Post-Napoleonic World
Post-Napoleonic World
Once the map of Europe is cleaned up after Napoleon* and the influence of his ideas, romanticism begins to be picked up in other countries and becomes out of fashion in Germany. Revolution will rise up in an abortive attempt in Germany in 1830. We will follow the mainstream theatre to other countries.
1817 The United States inaugurates its fifth president, James Monroe* and Mississippi becomes a state.
A cholera epidemic breaks out in the Ganges delta in India and spreads toward Europe at about five miles a day. It will reach parts of Europe in 1829.
In America, they are improving transportation by getting into the canal digging business just like the British. They start building the Erie Canal between Albany and Buffalo (New York.)
1817 - In Austria a new playwright, Franz Grillparzer* (1791-1872,) comes out with his first play, The Ancestress*. A later work will be regarded as one of the masterpieces of the German-speaking theatre. (see below 1823)
1818 This is the year Mary Wollstonecraft (nee Godwin) Shelley* (1797-1851) comes out with her novel Frankenstein*. A perennial favorite of the Gothic romantics and obviously influenced by the rise of pathological anatomy in France.
The first steamship (the "Savannah") crosses the Atlantic in 26 days. Transportation is improving by leaps and bounds.
The border between the United States and Canada is agreed upon (the 49th parallel.) Illinois becomes a state.
In Sweden Bernadotte* becomes Charles XIV* on the death of the old king. In Austria a schoolteacher (Franz Xaver Huber*) writes the music for a curate's (Joseph
Mohr*) words and we get Silent Night, Holy Night*. 1818 - James Robinson Planche* (1796-1880) playwright and antiquarian, produces his first
play this year, Amoroso, King of Little Britain*. He will become best known for his knowledge and expertise in costume and setting (see 1823). He'll be big in the next period.
1819 - In England, by this date, one of the finest tragedians of his day, William Charles Macready* (1793-1873) is firmly established both at Covent Garden* and at Drury Lane*. He is regarded as the only real rival to Edmund Kean*. Like other major English actors he will tour to America and France. [In 1849 he will be embroiled in the famous Astor Place* Riot in New York (one of those big fights between fans of the American actor, Edwin Forrest*, and those of Macready*.]
Two more English romantic poets, John Keats* (1795-1821,) and Percy Bysshe Shelley* (1792-1822) are writing plays this year. Keats*' play is Otho the Great*. Shelley* writes The Cenci*, which is a lot like the old Jacobean drama with lots of revenge action.
1819 The U.S. buys Florida from Spain and Alabama becomes a state. 1820 - In England a prolific writer of burlesques, extravaganzas and pantomimes also
produces melodramas.* One of Planche*'s best known works comes out this year, The Vampire; or, the Bride of the Isles*. His career is devoted primarily to spectacular extravaganzas. He is a musician and a serious student of art and history (see below.) He will write a History of British Costume* (1834) and be instrumental in stimulating new legislation governing dramatic copyright laws and giving greater protection to British dramatists.
In America the actor, Edwin Forrest* (1806-72), is appearing at Philadelphia's's Walnut Street Theatre*. He will become the leading American actor of this period. Later he will tour to England with some success. He is regarded as a 'ranting' actor, without much subtlety but full of passion and fire. He will have a running feud with Macready* and, with the support of In America the actor, Edwin Forrest* (1806-72), is appearing at Philadelphia's's Walnut Street Theatre*. He will become the leading American actor of this period. Later he will tour to England with some success. He is regarded as a 'ranting' actor, without much subtlety but full of passion and fire. He will have a running feud with Macready* and, with the support of
The English are having trouble writing memorable plays. This year one of the most popular dramatists, James Sheridan Knowles* (1784-1862) gets his first big hit with Virginius*. He is an actor, which no doubt helps him know what works on stage. This play will soon be playing regularly in England and America. He is good at putting melodramatic stories together with a sort of Shakespearian form.
1820s A number of medical journals appear in Paris encouraging specialization in medical labor. Specialists begin to concentrate on the behavior of particular organs.
In the field of physics Andre Amphere* comes out with Laws of the Electrodynamic Action and (1821) Michael Faraday* discovers the fundamentals of electromagnetic rotation. These and other discoveries will lead to the generation of electric power and electric motors and other such electric marvels.
Ever since the United States was founded there has been an argument over slavery. Now the argument takes place in Congress and centers around whether or not new states should be allowed to have slavery.
This year the "Missouri Compromise" permits Maine to become a free state (1820) while Missouri enters the union as a slave state (1821.)
1821 - Still another romantic English poet is writing plays. This year Lord Byron* (George Gordon, 1788-1824) gets the only one of his plays produced in his lifetime put on the stage, Marino Faliero*. He is better at playwriting than the other English romantic poets, but that isn't saying much. All of his plays will eventually be performed, but not often.
1821 Napoleon* dies in exile on the island of St. Helena*. Mexico becomes an independent state with a northern border running east and west in a line
north of Utah's Great Salt Lake, and east to the eastern edge of present day Texas. Peru is now independent. Monroe* begins a second term as U.S. president. 1822 - More advancements in scenery are made this year with Daguerre* (Louis Jacques
Mande, 1789-1851) opening his diorama* in Paris. [He will later invent the daguerreotype*.] It shows the audience two different paintings, each of which change in appearance by varying the lighting. It shows great effects of changing weather and time of day, using translucent cloth and light to make things appear and disappear.
That top designer, Ciceri*, is so busy that this year he opens one of the first scenic design studios in Paris to better handle all this business. With this innovation independent scenic studios begin to replace those attatched to individual theatres.
The year the new Opera* building opens with all the latest technical devices including gas lighting and lots of systems to pipe water around for fountains and other aquatic stage effects.
1822 Brazil becomes an independent Empire. Franz von Liszt* (1811-1886,) the Hungarian pianist and composer makes his debut (age 11)
at the piano in Vienna. Franz Peter Schubert* (1797-1828,) the Austrian composer, known as the greatest master of
song in musical history, comes out with his "Unfinished" Symphony (Symphony No. 8 in B minor.)
1823 - This is a landmark year in scenic design and staging. In England, Planche* designs and supervises the costumes for Charles Kean*'s production of King John* (Shakespeare*.) This production is the first to attempt costuming with complete historical accuracy for each and every character in the play. This idea will take a little time to catch on but it marks the beginning of a trend.
In France, Marie-Henri Beyle Stendhal* (1783-1842), a writer, comes out with some enormously popular romantic novels and, this year, Racine and Shakespeare*. This work fuels the fire of controversy between the neoclassical French and the French Romantic movement.
In Austria Grillparzer* writes Konig Ottokars Gluck und Endde*. This historical play in the style of Schiller* is banned for two years (it smacks of Napoleon*) but will eventually be well produced and hailed as a masterpiece.
1823 Mexico becomes a republic. In America James Fenimore Cooper* (1789-1851) comes out with the first of his Leather-
Stocking* novels. 1824 In the United States no one gets a majority in the presidential election so the House of
Representatives elects John Quincy Adams* as the next (sixth) president. In France a new artist, Delacroix* (Ferdinand Victor Eugune, 1798-1863,) the leader of the
romantic school, is painting Les Massacres de Chinos. In England British workers are now legally allowed to unionize, and they will. Charles X* becomes king of France. 1825 - An interesting year in Russia as Alexander Sergeivich Pushkin* finishes his historical
play, Boris Gugonov*. It won't be allowed to be published for six more years. It won't appear on the stage for almost fifty years (1870.) However, Pushkin* is the leader of the new romantic style in Russia. For the Russians the important thing is to return to Russian history, folklore and themes as subject matter for a truly Russian theatre. The best known form of Pushkin*'s work comes to us by way of the 1874 opera when Musorgski* (or Mussorgsky, Modest Petrovich 1835-1881) uses this play as the libretto.
By this date the Director of Repertory for the Imperial Theatres (Prince Alexander Shakhovskoy*, in charge 1801-26) has visited a number of western theatrical centers and, in an attempt to raise the quality level of production in Russian theatres, devises regulations that will govern the state troupes from now until the revolution in 1917. Many of these regulations are based on the French Comedie Francaise* and concern rehearsals, behavior and even the personal lives of the actors. In 1839 the actors will become part of the civil service.
Since the Russian crown has a monopoly on theatrical production in Moscow and St. Petersburg, this sets the tone for Russia. There are three theatres in St. Petersburg: the Bolshoi* (which means "large," used mostly for opera and ballet); the Maly* (which means "small," it is replaced in 1832 by the Alexandrinsky* and does mainly drama); and the Mikhailovsky* (where they do foreign plays.) When state theatres were set up in Moscow they were in temporary buildings, but in 1824 they opened the Moscow Maly*, and in 1825 the Moscow Bolshoi*. [Yes, both cities have theatres named the same thing for the same kinds of theatrical production. The ones in Moscow continue to the present and are the ones usually meant by these names.] By this date the Moscow theatres have a reputation for being superior to those in St. Petersburg. They will continue to hold the lead. The Russians are conservative and their scenic practices lag behind Europe. In ballet and opera foreign influence dominates.
1825 Bolivia becomes independent. This year marks the invention of oxygen-hydrogen limelight* (Sir Goldsworthy Gurney*,
1798-1875) which will shed a lot of light on theatrical stars. In England, the first railroad to carry passengers opens between Stockton and Darlington. In America, Samuel Morse* (1791-1872) is busy being an artist and painting Portrait of
Lafayette. Soon he will get around to being an inventor. [He will invent the Morse code and a working magnetic telegraph by 1837.]
1826 - By this date in France even the Comedie Francaise* is using historically accurate settings for their productions.
1827 - The French Romantic* movement starts with a bang this year with the publication of Victor-Marie Hugo*'s (1802-85) Cromwell*. The play is impossible to produce as written (it would take six hours) but the preface to it becomes a rallying point for the advocates of romanticism, calling for abandoning the unities, mixing the genres and concentrating on historical settings for the plots. His main emphasis is on showing both the sublime spiritual and the grotesque animal nature in order to provide a more truthful picture of humanity. Well, the whole thing starts an uproar between romantics and classicists that will rage in Paris for the next three years.
An English company of Charles Kemble* comes to Paris to perform Shakespeare *. The Bard (Shakespeare* is referred to as the "Bard of Avon") is being widely read aloud and performed in France now which helps advance the position of the romantics.
1827 Heinrich Heine* (1797-1856,) a German Jewish lyric poet and literary critic is writing.
In England, Benjamin Disraeli* (1804-81,) later to be a big time politician, is busy being an author. He puts out his novel Vivian Grey* this year.
In Germany the composer, pianist and conductor, Felix Mendelssohn* (1809-47) is composing his Overture to "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Opus 21.
Still more about electricity is becoming known as George S. Ohm* (1787-1854) comes up with his law defining electrical current potential and resistance.
The ship's screw propeller is invented (by Joseph Ressel 1793-1857.) Transportation moves forward. 1828 In the United States the Federalist party has disappeared and the Jeffersonians have
divided into the National-Republicans, led by John Quincy Adams* (loser in this election) and the Democrat-Republicans led by Andrew Jackson* (who wins the presidential election.)
Noah Webster* (1758-1843) comes out with his American Dictionary of the English Language*.
Construction of the Baltimore and Ohio, the first American railroad for freight and passengers, is inaugurated this year.
In England the novelist (and later playwright) Edward George Bulwer-Lytton* (1803-73) comes out with his novel, Pelham*.
1828 - Another English troupe headed by William Charles Macready* performs Shakespeare* and romantic plays in Paris.
By this time the French are publishing prompt books that describe in detail all the special effects and scenery used for the current crop of melodramas* and romantic plays as well as other shows where spectacle is vital. They even tell how to get the same general effect by taking short cuts if your theatre doesn't have the equipment.
1829 The Cholera epidemic (from India) reaches parts of Austria, Poland, Germany and Sweden this year. They have never experienced this disease and the effects are traumatic. This same year also sees the invention of the achromatic microscope by Joseph Jackson Lister* (no, it's his son who will found antiseptic surgery later.) This new microscope gets rid of the aberrations that have prevented people from seeing clearly through earlier microscopes. These two events will lead to a radical approach to public health and state intervention by raising the doctor to a place of control over populations. The concern for discovering the mechanism by which disease spreads is particularly strong as cholera moves over Europe. In Paris 7000 die of cholera in eighteen days.
Geologic investigations are continuing and this year the Englishman, Charles Lyell*, publishes with his three volume Principles of Geology*. He attempts to reconstruct the history of earth with an 'adequate' time-scale. His conclusion is that the time frame involves millions of years. Much more will follow on this in the next period.
Jackson* is inaugurated as the seventh U.S. president.
In Mexico slavery is abolished. The Americban poet and story writer, Edgar Allen Poe* (1809-1849,) publishes some of his
first work this year (Tamerlane and Other Poems.) The first U.S. patent on a typewriter is granted (to William B. Burt of Detroit.) Also in America the religious society of Mormons or Latterday Saints is founded by Joseph
Smith and his friends at Fayette, N.Y. The composer and pianist, Frederic Chopin* (1810-1849,) has his professional debut in
Vienna as a piano virtuoso. In British India the custom of suttee* (burning the widow along with her dead husband) is
abolished. Unfortunately the practice does not disappear and is still with us today. In France the novelist Honore de Balzac* achieves his first success with a historical novel, Le
Dernier Chouan. 1829 - This year romantic plays are showing up at the Comedie Francaise*. Alexandre
Dumas, pere* (1802-70), who is better remembered now for his novels, brings out the first triumph of the French Romantic movement, Henri III et sa cour*. [He is called pere (father) to distinguish him from his illegitimate son of the same name who will be called fils (son).]
Marino Faliero*, by Casimir Delavigne (1793-1843), is only mildly romantic, retaining some of the neoclassical form. Since he is already a member of the French Academy*, this romantic effort is significant. The Moor of Venice*, by Alfred de Vigny*, is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello*. This is de Vigny*'s first attempt at playwrighting. He will produce two original plays, of which the second, Chatterton*, (1835) will be one of the great successes of the French Romantic period.
By this time the concern for historical accuracy dominates the production end of the French theatre.
1829 - In Russia Ducange*'s (Victor Henri Joseph Brahain, 1783-1833) French melodrama,* Thirty Years* is produced and sets off Russian enthusiasm for melodrama* and musical plays. Soon there will be Russian translations of Shakespeare* [Nikolai Polevoy*, a melodrama* writer, translates and adapts Hamlet* and its production in 1837 in Moscow is an event of tremendous importance. This production marks a turning point in Russian Romantic drama.] These translations and adaptations of Shakesperian tragedies will become an integral part of the repertories of companies in both capitals and in the provinces. In Russia classic tragedy is being replaced by romantic drama and Shakespeare* is definitely considered the peak of romanticism.
1830 - The most important author of the French Romantic movement shows up this year. Alfred de Musset* has a production of his A Venetian Night* and it flops. This discourages him so much that he gives up writing for production. Fortunately he does not stop writing and in 1847 his plays will start being performed. They will continue to be produced down to the present time. Musset* manages to fuse the new romantic drama with the classical tradition by 1830 - The most important author of the French Romantic movement shows up this year. Alfred de Musset* has a production of his A Venetian Night* and it flops. This discourages him so much that he gives up writing for production. Fortunately he does not stop writing and in 1847 his plays will start being performed. They will continue to be produced down to the present time. Musset* manages to fuse the new romantic drama with the classical tradition by
This year also marks the high point of the fight between romantics and classicists when Hugo*'s Hernani* goes on at the Comedie Francaise*. It is basically a melodrama* with an unhappy ending. The supporters of both sides get into a raging battle that drowns out the actors and continues for three nights. The battle is an important one since both sides realize that the future of the French stage depends on who wins. The romantics win. French Romanticism is usually dated from this event, but as you can see it has been going for a while. This production is actually the high water mark of the Romantic movement. It will gradually fade over the next ten years as the leading movement, but romanticism continues as a mainstream form.
1830 This year both Venezuela and Ecuador become independent. Serbia is a fully autonomous state. There is a revolution in Paris [Talleyrand* is involved in this one too] and Charles X*
abdicates. Louis Phillipe* (1773-1850) becomes the "Citizen King." Despite all this turmoil a French tailor comes up with the beginning of the sewing machine.
In England the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson* (1809-92) publishes some of his early work (Poems, Chiefly Lyrical.)
1830's - In Russia another romantic writer, Mikhail Lermontov* (1814-1841), is writing some plays along with his better known poetry.
1831 The cholera epidemic reaches England where it races through the urban populations. In two years 22,000 will die. This year the first Board of Health is set up in response to the epidemic. This event, together with the headlong changes brought on by the industrial revolution, will give rise to widespread social changes in England.
1834 - Musset* writes his tragic No Trifling With Love* and what is probably the finest historical drama of the century, Lorenzaccio*. His best known works also include: A Door Should Be Either Open or Shut*, Les Caprices de Marianne* , Fantasio*, It's Impossible To Think of Everything*, One Can Never Be Sure of Anything*, and The Decoy*.