French Literature Reviews - 2026
V. Anger, Berlioz and the Stage. Thinking the Theatrical Event
Theatre and Performance
Review published in Acta Fabula (October 2017, vol. 18, no. 8): "Dossier: The Conditions of Theatre: A State of the Art": Roxane Martin, Berlioz: Reformer of the Theatre of His Time?
Violaine Anger, Berlioz et la scène. Penser le fait théâtral
Paris, Librairie Philosophique J. Vrin, coll. "MusicologieS", 2017.
304 p.
EAN: 9782711627080
Price: 28 EUR
Publisher's Overview:
“Behold this body!” In the final scene of Romeo and Juliet, the Capulets and Montagues, rushing to the tomb, are faced with undeniable reality: this tragedy is the outcome of their futile fratricidal strife. In Hector Berlioz’s work, Friar Laurence points to the two lovers, horrified to see that “the blood is still smoking!” Yet there is no corpse on stage, since Romeo and Juliet exist entirely in the music. Nevertheless, everyone “sees” what is not physically there.
In doing so, Berlioz rediscovers a foundational principle of the theatre: not mere vision, but the belief in the “presence” of the absent. He is led to this through his music, as narrative and evocative as a novel, capable of bringing a world into being without any scenic support.
His works thus explore the very essence of theatrical embodiment: the dramatic role of music, the nature of the theatrical character, the expressive power of singing versus speech, and artistic emotion are all thoroughly rethought. The adventure of a lifetime—as much a chronological journey as a logical one—his stage oeuvre proves to be staggeringly innovative, anticipating the 21st century.
Violaine Anger, a member of POLART (Poetics and Politics of Art) and affiliated with the Centre for Comparative Studies and Research on Creation, teaches at the University of Évry Val d’Essonne and the École Polytechnique.
This volume contributes to the scholarly understanding of nineteenth-century French music and dramatic arts, engaging with broader discussions on how musical composition intersects with theatrical representation. Studies in this field frequently examine the tension between auditory storytelling and visual staging, particularly within Romantic aesthetics where orchestral works often adopted narrative ambitions comparable to literature. Violaine Anger's analysis reflects these disciplinary intersections, focusing on the ways in which musical scores can summon dramatic situations and characters without relying on traditional stage machinery or physical scenery.
Readers interested in nineteenth-century music history, operatic staging, and the theoretical dimensions of musical dramaturgy may find this publication relevant to their research.