Opera on the Move in the Nordic Countries during the Long 19th ...

Gendered agendas and the representation of gender …
279
being original. While men’s original ideas were cultivated, women’s ingenuity
could not be accepted because of society’s strong misoneism (sticking
to old traditions).”
Valentin singled out the first fine and the delicate romance, “Do you
believe a woman forgets that easily”, as the most of effective of Munktell’s
solo songs (Nya Dagligt Allehanda, 31 May 1889). Munktell revealed
her compositional talent both in this aria and in the following song, “Oh,
beautiful child”, in Swedish-Italian popular style, which turned out to be a
waltz culminating in a duet at the end. Revealing a great melodic talent and
skilled treatment of form, these numbers had warm, passionate colours,
increased the overall effect of her songs and proved the composer’s previously
unknown abilities in musical characterisation. The accompaniment to
Gemma’s carnival song was also considered characteristic of her style. In
other words, Valentin planted more than a few gentle hints that Munktell
was more experienced in the romance than in the genre of opéra comique.
He went on to elaborate just how. The Aftonbladet critic reported (31 May
1889) that he heard in this solo a successful and excellent composer of romances.
He gave Munktell credit for avoiding the influences of Strauss and
Offenbach and being influenced instead by a noble and Delibes-like style.
Even though some critics called for a faster tempo, they agreed on Munktell’s
remarkable talent for the buffa style in the duo in which Stefano kicks
Bembo out of his studio as he tries to collect the rent. The reason for the
praise lay in the fact that Munktell was a beginner at composing operas,
and hence unfamiliar with what really worked well on the stage, not just
on the piano. Stefano’s farewell song was also singled out for special mention
for its chorale-like character, for having a Nordic sound and for fitting
the dramatic situation so well. The fencing terzetto was thought to contain
several dramatic elements that demonstrated Munktell’s talent in creating
dramatic and sharply characteristic rhythms more boldly than in the solo
songs.
A genius soon to be scrutinised
As a taste of this opéra comique, I have chosen an excerpt from the art professors’
duet (see Example 1). Accompanied by a choir of art students, the
self-important and pompous art professors, Viarducci and Sarsapilla, make
their entrance, stopping at stage centre with their students arranged in a
semi-circle around them. Before the professors have a chance to comment
on Stefano’s picture, the duchess describes it as excellent. The professors
can only add that the picture is a good likeness of the duchess, despite the