Magic Flutes and Enchanted Forests

Magic Flutes and Enchanted Forests: The Supernatural in Eighteenth-Century Musical Theater by David J. Buch came out last December but has remained under my radar until this past week when I found a recent review for it by Judith Malafronte at the California Chronicle.

Judging from the review and the description--I have not seen this book to review it in person but still want to spread the news--this looks like a wonderful reference for information on 18th century musical theatre, from the obscure to the pieces that remain popular today, including fairy tale influenced works.

Here's the book description from the publisher first:

Drawing on hundreds of operas, singspiels, ballets, and plays with supernatural themes, Magic Flutes and Enchanted Forests argues that the tension between fantasy and Enlightenment-era rationality shaped some of the most important works of eighteenth-century musical theater and profoundly influenced how audiences and critics responded to them.

David J. Buch reveals that despite—and perhaps even because of—their fundamental irrationality, fantastic and exotic themes acquired extraordinary force and popularity during the period, pervading theatrical works with music in the French, German, and Italian mainstream. Considering prominent compositions by Gluck, Rameau, and Haydn, as well as many seminal contributions by lesser-known artists, Buch locates the origins of these magical elements in such historical sources as ancient mythology, European fairy tales, the Arabian Nights, and the occult. He concludes with a brilliant excavation of the supernatural roots of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni, building a new foundation for our understanding of the magical themes that proliferated in Mozart’s wake.

Malafronte's review is very positive and informational. I'll quote the first paragraph here, but please click through to read it in its entirety.

When David J. Buch states that the last book about supernatural elements in musical theater - a short German doctoral dissertation that deals with a few specific fairy-tale operas - dates from 1896, one has to wonder why no one has since taken up this fascinating topic. By the end of Buch's masterful, 450-page Magic Flutes and Enchanted Forests: The Supernatural in Eighteenth-Century Musical Theater, one knows why. The mountain of material - librettos, archives, unpublished and unedited scores of French, Italian, English and German operas, ballets, pantomimes and other shows - would daunt all but the most intrepid researcher.

Ultimately this appears to be a great reference for students and others interested in the topic or even wanting to write a paper about fairy tales and historical musical theatre. Add it to your acquisitions list if it interests you or ask your favorite librarian to do so for you...