‘Ad arbitrio dei cantanti’. Vocal cadenzas and ornamentation in early nineteenth-century opera

This paper focuses on the vocal cadenzas and other improvisational and variative practices in early nineteenth century Italian Opera. In an era in which singers were free to change the musical text written by the composer, the practice of adding and improvising cadenzas and ornamentations – the so-called «cangiamenti» [changes] – recommended by singing treatises and appreciated by music lovers, was widespread. Therefore, the Text, especially in pieces as solo arias, and in some passages, continued to have a weak status compared with the Performance Practice, that is the execution, which differed every time. Moreover, this improvised or semi-improvised practice is documented not only in famous singing treatises, like those by Manuel Garcia and Laure Cinti-Damoreau, but also in singers’ notebooks and performance materials.