancers, and instrumentalists; the production of the scenery and the costumes, and, the nature of the audience; and, finally, the issue of patronage. Throughout the book, the problems faced by impresarios come into new focus. The authors chronicle the progress of Marco Faustini, the impresario most well known today, who made his way from one of Venice's smallest theaters to one of the largest. His companies provide the most personal view of an impresario and his partners, who ranged from Venetian nobles to artisans. Throughout the book, Venice emerges as a city that prized novelty over economy, with new repertory, scenery, costumes, and expensive singers the rule rather than the exception. The authors examine the challenges faced by four separate Venetian theaters during the seventeenth century: San Cassiano, the first opera theater, the Novissimo, the small Sant'Aponal, and San Luca, established in 1660. Only two of them would survive past the 1650s. Through close examination of an extraordinary cache of documents--including personal papers, account books, and correspondence -- Beth and Jonathan Glixon provide a comprehensive view of opera production in mid-seventeenth century Venice. For the first time in a study of opera, an emphasis is placed on the physical production -- the scenery, costumes, and stage machinery -- that tied these opera productions to the social and economic life of the city. This original and meticulously researched study will be of strong interest to all students of opera and its history.

In mid-seventeenth-century Venice, opera first emerged from courts and private drawing rooms to become a form of public entertainment. Early commercial operas were elaborate spectacles, featuring ornate costumes and set design along with dancing and music. As ambitious works of theater, these productions required not only significant financial backing, but also strong managers to oversee several months of rehearsals and performances. These impresarios were responsible for every facet of production from contracting the cast to balancing the books at season's end. The systems they created still survive, in part, today.

Inventing the Business of Opera explores public opera in its infancy, from 1637 to 1677, when theater owners and impresarios established Venice as the operatic capital of Europe. Drawing on extensive new documentation, the book studies all of the components necessary to opera production, from the financial backing and the issue of patronage to the commissioning and creation of the libretto and the score; the recruitment and employment of singers, dancers, and instrumentalists; the production of the scenery and the costumes; and the nature of the audience. The authors examine the challenges faced by four separate Venetian theaters during the seventeenth century, and focus particularly on the progress of Marco Faustini, the impresario most well known today. Faustini made his way from one of Venice's smallest theaters to one of the largest, and his advancement provides a personal view of an impresario and his partners, who ranged from Venetian nobles to artisans. Throughout the book, Venice emerges as a city that prized novelty over economy, with new repertory, scenery, costumes, and expensive singers the rule rather than the exception.

Through close examination of an extraordinary cache of documents—including personal papers, account books, and correspondence—Beth and Jonathan Glixon provide a comprehensive view of opera production in mid seventeenth- century Venice. For the first time in a study of Venetian opera, an emphasis is placed on the physical production— the scenery, costumes, and stage machinery—that tied these opera productions to the social and economic life of the city. This original and meticulously researched study will be of strong interest to all students of opera and its history.

## Abstract This book explores public opera in its infancy, from 1637 to 1677, when theater owners and impresarios, drawing on the models of the already existent theaters for comedy, established Venice as the operatic capital of Europe. Based on new documentation, the book studies all of the components necessary for opera production, from the financial backing and the issue of patronage to the commissioning and creation of the libretto and score; the recruitment and employment of singers, dancers, and instrumentalists; the production of the scenery and the costumes; and the nature of the audience. The book examines the challenges faced by four separate Venetian theaters during the 17th century, focusing on the progress of Marco Faustini, the Venetian impresario most well known today. Faustini — a lawyer by profession — made his way from one of Venice's smallest theaters to one of the largest and most important, and his advancement provides a personal view of an impresario and his partners, who ranged from Venetian patricians to artisans. Throughout the book, Venice emerges as a city that prized novelty over economy, with new repertory, scenery, costumes, and expensive singers the rule rather than the exception. The business of opera. Introduction to the business of opera in seventeenth-century Venice : people and finances ; The boxes : a major source of income ; Marco Faustini and his companies ; Case studies : companies and opera production at four Venetian theaters The musical production. The libretto ; The composition and the production of the opera score ; Singers ; Dancers, extras, and the orchestra The physical production. Scenery and machines ; Costumes Consumers and patrons. The audience and the question of patronage. Marco Faustini was among the most successful professionals in seventeenth-century Venetian opera. Presenting an examination of Faustini's documents, this book provides a comprehensive view of opera production in mid-seventeenth century Venice. It places an emphasis on the "physical production," the scenery, costumes, and stage machinery. Marco Faustini was among the most active and successful professionals in 17th-century Venetian opera. Through examination of Marco Faustini's documents, Beth and Jonathan Glixon provide a comprehensive view of opera production in mid-17th century Venice The authors examine the challenges faced by four separate Venetian theaters during the seventeenth century, and focus particularly on the progress of Marco Faustini, the impresario most well known today."--Jacket