Share this Auden, W. H. quote - If music in general is an imitation of history, opera in particular is...

Share this quote easily

"If music in general is an imitation of history, opera in particular is an imitation of human willfulness; it is rooted in the fact that we not only have feelings but insist upon having them at whatever cost to ourselves. The quality common to all the great operatic roles, e.g., Don Giovanni, Norma, Lucia, Tristan, Isolde, Br?nnhilde, is that each of them is a passionate and willful state of being. In real life they would all be bores, even Don Giovanni."
- Auden, W. H.

<blockquote><a href="http://quotationsbook.com/quote/28497/">If music in general is an imitation of history, opera in particular is an imitation of human willfulness; it is rooted in the fact that we not only have feelings but insist upon having them at whatever cost to ourselves. The quality common to all the great operatic roles, e.g., Don Giovanni, Norma, Lucia, Tristan, Isolde, Br?nnhilde, is that each of them is a passionate and willful state of being. In real life they would all be bores, even Don Giovanni.</a></blockquote><br> <a href="http://quotationsbook.com/author/331/">Auden, W. H.</a> on <a href="http://quotationsbook.com/tag/opera/">Opera</a><br> Quote from <a href="http://quotationsbook.com">Quotations Book</a>

Hey! Are you on Facebook? Add our facebook application for finding and sharing and bookmarking ALL our quotes!

Would you like to email it to someone?

Click here and use the "email it" tab on the right side

Also .. quotes of the day!

Get Quotes of the Day in a badge or anywhere you like. Learn more here.