‘Play it again, Sam’: the ‘encore’ in 18th-century London opera

Conference item

An encore in the middle of an act of an opera is (like too much applause and the rustling of sweet wrappers) an anathema to modern audiences, interested in ‘dramatic continuity’. Such an attitude sits uneasily with a parallel interest in ‘authenticity’ which excludes the practice, for repetitions of arias was one of the mainstays of an 18th-century singer’s performance. Indeed, the practice was recorded in regular use in London well into the 19th century (Mr Yates was encored in his ‘Mail Coach Song’ in the title role of Rob Roy McGregor in 1821) and one could scarcely call an opera performance ‘authentic’ today without them. Such repetitions are all the more significant, when it is remembered that the main 18th-century aria repeated the first section (in an ornamented version) after the second, forming an ABA pattern; encores must, then, have required yet more ornaments Sporadic complaints about the practice can be found towards the end of the century; Susan Burney wrote that by ‘the frequent calling for the songs again, the operas have become too tedious’ But the singers felt otherwise; Charles Horn recorded that the cast ‘would positively try and push [him] onto the stage to any slight indication of an encore’ adding that they were things ‘which singers think so much of in general.’ This paper examines the history of the encore in the London opera house in the long eighteenth century, focusing on the musical implications of such repeats. It will also consider what happened to the singers when they repeated arias; and what happened to them, when they did not!

Authors: Burden, M

• Publication status: Not published
• Peer review status: Not peer reviewed
• Publication date: 2016-07-28
• Event title: American Society for 18th-century Studies Annual Meeting
• Event location: Portland, Oregon, USA
• Event start date: 2008-03-27
• Event end date: 2008-03-29
• Language: English
• Subjects: 18th Century music; Performance; Opera