El tema de las vestales en los libretos de ópera

Résumé

The thesis aims to show a significant example of the survival of the classical world in Western culture. It is about seeing how the theme of an institution of Roman women, dedicated to worship the goddess Vesta, survives in operatic literature and who were to remain virgins for thirty years; and that; if they broke the vow of chastity, they were buried alive; some were falsely accused, although at times they used to be saved by gods. Undoubtedly, the opera 'La Vestale", to which music by Spontini was used, is the best opera on the matter and the one that was a "revolution" in the history of operatic music, and told the story of an unfaithful vestal. To understand the survival of the classic theme, we decided to edit, translate and comment on the original French text of E. de Jouy, which had been replaced by the Italian translation of G. Schmidt. We went to the classic texts and searched and studied the librettos that preceded it, those of Metastasio-Durazo de L'innocenza giustificata by Gluck, 1755 (also the revised "version", La Vestale. Festa teatrale per musica, 1768); Badini de La Vestale, with music by Vento, La Vestale de Giordani, from 1785, and La vergine vestale de Prunetti, with music by Albertini, from 1803. In addition to these classic texts, we tried to know all the written works on the matter and that they belonged to different literary genres. We consider it likely that the librettos had some sort of relation to them. They are Cornelie.La vestal, by Henault and Fuzelier, tragedy (1713), Tucia Vestale, by Ch. De Clapiers, historical novel (1722); La vestale Clodia a Titus, from Lesuire, Heroidas (1767); Ericie ou la Vestale de Fontanelle, tragedy (1768); Julia ou la Vestale, pantomime, de Parissau, (1786); Augusta, from D'Églantine, tragedy (1787), Gianni's Il Supplicio di Emiglia, Idyll (1788), La Vestale, o sia Elvia e Morelli's Sempronio, novel (1796); La Vestale et l'Amour, anacreontic vaudeville by Henrion (1804). The research of these works has been carried out with the required methodology, consisting of the in-depth reading of the texts and the critical consultation of the specialized literature, starting with the classic texts. The obtained results are to have been edited, translated and even a musical and literary study has been carried out of La Vestale by E. de Jouy, having an effect on its classic and contemporary sources, and at present. The finding of the obvious relations and debts between librettos and other kinds of works. Cornelie is, for example, at the base of Badini and this one from De Jouy, although there are more influences. Checking that the 18th century is the "vestal" century. The themes responds to the spirit of the time. The authors are highly educated and strongly ideological. Voltaire is the benchmark. We detect the current classical world. The old vestal speaks of themes that remain in the present; she defends freedom and opposes the religious laws that are against Nature; defends love against celibacy; she is a worthy woman, and criticises the religious and civil power; and parents who force their daughters to be vestal, as they are forced to become nuns. To show that, in addition to their great literary values, these works are fundamental material for the study of society and feminism of the eighteenth century. All this has led us to show that, in addition to their great literary values, these works are fundamental material for the study of society and feminism of the XVIII century. Thesaurus terms: Literary analysis Unesco code: 620202 Música 620306 Keywords: Vestals, Classic tradition, librettos, Opera