ABSTRACT
Despite such choices as Handle’s Zadok the Priest underscoring the coronation, in 1492, of Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander Sextus, this chapter offers a reappraisal of the pre-existent music in Showtime’s The Borgias (2011), arguing against accusations of anachronism within the series. Instead, it argues that, within the interplay of historical and generic norms, an understanding of the historical and cultural associations of the show’s pre-existent music can give a new understanding of the narrative focus of the first episode and series as a whole. From the perspective of this case study, broader questions regarding the impact of historical music on screen are discussed.
