Opera Paradox-2. Transformations of Cultural Forms: Historical Development of Opera

Abstract. The authors trace the history of opera as a cultural form, focusing on its contextual transformations, changing of ratio between musical, verbal and visual elements depending on cultural dominant ideas of a certain epoch.  A special attention is given to the peculiarities of this genre in the Renaissance era, as well as to Wagner’s “revolution” and the destruction of artistic traditions in modern art, including musical theatre. The article also discusses a question of preserving cultural form amid full destruction of its traditional characteristics and shifting accents to stage’s visual elements.

Key words. Cultural form, opera, genre, art, history, creativity, Romanticism, context, transformation

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