Abstract :
The first representation of Wagner’s Tannhäuser in Spain was undertaken by a choir of workers, directed by Josep Anselm Clavé. This act was not without consequences. Studying it allows us to reconsider both the cultural divisions in 19th Century Catalonian society and the role of opera’s producer and consumer. The analysis of this first representation encompasses as well the analysis of Clavé’s cultural project of creating a means to empower the workers’ cultural voice in a codified space. It also permits to highlight how this project has been a controversial issue for bourgeois’ society triggering a strong opposition in the public sphere.
[Access to the article here.]