French Literature Reviews - 2026
Yseult Martinez, Handel & ses héroïnes. Un imaginaire de la puissance des femmes
Theatre and Performance
Yseult Martinez
Handel & ses héroïnes. Un imaginaire de la puissance des femmes
Paris, Classiques Garnier, coll. « Lire le XVIIe siècle », n° 88, Music and Literature series n° 6, 2025.
This study examines the words and music of five Handel heroines through an analysis of his opera librettos. The book contextualizes their portrayals within the period of their creation to provide a deeper understanding of the contemporary imagination.
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Also available in a hardcover edition, EAN 9782406181880, priced at 108 EUR.
The study of operatic heroines often intersects with broader inquiries into the portrayal of gender and agency in eighteenth-century European music. The period was characterized by specific dramaturgical expectations regarding the depiction of female characters, who were frequently cast in roles that navigated complex power dynamics. Readers interested in the history of music and the evolution of operatic characterization may find this exploration of Handel's work relevant to their research.
This analysis centers on the textual and musical construction of five specific figures within Handel's operatic corpus, as examined in Handel & ses héroïnes. Un imaginaire de la puissance des femmes. By situating these portrayals within their original historical context, the work examines how the contemporary imagination shaped the presentation of female power. Such inquiries contribute to the ongoing scholarly conversation regarding the relationship between artistic production and the social norms of the era.