Modernism and Opera

When one thinks of Modernism, one does not generally think of opera. Instead one thinks of painters and other artists. In this collection of essays, the authors make the case that Modernism and opera should be considered together and that it fits. While some people might disagree and consider opera a very conservative discipline, I believe the authors make a good case and offer a chance for others to explore this further. Each author tackles a modern opera, starting with Richard Wagner’s final opera all the way to ones written more recently like L’Amour de Lion. Each chapter examines the composer and the work in terms of their influences, both artistic and political, and groups them together into larger contexts; for example operas written between World War I and II. While these might not be as well known, they are being performed more and more. Like any collection of essays, the quality is variable from essay to essay, and this book is no exception. But the authors are trying to do something that most people would not think about by bringing this most conservative art form into a realm where it used to belong: at the forefront of modern thinking and radicalism.