LAS1050 - Opera Appreciation: Voice, Drama and Music

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

Semester 2

4 ECTS

Mode of Study

Part-Time Evening

The aim of this Unit is to familiarise students with the world of Opera. During this Unit one will broaden his/her general knowledge about Opera, and will start to appreciate more this genre that combines many art forms, including vocal art, drama, and music.

We will start from scratch, explaining the different styles opera went through time, and be able to understand the technical words used by the connoisseurs of opera. The aim of this exposition is to enrich the student’s understanding of the historical developments that opera underwent. This Unit will give the basic knowledge needed to appreciate the world of opera, and will give the opportunity to the student to identify from which operas come the most famous arias and opera tunes. This Unit is designed and aimed for those students who want to appreciate opera more, and want to fine-tune their understanding of tenor and soprano singing. To do so, this Unit will analyse the differences between these voices, and which plots and librettos inspired the best composers to write in this genre. This Unit will show how not all classical singing is opera, and other genres of vocal music, such as Oratorio, will also be briefly explained. The Unit is also intended to explain how one can identify audibly what makes an opera singer different from a pop singer or a folk singer.

Main Reading List

Handouts given by tutor.
Sadie, Stanley. The new Grove dictionary of opera. Oxford University Press, USA, 1992.
Macy, Laura Williams. The Grove book of opera singers. Oxford University Press, USA, 2008.
Grout, Donald Jay, and Hermine Weigel Williams. A short history of opera. Columbia University Press, 2003.
Parker, Roger. The Oxford illustrated history of opera. Oxford Paperbacks, 2001.

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This micro-credential is offered as part of the programme for the Liberal Arts and Sciences and will only be offered subject to a minimum number of applications received. More information can be found on the PLAS website.

Information for International applicants

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Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of the unit the student will be able to:

Describe the important stages in the history of Opera;
Understand the style of opera written in different times throughout history;
Explain the plots and librettos used for some of the most famous operas;
Explain and understand theatre etiquette.

Learning Outcomes: Skills

By the end of the unit the student will be able to:

Understand the key points in the history of opera;
Identify the different voice types (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone and Base) used by the composers;
Identify the different styles of opera;
Identify some of the most popular showstopper arias and tunes from the operatic world.

Non EU Applicants:

EUR180

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Micro-credentials offer the possibility of providing flexible learning pathways to respond to evolving needs and new developments, thus enabling students to tailor their studies to their needs. Micro-credentials may be combined or transferred into larger credentials, such as certificates, diplomas and degrees, provided that the relevant programme requirements are met. Applicants wishing to transfer micro-credentials to a programme of study are encouraged to seek the advice of the relevant academic entity.