Opera, Liberalism, And Antisemitism In Nineteenth-Century France

Diana R. Hallman

This comprehensive critical study of the nineteenth-century French grand opéra La Juive (Paris Opéra, 1835) is a powerful and successful work by the leading dramatist and librettist Eugène Scribe, and Conservatoire-trained composer, Fromental Halévy. Hallman explores the politically charged messages of the opera within the context of French social and cultural history. The book addresses the opera’s portrayal of religious intolerance and Jewish-Christian conflict in subject, setting and characterization, viewing the anticlerical thrust of its critique as a reminder of the historical abuses of an autocratic Church and State and as reflection of the era’s liberal ideology. It also considers the portrayal of the central Jewish characters in light of literary stereotypes and contradictory, antisemitic attitudes toward Jews in French society.

Bibliographic Details

12 b/w illus.

Contents

• List of illustrations
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• List of abbreviations
• Introduction
• 1. The collaboration and rapprochement of the authors of La Juive
• 2. The Halévys: citoyens and israélites of France
• 3. The Council of Constance and the Voltairean critique
• 4. Jewish-Christian opposition in music and drama
• 5. Eléazar and Rachel as literary stereotypes
• 6. The milieu of La Juive: Jewish imagery and identity in the July Monarchy
• Epilogue
• Appendices
• Bibliography
• Index.