Not offered 2007-2008
MUS 106 Opera
An introduction to the history of opera, from the genre's birth c. 1600 to the present. At various points in its 400-year development, opera has been considered the highest synthesis
of the arts, a vehicle for the social elite, or a form of popular entertainment. Opera's position
in European cultural history will be a primary focus of our inquiry. We will also study the
intriguing relationship between text and music, aspects of performance and production, and
the artistic and social conventions of the operatic world. The multidimensional nature of
opera invites a variety of analytical and critical perspectives, including those of music
analysis, literary studies, feminist interpretations, and political and sociological approaches.
Works to be considered include operas by Monteverdi, Lully, Charpentier, Handel, Gluck,
Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, Wagner, Bizet, Puccini, Strauss, Berg, Britten, and Glass.
This course may involve a trip to the Metropolitan Opera.
Format: lecture/discussion. Evaluation will be based on a midterm, a brief paper, a 10-page
paper, and a final exam.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 35.
W. A. SHEPPARD