Opera in the periphery

The project Opera in the periphery? Åbo and Paris as musical and theatrical capitals, 1790–1840 studies the cultural interaction between Åbo (Turku) and Paris and how urban musical and theatrical life contributed to the birth of the public sphere and and of civic ideals. More specifically, focus is laid on French comic opera (opéra-comique), a gendre that dealt with social and political issues in the spirit of enlightened discussion. The project is led by Professor Charlotta Wolff and funded by the Society of Swedish Literature in Finland 2024–2027. For the charting of sources and repertoire in Åbo, a one-year grant was awarded by the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters in 2023.

Picture: Extract from the Swedish version of Dalayrac’s La maison isolée, ou le vieillard des Vosges, performed at Åbo. Bonuvier’s collection, Åbo Akademi University library. Photo Mikko Saira.