Politics, music and cosmopolitism: the operatic output of Joseph Poniatowski (1816–1873) in its social and political contexts

Joseph (Giuseppe or Józef) Poniatowski (1816–1873), Polish prince, singer, opera composer and politician, spent all his life abroad: firstly in Italy, then in France and, finally, in England. His artistic output comprises twelve operas composed between 1839 and 1872; nine of them to Italian and three to French texts. Being an amateur composer, he notwithstanding succeeded in staging his operas in many operatic theatres of renown, including La Scala, Covent Garden, Teatro San Carlo, Teatro La Fenice and the Paris Opéra. The paper presents the composer’s output in the social and political contexts of his times. Prince Poniatowski started his international career as a plenipotentiary minister of Tuscany in Paris, London and Brussels; then he settled down in Paris and became a French citizen and even a French senator. He enjoyed the close friendship of Napoleon III with whom he went into exile to England after the Sedan defeat. In all of his three domiciles he presented his operas to the audiences. However, as shown by the press reviews, their reception changed from appreciation to indifference, which was caused by the different political and social backgrounds in the particular countries