The Influence of Orientalism in the 18th and 19th Century Opera Librettos

İlhan Uğur Yazar

doi:10.14687/jhs.v19i2.6283

Authors

İlhan Uğur Yazar https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5293-8840

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14687/jhs.v19i2.6283

Keywords:

Opera, Libretto, Aida, Seraglio, Tamerlano

Abstract

This study aims to trace the change and transformation of meaning and influence of orientalism and in the West from the 18^th century through the 19^th century in the operas where both content and visual codes were penetrated in the subtlest way, which first evolved geographically and politically, then diplomatically and culturally, and finally the purpose of domination by the West. While opera librettos embodied orientalism visually, the evolving content of orientalism shaped the operas. From this viewpoint, this study discusses the interaction between the East and the West in the 18^th century, and the reflection of the historical memory in the performing arts in the 19^th century, in which the attempts for domination emerged. In this context, ‘Tamerlano’ Opera by George Frederick Händel and the ‘Abduction from the Seraglio’ Opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the 18^th century are looked through, and ‘Aida’ Opera by Giuseppe Verdi in the 19^th century is construed subsequently.

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Author Biography

İlhan Uğur Yazar

Doctor of Arts Candidate, İstanbul University, Institute of Social Sciences

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