Transnational Networks of Operetta in Early Unified and Fin de Siècle Italy

Bern, 14.-16.09.2022

Deadline: 18.04.2022

University of Bern, Institute of Musicology

An international conference in affiliation with the project “Between Grandeur and Derision: the Evolution of Musical Dramaturgy in Unified Italy”, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Conference Organisers: Guillaume Castella, Anselm Gerhard & Laura Moeckli

In recent years, operetta has emerged as a fertile field of study for complex cultural and musicological research. Italy has however been largely overlooked in the debate due notably to the historiographical consideration of the late 19th century as a period of decadence in Italian comic opera. With its transnational approach, this project aims to transcend these entrenched cultural frameworks to understand how the production, circulation and impact of operetta repertoire within and around early unified Italy can enrich our understanding of operatic discourse across borders and genres.

We would invite proposals relating to nineteenth-century operetta networks on topics such as:

  • Local and transnational activity of Italian operetta theatres, troupes, authors, translators, publishers, producers, performers, etc.
  • Audience and press reception of operetta in connection with unified Italy
  • Operetta and Italian society
  • Politics of operetta in Italy
  • Operetta in translation
  • Interactions between operetta, opera buffa and other music theatre genres
  • Transfer and adaptation of operetta across borders
  • Business of operetta in and beyond Italy

Submission Procedure

Please submit paper proposals with an abstract of no more than 250 words by 18 April 2022 to transnationaloperetta.musik@unibe.ch

Further information: