19th-Century German Opera — Nationalism and Experimentation

In this lecture we examine early 19th-century German opera, which developed rather late compared to Italian and French opera. Genuine German opera evolved from native German roots, not by imitating and adapting Italian operatic plots and singing style. The lecture discusses the rise of German literature and musical theater in the late 18th century in the works of Goethe and Mozart. It examines 19th-century German opera as an experimental tradition, using as an example Carl Maria von Weber's Der Freischütz.