A Remnant of a Grand Tradition: An Analytical Reading of <i>Vanessa</i> (1958)

Abstract

Even though Vanessa received a lukewarm reception at its European premier in 1958 and the opus’ revival has been irregular, the opera still occupies a special place in the history of opera of the English language. Gian-Carlo Menotti and Samuel Barber’s operatic collaboration follows the dramatic convention in the genre of music theater of the nineteenth-century in portraying its heroine. Furthermore, the setting of the opera also reminisces the theatrical themes from the previous century, and focuses on domestic conflicts and mysteries. As most part of the western world was still trying to come out of the horror of the WWII, such theatrical offering might not be able to entice its audience, who was eager to experience new form of artistic expressions. The essay will have a close reading of Vanessa and its association with the traditional operatic narrative. The genre of music theater is fascinated with the portrayal of female characters. Thus, through analysing the narrative construction and character depictions of the opera, readers can start to sense the dramatic function of a female character in an operatic narrative. Finally, the essay will also discuss the effect of applied postmodernism on the genre of music theater. Perhaps, it is because of this current intellectual paradigm that signals the decline of this unique art form.