Invenzione timbrica e orchestrazione in Giulietta e Romeo di Riccardo Zandonai

This essay analyzes both the features of orchestration in Zandonai’s Giulietta e Romeo, and the strategies of timbral invention that involve not only the instruments but also the chorus: it is in fact subjected to different types of sound spatialization, contributing significantly to the timbral connotation of the opera. The aspect of timbral invention is investigated in its close relationship with the dramaturgy, specifically with the network of motivic relationships that contribute to the psychological connotation of the characters and the progress of the drama. Orchestration, therefore, also acts as an instrument of dramaturgical-musical continuity. In Zandonai’s orchestra, specifically in this opera, a dual aptitude is evident: on the one hand to sound painting, as can be seen in the introductory parts of all three Acts, and on the other hand to kinetic and gestural function, for example in the Intermezzo of Act Three.