If music in general is an imitation of history, opera in particular is an imitation of human willfulness; it is rooted in the fact that we not only have feelings but insist upon having them at whatever cost to ourselves. The quality common to all the great operatic roles, e.g., Don Giovanni, Norma, Lucia, Tristan, Isolde, Br?nnhilde, is that each of them is a passionate and willful state of being. In real life they would all be bores, even Don Giovanni.

Summary

This quote suggests that while music imitates history, opera specifically imitates the stubborn nature of human will. It highlights the idea that opera is driven by our insistence on experiencing intense emotions, regardless of the personal consequences involved. The quote also points out that the central characteristic of great operatic roles is their passionate and determined essence. However, it emphasizes that if these characters were to exist in real life, they would be uninteresting individuals, even someone as charismatic as Don Giovanni.

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