As news of the American Revolution traveled through Europe, ideas around about personal freedom and nationalism emerged, impacting all areas of society, including the arts. Classical music transitioned from its formal constraints of the previous era to the limitless possibilities of the Romantic period (1830–1900). Opera, in particular, came to embody the trends of this era.
Rooted in the operatic traditions of C.W. Gluck and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and led by Ludwig van Beethoven, Romantic opera took storytelling to new heights, often drawing inspiration from literature and current or historical events. Other prominent composers of the era—Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868), Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901), and Richard Wagner (1813–83)—pushed the boundaries of musical expression, using beautiful music to express powerful feelings, creating an enduring legacy in the operatic world.
Hymn to Freedom
Until the 19th century, opera showcased simple melodies, mythological themes, and authentic emotions. With the Napoleonic era taking hold of the European continent, musicians discovered new forms and an energizing spirit for their operas.
Inspired by classical opera, “Fidelio,” Beethoven’s only composition in this field, marked the transition from classical to Romantic opera. The composer created a story of human courage using a mixture of simple arias and duets, spoken dialogue, complex ensembles, and a great finale. This opera, Beethoven’s great hymn to freedom, was first performed in 1805, a year after Napoleon became emperor. “Fidelio” was again performed in 1814, the year of Napoleon’s defeat.
Unique Storytelling
As Romantic opera flourished across Europe, each country created its own unique style of musical storytelling. Romantic composers explored a diverse range of themes and subjects, from tragic love stories to historical epics and tales of the supernatural.Composers started to explore the depth of the human soul, and opera became the ultimate way to convey powerful stories. Librettists of Romantic opera often used stories based on historical characters or literary works, such as those by Sir Walter Scott and William Shakespeare. Rossini, especially, based many of his operas on these works, such as “Lady of the Lake” (1819) and “Otello” (1816).
Romantic composers experimented with new forms—harmonic language and orchestration techniques—to create unique singing styles. One of the most notable styles of the era is the Italian “bel canto,” (“beautiful singing”). First introduced by Rossini (1792–1868), bel canto is a vocal style defined by technical brilliance and ornamentation, supported by a simple harmonic structure. Rossini wrote great bel canto showpieces, such as “A Voice a Little Moment Ago” (“Una voce poco fa”) in his comedy “The Barber of Seville” (1816).
In line with the ideals of the Romantic period and Romanticism, bel canto used the expressiveness of the human voice to tell a story. Many Italian composers wrote passionate dramas using the bel canto style throughout the 19th century. Donizetti, often regarded as Rossini’s successor, used it to convey tragic situations, such as the mad scene in “Lucia di Lammermoor” (1835). Bellini used bel canto to convey intense beauty, such as the famous aria, “Chaste Lady” (“Casta Diva”) from “Norma” (1831).
Verdi and Wagner
Great Romantic opera reached its peak with Verdi and Wagner. Both composers gave a new dimension to opera, influenced later composers, and left a lasting impression on the operatic world.Verdi remained in line with the bel canto tradition, but elevated the style. As his popularity grew, he took the operatic style to new heights by adding deep psychological insight to the lyrics and story, and an underlying political commentary through his compositional skills.
Verdi enlarged the boundaries of opera, bringing truth to the dramatic situation and capturing the essence of each character through music, with an insight that only Mozart had achieved until then. Some of Verdi’s most famous masterworks include “Rigoletto,” (1851) “La Traviata,” (1853) and “Aïda” (1871). The composer went on to influence other greats, such as Giacomo Puccini.
While Verdi developed the Italian operatic tradition, Wagner created a new operatic style embodying the ideals of German nationalism. He often used the setting of Nordic medieval myths to express Romantic themes of power, love, renunciation, and death. He gathered together music, drama, poetry, and staging in what he called “music drama.” Instead of using the operatic conventions of recitative and aria, Wagner introduced leitmotifs, fragments of melody associated with a character, event, or idea, such as the unanswered question (a musical motif about Lohengrin’s identity and origin) in “Lohengrin” (1850).
To this day, Romantic opera remains one of the most powerful arts to express human emotions. With its complex harmonies, lyrical melodies, large orchestras, and dramatic plots, Romantic opera continues to fascinate experts and amateurs alike.
