Arti musices, Vol. 53 No. 1, 2022.
Prethodno priopćenje
https://doi.org/10.21857/y54jofv84m
Scholarly Historiography and Licentia Poetica: the Relationship Between the Historical and Fictional Narratives in the Libretto of the Opera Nikola Šubić Zrinjski by Ivan Zajc
Petra Babić
orcid.org/0000-0001-6405-6204
Sažetak
The article examines similarities and differences between historiographical works on the topic of Nikola Zrinski and the batt le of Szigetvár and the libretto of opera Nikola Šubić Zrinjski. By analysing historiography from the 16th to the 19th century it is concluded that the narrative on Nikola Zrinski was not uniform, but encountered alternations. However, those alternations were not substantial and did not change its merit, what’s more, they were made by contemporaries of the events and can thus be deemed plausible. As early as 1567, Francis Črnko, Zrinski›s chamberlain and surviving member of Szigetvár›s crew, published his testimony Podsjedanje i osvojenje Sigeta (The siege and capture of Szigetvár) in which he gave a detailed account of the events during the siege and the course of the final battle. Over the course of next 60 years, Franciscus Forgách introduced the information that sultan Suleyman first offered Zrinski rule over Croatia if he would surrender Szigetvár, and then threatened to torture and kill his son if he refused to do so; and Nikola Istvánffy added the information the sultan had died during the siege and that the Grand Visier Sokolović withheld that information from the army so that it wouldn’t lose its combat morale.
From then to the 19th century, the narrative experienced no changes or additions – and even then Matija Mesić only emphasized (historically exaggerated) Croatian patriotism that he claimed Zrinski and his crew felt. The opera is almost fully consistent with the historiographical information (brought by Črnko, but also Forgách and Istvánffy) on the course of events, containing only two significant elements that differ from it – namely, Mehmed Sokolović coming to Szigetvár to negotiate (which had its inter-dramatic reasons) and the presence of Eva and Jelena in the besieged town (which added another layer of emotion and patriotism to the opera). In the libretto, emotionally most impactful historiographical elements, those that accentuated courage, perseverance and patriotism of Zrinski and his crew (such as the oath to defend the town and each other to the last breath that they took; Zrinski refusing to surrender the city, not exchanging it nor for the government over Croatia, nor to save his son’s life; and the heroic final charge they performed) were strongly emphasized. The libretto formed in such a manner, and performed in the period of post-Ausgleich discontent, met its rousing goal to the full extent, reminding the audience of the Croatian glorious past and igniting their patriotism.
Ključne riječi
Nikola Šubić Zrinjski; historiography; opera libretto; historical reality; collective memory
Hrčak ID:
280383
URI
Datum izdavanja:
14.7.2022.
Posjeta: 1.139 *