How much is opera inter/national?

Abstract

Since the nineteenth century the term ‘national opera‘ has been in use with a double meaning: additional by the mentioned political reference to the “peripheral” area (East and Southeast Europe, Scandinavia, the Iberian peninsula, partly Germany), it also suggests a national tradition of opera, including the “center” itself (Italy, France, England, partly Germany). This paper provides a map of the key questions related to the national opera and its reception, providing a deconstruction of the traditional dichotomy national–international in opera studies.