Enzyklopädik der Affekte als Dispositiv musikalischer Affektation

Das Beispiel der geistlichen Oper Rappresentatione di Anima, e di Corpo von Emilio de’ Cavalieri (Rom 1600)

Abstract

This paper investigates how passions in Cavalieri’s Rappresentatione, one of the earliest operas composed, are arranged. The preface, the structure of libretto and the music of Cavalieris’ Rappresentatione organise passions in opposite couples, and these couples exactly correspond to the representation of passions in contemporary theatra of knowledge (e.g. Alsted). Thus, their function within the opera should be conceived as a mnemotechnical one. The music theatre is arranging its subjects accordingly to theatrum of knowledge which enables the spectator to realize and to relive the subject. This technique will be verified as a strategy of Jesuitian piety adapted by Cavalieri and his librettist Filippo Neri.