Sex, Love and Betrayal in the Italian Opera Tradition

This course will look at Italian Opera from Monteverdi to Puccini. Each opera will be analyzed from a purely musical aspect and within the historical context of its composition. Some of the topics discussed will be: opera seria, opera buffa, castrati, verismo, and the enormous contribution of non-Italian composers (such as Mozart) to the patrimony of Italian Opera. With the aid of a professional opera singer present at all lessons it will be possible to sing through selected arias and get a better feel for the music through live performance. Students will be encouraged to participate in the singing as much as possible. Reading and listening materials will be distributed by the professor.