Author: Cranmer, David

Source: Portuguese Studies, Volume 24, Number 1, 15 March 2008 , pp. 32-40(9)

Publisher: Modern Humanities Research Association

Abstract:

Particularly in the eighteenth century, as an alternative to opera as such, there are a number of indigenous traditions of musical theatre: the zarzuela in Spain, the opéra comique in France, the ballad opera in England, the Singspiel in Germany. In Portugal, by contrast, we find a series of phenomena, all with greater or lesser musical content: the operas by António José da Silva (`The Jew') and his imitators; comedies of extremely diverse kinds; entremezes and farças, etc. — the various genres of the so-called `Teatro de Cordel'. The rather heterogeneous panorama in Portugal contrasts with the apparent homogeneity of the other traditions mentioned. To what extent can these other traditions shed light on our understanding of the music in the Teatro de Cordel?

Portuguese
Sobretudo no século XVIII, surgem, como alternativa à ópera, uma série de tradições autóctones de teatro musicado: a zarzuela em Espanha, a opéra comique em França, a ballad opera em Inglaterra, o Singspiel na Alemanha. Em Portugal, pelo contrário, existem uma série de fenómenos, todos eles com maior ou menor conteúdo musical: as óperas de António José da Silva (`O Judeu') e os seus imitadores; comédias extremamente diversas nas suas características; entremezes e farças, etc. — os vários géneros do chamado `Teatro de Cordel'. O panorama português, bastante heterogéneo, contrasta com a aparente homogeneidade das alternativas propostas pelos outros países citados. Até que ponto estas podem iluminar o nosso entendimento da música no Teatro de Cordel?

Keywords: Teatro de cordel; music; eighteenth century; Teatro de cordel; música; século XVIII

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Publication date: 2008-03-15

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• The only English-language journal devoted to the literature, culture, and history of Portugal, Brazil, and the Portuguese-speaking countries of Africa. Launched in 1985, it received the 'Best New Journal Award' of the Conference of Editors of Learned Journals in 1987. It publishes articles, translations, previously unpublished historical and literary texts, bibliographical information, and a survey of research and reviews.

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