Opera Libretti in Spain as a Source for the Study of Performance Practice: Spanish Libretti from the First Half of 19th Century

Abstract

The libretti that are published on the occasion of the performances of an opera in the first half of the nineteenth century have not received much consideration as documentary sources for the investigation of musical theater. The modesty of most editions-it was a kind of practical use and publication of small form-may have contributed to its underestimation. From examples of libretti published in Spain in the first half of the nineteenth century, the paper identifies cases where the libretto allows performance practices that may contribute to other music sources.