Inventing the Business of Opera: The Impresario and His World in Seventeenth-Century Venice (AMS Studies in Music) Book

In mid seventeenth-century Venice, opera first emerged from courts and private drawing rooms to become a form of public entertainment. These early commercial operas were elaborate spectacles, featuring fancy costumes and set design along with dancing and music. These ambitious works of theater required not only significant financial backing, but also strong managers to oversee the production over several months of rehearsals and performances. These opera manager-entrepreneurs were called impresarios, and were responsible for every facet of production from contracting the cast to balancing the books at season's end. This study focuses on Marco Faustini, a Venetian lawyer who was among the most active and successful impresarios of the seventeenth century. Through close examination of Faustini's extraordinary cache of documents--including personal papers, account books, and correspondence with dukes and ambassadors--Beth and Jonathan Glixon provide a comprehensive view of opera production in mid-seventeenth century Venice. For the first time, 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.Read More