A dramma per musica (Italian, literally: drama for music, plural: drammi per musica) is a libretto. The term was used by dramatists in Italy and elsewhere between the mid-17th and mid-19th centuries. In modern times the same meaning of drama for music was conveyed through the Italian Greek-rooted word melodramma (from μέλος = song or music + δρᾶμα = scenic action). Dramma per musica never meant "drama through music", let alone music drama.[1]
A dramma per musica was thus originally (in Italy in the 17th century) a verse drama specifically written for the purpose of being set to music, in other words a libretto for an opera, usually a serious opera (a libretto meant for opera buffa, i.e. comic opera, would have been called a dramma giocoso). By extension, the term came to be used also for the opera or operas which were composed to the libretto, and a variation, dramma in musica, which emphasised the musical element, was sometimes preferred by composers.[2]
In the 18th century, these terms, along with dramma musicale, came to be the most commonly used descriptions for serious Italian operas. Today, these are known as opera seria, a term that was little-used when they were created.
The terms continued to be used in the early 19th century after Gluck's reforms had effectively ended the dominance of opera seria: for example, some of Rossini's later serious operas were designated "dramma in musica".
^Warrack, John, and Ewan West (1992). The Oxford Dictionary of Opera. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-869164-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
October 20, 2023
dramma, musica, dramma, musica, italian, literally, drama, music, plural, drammi, musica, libretto, term, used, dramatists, italy, elsewhere, between, 17th, 19th, centuries, modern, times, same, meaning, drama, music, conveyed, through, italian, greek, rooted,. A dramma per musica Italian literally drama for music plural drammi per musica is a libretto The term was used by dramatists in Italy and elsewhere between the mid 17th and mid 19th centuries In modern times the same meaning of drama for music was conveyed through the Italian Greek rooted word melodramma from melos song or music drᾶma scenic action Dramma per musica never meant drama through music let alone music drama 1 A dramma per musica was thus originally in Italy in the 17th century a verse drama specifically written for the purpose of being set to music in other words a libretto for an opera usually a serious opera a libretto meant for opera buffa i e comic opera would have been called a dramma giocoso By extension the term came to be used also for the opera or operas which were composed to the libretto and a variation dramma in musica which emphasised the musical element was sometimes preferred by composers 2 In the 18th century these terms along with dramma musicale came to be the most commonly used descriptions for serious Italian operas Today these are known as opera seria a term that was little used when they were created The terms continued to be used in the early 19th century after Gluck s reforms had effectively ended the dominance of opera seria for example some of Rossini s later serious operas were designated dramma in musica Examples of drammi per musica are Cavalli s Xerse 1654 Erismena 1655 Vivaldi s Tito Manlio 1719 Myslivecek s Il Bellerofonte 1767 Gluck s Paride ed Elena 1770 Salieri s Armida 1779 Mozart s Idomeneo 1781 and Rossini s Otello 1816 as well as numerous libretti written by Pietro Metastasio References Edit Sadie Stanley ed 1992 The New Grove Dictionary of Opera Vol 1 Oxford Oxford University Press p 1242 ISBN 978 0 19 522186 2 Warrack John and Ewan West 1992 The Oxford Dictionary of Opera Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 869164 5 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dramma per musica amp oldid 1171263687, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
