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The Witches and the Witch: Verdi's Macbeth

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Albright_Witches.pdf (1005.1 KB)

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2005

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10.1017/S0954586706002059

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Cambridge University Press
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Albright, Daniel. 2005. The witches and the witch: Verdi's Macbeth. Cambridge Opera Journal 17(3): 225-252.

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Abstract

The witches in Shakespeare’s Macbeth equivocate between the demons of random malevolence and ordinary (if exceptionally nasty) old women; and both King James I, whose book on witchcraft may have influenced Shakespeare, and A. W. Schlegel, whose essay on Macbeth certainly influenced Verdi, also stress this ambiguity. In his treatment of Lady Macbeth, Verdi uses certain musical patterns associated with the witches; and like the witches, who sound sometimes tame and frivolous, sometimes like incarnations of supernatural evil, Lady Macbeth hovers insecurely between roles: she is a hybrid of ambitious wife and agent of hell.

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http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:2623546

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As a high school English teacher and Department Chair working to elevate text complexity of material we provide to our students, it is frustrating to find the perfect article, only to be barred because the material isn't openly available. While we can purchase some materials, the best teaching occurs when we can respond to class interests and not simply expect to recycle what we already own or can afford to pay for. The Open Access at Harvard is proving invaluable on several levels: all students, regardless of their interest in school, seem drawn to the mystique of a Harvard article, and I am invariably able to find relevant, engaging material with a challenging text complexity. Thank you!
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I am writing a talk for a local club for the appreciation of opera (in Norwich, England, about Shakespeare and Verdi and MacBeth. I am using this source to help me understand more about the role of witches in the play and the opera and gain additional insights which could be of interest to my audience. It is wonderful to be able to access scholarship in this way. Thank you
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The Witches and the Witch: Verdi's… : DASH Story 2016-01-02
This stellar novel has given me the oppurtunity to further analyse the witches in Macbeth. This article that I read is an amazing article revolving around the aspects of witches in Macbeth. I am very grateful to Daniel Albright for creating such an exquisite piece of literature. I am using this article for further research in my grade 11 English class and it has definitely helped me a lot. Thank you so much!