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DIDONE Arias Database

Unveiling Emotions in 18th-Century Opera Seria

The belief that ‘the end of music is to move human affections’ (Descartes, Compendium musicae) has been a central issue in European musical thought since Plato. Opera was invented to recover the power of Ancient music to move the human heart, and its history is a permanent exploration of the capacity of action, words and music to convey emotions.

The DIDONE Project, funded by the European Research Council (ERC), stands as a pioneering endeavour dedicated to unravelling the intricacies of emotional expression within the realm of 18th-century opera seria. By bridging the realms of academic inquiry and public engagement, DIDONE not only enriches our understanding of musical history but also fosters a deeper appreciation for the enduring legacy of opera seria as a quintessential art form of the European cultural landscape.

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At the core of this ambitious project lies a meticulously curated musical corpus comprising approximately 3,000 digitised arias derived from the librettos written by Pietro Metastasio. Specifically, these arias hail from timeless classics such as Didone abbandonata, Artaserse, Alessandro nell’Indie, Adriano in Siria, and Demofoonte, offering a panoramic view into the techniques employed by composers of the era to evoke a myriad of emotions.

This corpus forms the core of our comprehensive database, with data regarding authors, performances, singers, and emotional and musical content. This database serves a dual purpose, presenting a wealth of opportunities for both scholars and enthusiasts alike. Taking our meticulously catalogued versions published by Brepols as the point of departure, users of our database can gain access to a rich tapestry of performances and adaptations of the aforementioned operatic masterpieces.

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Leveraging an array of search criteria including composers, singers, theatres, geographical territories, sources, and more, scholars can delve into the nuances of performance practices and historical contexts around Metastasio’s drammi per musica.

Furthermore, the DIDONE Arias Database offers a treasure trove of individual arias extracted from these performances, providing a unique opportunity to explore the interplay of musical elements such as key, scoring, time signature, vocal range, and other parameters.

Beyond its scholarly utility, the DIDONE Database invites users to embark on a journey of exploration and discovery, offering a dynamic platform where the scores of these historic arias can be visualised and explored within the broader context of 18th-century operatic tradition.

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