Writing plays "in the sing-song way": Henry Fielding's ballad operas and early musical theater in eighteenth-century London

Restricted until 2 Aug. 2009. This study examines the ballad operas of Henry Fielding (1707-1754), known primarily as one of the greatest novelists and satirists of eighteenth-century England. Fielding's works are fundamental to any comprehensive examination of the genre of ballad opera, and his technical and dramatic contributions are considerable. His eleven operas span many styles, ranging from full-length pieces similar to John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera" to short one-act works with newly composed music that resemble later mid-century English burlettas. Many of his inspired theatrical and musical works briefly eclipsed other London entertainments in popularity and were among the best-loved stage pieces of the century.; Chapter I outlines London's theatrical world during this period and takes a look at Fielding's career writing for the theater. Chapter II explores the production of the ballad operas and the relationships between Fielding and his collaborators. In Chapter III, the genre of ballad opera is reexamined, from its influences on the English stage and French theatrical traditions (particularly those of the Théâtre de la Foire) to its intimate relationship with the theater-going audience of the era. Chapter IV is concerned with the production of the music in the ballad operas, and provides new insight into the size and composition of the orchestra for these pieces. The important role of incidental music is discussed, and in Chapter V the tunes used in Fielding's ballad operas are examined further, from their sources in both popular and high-art music of the day to their various uses in the operas for burlesque and satire. In addition, Case Studies are included for two exceptional ballad operas, "The Grub-Street Opera" and "The Lottery"; these studies explore the musical construction of each opera in greater depth in order to give a larger picture of Fielding's development as a writer in this genre. Chapter VI makes some general observations about the importance of these ballad operas, some of which were revived well into the nineteenth century, and introduces some interesting associations with the rising young English opera composer Thomas Augustine Arne. An edition of the music for Fielding's "The Lottery" (1732) is appended.