Opera parody

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In opera literature, an opera parody is a newly composed and newly texted stage work, using and changing the existing musical material ( parody : derived from the ancient Greek compound parodia , consists of the prepositional component para and the nominal component ode and translated means: alongside - or backing song ).

Essence of opera parody

The intention of the opera parody is to change the original in such a way (sometimes even to the point of distortion) that a comical, in some cases critically mocking or even ridiculous result is achieved. Not only the textual template and the subject, but also the musical structures and stylistic ideas of the work are distorted and changed in order to achieve the desired parodic effects. It is not uncommon for the authors of the work to be included in the parody.

In the 18th century the opera parody was often a means of caricaturing and satirizing social phenomena without having to fear censorship. The opera parody has its origins in Italy (with elements of the Commedia dell'arte ) and in France (for example in the Parisian fair theater , the Théâtre de la foire). The declared aim of opera parodies in the 18th and 19th centuries was the material from Greek and Roman mythology , as preferred by the opera seria .

The intention of an opera parody is usually to amuse the audience and to entertain them in a more or less sophisticated manner. Ingenious parodies that promise actual enjoyment of art are far from cheap gags, slapstick or rubbish; they can also include the areas of parody , satire or travesty . It can be proven that the authors of a parody are not necessarily sensitive to the original model. Viewers who do not know the original work will seldom enjoy a parody and appreciate its level. Only what is well known can be parodied in a meaningful way.

Work examples

The number of opera parodies is growing noticeably, also in the 21st century, because the art genre of opera , which is now over 400 years old and often declared dead, is enjoying increasing popularity.

Parodies of works by Mozart; here: The Magic Flute :

  • The Travestated Magic Flute ; in two acts with songs and dances by Karl Meisl , music by Wenzel Müller , tableau and pantomimes: Paul Rainoldi. Vienna 1818.

Parodies of works by Giuseppe Verdi ; here Rigoletto :

Parodies of the opera Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber :

  • The Freischütz or Staberl in the lions' den ; by Carl Carl (Karl Andreas von Bernbrunn), director of the Isartortheater, Munich 1822.
  • Wolfsschlucht parody ; by Franz Grillparzer , 1822.
  • Samiel or The Miracle Pill ; Quedlinburg Freischütz parody from 1824
  • Der Freischütz in Cameroon ; Romantic - comic operetta by Karl Höpfner, 1877
  • Comes a slim fellow gone ; Singspiel by Otto Höser, Eisenach 1918.
  • The Hamburger Freischütz or De Bruut Schuss ; Opera parody by Michael Leinert , Low German by Hanne Heinz, music: Gerhard Jünemann. Hamburg State Opera (Opera stable), 1978.

Parodies of works by Richard Wagner :

Parodies of the art form opera in general

Parodies of the operetta ; here: mask in blue by Fred Raymond :

  • The maxi is blue; Operetta parody by Fred Rauch (Bayerischer Rundfunk, Historical Archive. Munich, 2000).

Parody in Rossini's operatic style :

Writings on the topic (selection)

  • Paul A. Merbach: Parodies and aftermath of Weber's Freischütz. Also a contribution to the history of the opera. In: Journal of Musicology. 2, 1919/20, ZDB -ID 203046-9 , pp. 642-655.
  • Dieter Borchmeyer , Stephan Kohler (eds.): Wagner parodies. Insel Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1983, ISBN 3-458-32387-2 ( Insel Taschenbuch 687).
  • Manfred Eger: Richard Wagner in parody and caricature. In: Ulrich Müller, Peter Wapnewski (Ed.): Richard Wagner Handbook. = Wagner manual. Kröner, Stuttgart 1986, ISBN 3-520-82401-9 , pp. 760-776.
  • Max Reinhardt : Three Don Carlos Parodies. Edited by Peter Löffler . Birkhäuser, Basel et al. 1992, ISBN 3-7643-2708-1 .
  • Frank Wünsch: The parody. On definition and typology. Kovac, Hamburg 1999, ISBN 3-86064-931-0 ( Poetica 39), (also: Bonn, Univ., Diss., 1998).
  • Theodor Verweyen : Theory and History of Parody. Edited by Sabine Hülse-Scholl. Erlanger Digital Edition - Contributions to literature and linguistics (see: Weblinks).
  • Gerda Baumbach: tightrope walkers and cheaters? Parody and no end. A contribution to the history and theory of theater. Francke, Tübingen et al. 1995, ISBN 3-7720-1841-6 ( Mainz research on drama and theater 13), (also: Vienna, Univ., Habil.-Schr., 1993).
  • Eva-Maria Ernst: Between amusement and playmaker. The comic central figure at the Vienna Volkstheater in the 18th century. Lit, Münster et al. 2003, ISBN 3-8258-6730-7 ( Literature - Culture - Media 3), (At the same time: Cologne, Univ., Diss., 2002).
  • Ulrich Müller: Opera parody. In: Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon . Online edition, Vienna 2002 ff., ISBN 3-7001-3077-5 ; Print edition: Volume 4, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 2005, ISBN 3-7001-3046-5 .

See also

Web links