| Summary: | Pauline Viardot (1821- 1910) was a famous mezzo-soprano with a career spanning twenty-four years (1839-1863). Her Music Salon is credited for launching the careers of Camille Saint-Säens, Jules Massenet, Gabriel Fauré, and Charles Gounod.
After her retirement she turned her attention towards teaching and composition. She has written over 100 Vocal compositions, 15 Instrumental compositions and 5 Salon Operas.
Chapter 1 presents an introduction and biography of the composer, with special emphasis on her family, friends, colleagues, performance career and music salon. Chapter 2 is a closer look at her salon opera Cendrillon including an analysis of the work. This chapter outlines the musical themes of each character, stage-directing choices, and the vocal demands of Viardot's composition. Finally, this document presents a conclusion that considers Viardot's impact and influence on the music of the 19th Century through her own compositions and the championing of the works of other composers.
In addition, the document includes two appendices. Appendix I contains a French to English translation of Cendrillon. Appendix II contains a list of Pauline Viardot's works.
|
|---|
