Émile Zola and Music: The Relationship between Literature and Opera in Late 19th-Century France: Minoru NODA
Abstract
Émile Zola, a representative French naturalist writer of the late 19th century, was more than just a novelist. Recent research has focused on his collaboration with opera composer Alfred Bruneau, and his musical criticism has become a new topic of research.
As a young man, Zola viewed Jacques Offenbach as a hypothetical enemy, symbolizing the decadence of the Second Empire. In novels such as Nana, Zola critically portrayed the operetta composer’s works as a kind of parody. This presentation reexamines Émile Zola’s critical descriptions of music and analyzes how the novelist portrays musical art in his own works. Through an overview of each period in the author’s creative journey, I will consider the relationship between late 19th-century naturalist literature and opera and musical theater.
Event Outline
- Time and Date: February 7th (Sat.) 2026, 16:30 – 18:00 (JST)
- Format: Online meeting (Zoom)
- Presenter: Minoru NODA
- Affiliation: Waseda University
- Moderator: Misato OCHIAI
- Language: Japanese
- Organized by: Waseda Institute for Research in Opera and Music Theatre (WIROM), Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University
Profile of Presenter
Following studies at the Graduate School of Letters of Kyoto University and at Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris III (2012–2016), Minori NODA submitted his doctoral thesis on urban landscapes and urban representations as depicted in Zola’s novels, completing the requirements for a doctorate in March 2020. In 2021, he assumed his current position at the School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University. The current focus of his research is on French naturalist writers, notably Émile Zola, with a broader interest in the relationship between symbolism and naturalism in late 19th-century France and its connection to contemporary scientific and philosophical thought.
Registration
Registration is required by February 6th (Fri.) for online participants. Please complete your registration via the provided URL.
https://list-waseda-jp.zoom.us/meeting/register/5mFAFYpGRoGr8i1KfrQflA
*Please show your full name on the display, mute yourself, and turn off the video, except when talking; refrain from taking screenshots, recordings, etc., and follow the moderator’s instructions.
Contact
Waseda Institute for Research in Opera and Music Theatre (WIROM), Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University: https://prj-opera-mt.w.waseda.jp/
e-mail address: operaken-uketsuke[at]list.waseda.jp ([at] = @)
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