Ópera y política en el México decimonónico: El caso de Amilcare Roncari

Abstract

The article analyzes the story of Amilcare Roncari, an Italian entrepreneur who organized several opera seasons in Mexico City and was arrested and taken to jail for defrauding subscribers at the beginning of the Reform War. The case illustrates the intricate networks of mutual support and frequent conflicts in 19th-century Mexico, between entrepreneurs and opera singers on the one hand and policy makers on the other. It is argued that the authorities knew that opera was a powerful symbol of civilization and progress and, therefore, often used it as a source of legitimacy. In return, they received substantial financial, legal and symbolic support from certain political institutions, both local and national.