Pavilions, Serpents, and High Cs: European and Asian Opera
Opera is often regarded as one of the highest forms of dramatic art, a product of the creative collaboration between composer and librettist, cultural idiom, and dramatic narrative. When Mozart, Monteverdi, Puccini, and Asian composers came together with their librettist counterparts, provocative operas came into being. In this seminar we will study operatic ventures from the early baroque and Mozart, to traditional music theater pieces from China and Southeast Asia. We will delve into issues of prosody and word painting through analysis. We will also engage in discussions, research, and creative projects in the form of song writing, to explore how opera comes about and its place in our culture. While a significant portion of your work will be viewing, listening to, and understanding these great pieces, special attention will be given to related assignments. These assignments will be given throughout the semester in the various disciplines that come together in operas. They may take the form of response and research papers, creative writing, composing, or combinations of these. We will have informal presentations of your creative work in class and if feasible, gather them in a public performance late in the semester. (Ability to read music and perform an instrument or voice recommended). 3 hrs. sem.