Exoticism in Strauss's Salome and Verdi's Aida

¶ … Exoticism in Nineteenth and Early-Twentieth Century Opera

The objective of this study is to answer as to what is meant by exoticism in nineteenth and early-twentieth century opera and as to what the appeal of exoticism to European librettists and composers. This work will take two operas as case studies and explore both the ways in which the librettists handle their subject matter and the ways in which the composers attempted to represent exoticism in musical terms. For the purpose of this study, the opera Salome by Richard Strauss and Aida by Giuseppe Verdi are chosen. This study will first examine Salome followed by an examination of Salome.

Salome the Opera

It has been said that Salome is the "most important event in German opera since the work of Richard Wagner." (Manitoba Opera 2011-2012) In fact, according to critics 'its concentrated power, eerie and sinister harmonies, and extraordinarily exotic orchestration marked a new development in opera music." (Manitoba Opera 2011-2012) Critics are reported to be in praise of Strauss for his musical composition of Salome which is "so delicately and thoughtfully" & #8230;communicative of the character's emotions which are complex in nature and to convey these emotions in ways that words would fail to suffice. (Manitoba Opera 2011-2012) The vocal demands of the Salome role are such that make a requirement equaling that of the "volume, stamina, and power of a true dramatic soprano." (Manitoba Opera 2011-2012)

II. Salome the Role

The role calls for "the agility and gracefulness of a prima ballerina therefore, some vocalists have stand-in dancers who are professional and others dance themselves. At the end of the Dance of the Seven Veils, some sopranos or those who are stand-ins for them adorn a body stocking beneath the veils and others have even appeared nude as the dance concludes. It is reported that Christian traditions depict Salome as an icon of "Dangerous female seductiveness, or concentrate on her lighthearted and cold foolishness that led to John the Baptist's death." (Manitoba Opera 2011-2012) The sexual desire of the character is that which guides the narrative of Salome. The characters are all instances of desire that has not met with fulfillment. (Manitoba Opera 2011-2012, paraphrased)

III. Salome the Music

The music of Salome is inclusive of a system of "leitmotifs or short melodies with symbolic meanings" and while some are associated definitely with such as Salome and Jokanaan, others have a meaning that is more abstract. The harmony in the opera uses "extended tonality, chromaticism, a wide range of keys, unusual modulations, tonal ambiguity, and polytonality." (Manitoba Opera 2011-2012, paraphrased) There are keys associated with some of the major roles such as Salome and as well, music is associated with primary psychological themes in the opera including death and desire. Exotic instruments are included in the orchestra described as "glittering and colorful" and as well strange uses of instruments in the opera occur.

IV. Aida: the Opera

Aida was composed by Verdi after receiving the Khedive of Egypt's invitation to write an opera on an Egyptian subject specifically for the Italian Opera House in Cairo opening in 1869 however; the opera was not finished in time for the opening. Verdi became interested in a scenario by the French Egyptologist Mariette Bey, which is reported to have been based "on an event in ancient Egyptian history, discovered on an archaeological excavation in Memphis. Verdi collaborated with dramatist Du Locle to expand it into a prose drama, and with Italian Novelist Antonio Ghislanzoni to turn it into a libretto." (Calgary Opera, 2010-2011) Aida finally premiered in 1871 at the Cairo Opera House. (Manitoba Opera 2011-2012, paraphrased)

VI. Aida the Music

The music of Aida, written in 1871, is reported as having been commissioned by the khedive of Egypt to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal. Aida uses harmonies that are complex in nature as well as textures that are more conceptual with different voices playing different rhythms simultaneously. The orchestra required to play the music in Aid is around 60 making a requirement of singers with voices that are "exceptionally large…to be able to heard over the orchestra.

The music plays Aida's theme when she walks on stage and the clarinet announces her arrival and it is reported that the clarinet was "favored by Verdi to evoke exoticism or other-worldliness in his operas." (Canadian Opera Company, 2011) The timpani drums are used in this opera to evoke "the uneasy beat of their (Radames and Aida) hearts." (Canadian Opera Company, 2011) Intensity is evoked by the rapid violin notes. (Canadian Opera Company, 2011, paraphrased)

VII. Analysis

It is reported that the capacity of the opera Salome to shock far exceed its ability to enter into the acceptance of the 'epater les bourgeois' as the exotic harmonies and disturbing cadences of the music with their modernistic novelties of dissonance and atonality with heard with extreme suspicion by the musical conservatives of the day." (Guarracino, 2010) However, a great deal of the strange orchestration of Aid was praised at the time of its composition and presentation as being "dazzling and evocative." (Guarracino, 2010)

The roles of the various characters have been differentially portrayed since the original presentation of Salome. It is perhaps the capacity for such different interpretations that make Salome so much a choice among directors and performers in the opera and it is stated that Cheryl Studer accomplished the feat of interpreting the final scene in Salome in such a way that "the final scene conveys total evil while keeping a semblance of girlishness." (Guarracino, 2010) It is reported that artistic freedom is a compelling reason for the popularity of performing Salome.

There has been a great deal of debate surrounding the dance in Salome as the Dance of the Seven Veils is in actuality a striptease performed by Salome before John the Baptist in the story. The music and the dance evoke exotic imagery and some imagery depending on the director, more visually exotic than others portray.

Exoticism used in the 19th and 20th centuries was favored because it was different, and symbolic of the mysterious unknown who has only been heard of and never witnessed by the majority of individuals throughout the Western world.

The music in Aida identifies the various characters and emotions by key-specific incitations as the opera travels from beginning to end. Exotic instruments as well as unusual use of normal opera instruments led to the theme of exoticism in both Salome and Aida. The music that Verdi is reported to have attributed to the Egyptians is stated to sound "markedly European" in that it does not rely "on accepted codes for Oriental music."The more sinuous, woodwind-accompanied legatos are reported as associated with the exotic Orient are that which mark the "opera's others' including the Ethiopians and women and Aida herself. (Guarracino, 2010)