La Musica E Del Signor Hasse Detto Il Sassonea

Johann Adolf Hasse (1699-1783) is one of the most outstanding composers of Italian opera seria of the mid-18th century. Between 1721 and 1771 Hasse composed over 50 opere serie; he also revised several of these operas more or less thoroughly for later performances. This study focuses on 25 operas from the years 1730 to 1745. This first volume describes the composer's life, concentrating particularly on his career as an opera composer. It also sheds light on the source material and various facets of a widespread phenomenon in the 18th century of pre-existing material being used to revise operas or compose new ones. The author also examines the alterations made by others to Hasse's operas for later performances. The second volume provides comprehensive documentation of the works, the source material and verifiable performances in the 18th century.