Tableaux Vivants

From Beethoven by Laura Turnbridge

Musical culture in the early-nineteenth-century Vienna readily mixed what would now be thought of as high art and more lowly forms of entertainment. For example, there was a fashion, in the years prior to hte revision of Fidelio, for presenting tableaux vivants at venues such as the Kartnertortheater.  These were 'living pictures', paintings or scenes re-created on stage with real people replacing the original figures. Poses were held either in between or for the duration of muiscal performances or dramatic readings. Thus the Viennese premier of Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto by Carl Czerny took place on the same programme as three tableaux vivants based on paintings by Raphael, Nicholas Poussin and Franz de Troes.  Movements from the Second, Third and Fourth symphonies were used on other occassions.  Such tableaux were more than just opportunities for dressing up (although that was admittedly a large part of their appeal for particiapnts, as they often featured men in military attire assisting swooing women in fetching costumes). By adding iimages to Beehoven's music they guided listeners...

Opera, also, made use of tableaux; indeed, it was a common feature of French revolutionary operas.  Cherubini in particular was prone to extend choral conclusions that froze the cast in suspeneded animation.  The action then became musical.  There are several such moments in Fidelio, the libretto of which, commentators have often pointed out, makes repeated referenc to the word 'moment' (Augenblick).  Pizarro relishes the thoughts of Florestan's demise with the aria "ha! Wlech" ein Augenblick!" ("Ha! What a moment!") whichs that Leonrore echoes and subverts as she is given permission to release Florestan from his chains (O Gott! Welch' ein Augenblick!) The other characdters and the chorus pick up the same phrasee and convert it into a musical and dramatic tableaux.