Following the arrival of the French army in April 1796, Milan became the capital of the Cisalpine Republic (1797–1802), a ‘sister republic’ of France— a stark transformation after decades of Austrian control. While disastrous in terms of economic exploitation, the French republican governments identified spectacle as an essential tool for propaganda, control, and education. Milan was a major centre for opera, but was rather conservative as to repertoire and practices, particularly in terms of rigid separation between theatrical and nontheatrical performances. This separation was challenged with the new republican festivities. Drawing upon archival material, this article examines how spectacular elements from revolutionary France and its republican festivals infiltrated Milanese opera’s ivory tower, and how operatic elements in turn seeped into the streets to celebrate republican ideals. In so doing, this article sheds new light on theatrical and musical encounters between revolutionary France and its sister republics.
Palidda, Alessandra
School of Arts
Year of publication: 2021Date of RADAR deposit: 2022-06-13