If music in general is an imitation of history, opera in…
“If music in general is an imitation of history, opera in particular is an imitation of human willfulness; it is rooted in the fact that we not only have feelings but insist upon having them at whatever cost to ourselves. The quality common to all the great operatic roles, e.g., Don Giovanni, Norma, Lucia, Tristan, Isolde, Br?nnhilde, is that each of them is a passionate and willful state of being. In real life they would all be bores, even Don Giovanni.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Opera dramatizes human will, turning desire into performance, highlighting our insistence on feeling despite cost.
In simple terms: Opera shows our willful desire for feeling.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the power of purposeful feeling.
Themes
art
will
human nature
opera
emotion
Mood
reflective
intense
artistic
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- stage performance
- personal ambition
- creative expression
- emotional catharsis
Key Concepts
existentialism
dramatic expression
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does opera reveal our need for feeling?
A Different Perspective
May glorizing willful desire ignore the value of restraint?