The Philharmonic Institute of the Count of Morphy and his Singing School in the Establishment of National Lyric Drama

Abstract

In late 1883, a number of musicians, sharing the same concerns regarding the regeneration of Spanish art, gathered together in a society in Madrid to found the Philharmonic Institute with the aim of offering musical training at the same level as other European centres. This article examines the individuals who, led by Count Morphy, participated in the Institute, and analyses their significant role in the struggle for a national art form. The regenerative nature of their educational project, compared to the teachings of the Conservatory of Madrid, is highlighted. In particular, the bel canto school run by Napoleón Verger helped to improve the standard of singing in Spain and to endow opera stages with renowned figures, thus paving the way for the establishment of Spanish lyric drama.