Naslov
Pastoral disguise and identity conflict in Handel’s opera Atalanta

Autori
Ćurković, Ivan

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Zwischen Alcina und Theodora: Frauengestalten in den Werken Händels und seiner Zeitgenossen. Between Alcina and Theodora: Female Figures in the Works of Handel and His Contemporaries / - Halle, 2019, 21-21

Skup
Between Alcina and Theodora. Female figures in the works of Handel and his contemporaries (2019)

Mjesto i datum
Halle (Saale), Njemačka, 01.06.2019. - 05.06.2019

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Nije recenziran

Ključne riječi
nisu navedene
(not listed)

Sažetak
The pastoral – whether as a genre, a topos or a set of musical conventions – is omnipresent in the vocal works of G. F. Handel, but except for the Italian cantata, it does not occupy pride of place in the pantheon of operatic and oratorio masterpieces. Although one can identify pastoral elements in the majority of Handel’s 41 Italian operas, only a few are set in an entirely pastoral milieu. To this group belongs the small-scale work Atalanta (1736), written at a time of gradual decline in the popularity of the genre. It is also one of the composer’s two operas written to celebrate a specific occasion, the marriage of Frederick Prince of Wales to Princess Augusta of Saxe- Coburg. Whereas in other operas such as Admeto and Tolomeo characters disguise themselves as shepherdesses and shepherds only to conceal their true identity, in Atalanta this plot device is rendered essential to the dramaturgy as a whole. This paper will focus on Atalanta, drawing parallels to the depiction of this mythological heroine in other operatic and literary contexts as well as in the visual arts in order to understand the conflict between her royal and pastoral identity in Handel’s opera. Associated with the cult of Artemis, she seems an ideal counterpart to other strong female characters in Handel’s works who defy traditional gender identities as powerful rulers, warriors or sorceresses or simply by being disguised as men. Along with the mentioned, comparisons with other prominently pastoral operas such as Il pastor fido will attempt to show whether Handel employed any specific musical techniques to highlight a conflict of identity that prevents Atalanta to recognise her former princely suitor Meleagro under the disguise of the shepherd Tirsi.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Znanost o umjetnosti

POVEZANOST RADA