| CODE | MSP3265 | |||||||||
| TITLE | History of Opera and Mozart | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Music Studies | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit will be focused on Mozart's Da Ponte Operas: Don Giovanni, Cosi' Fan Tutte and Le Nozze di Figaro and their place in the history of Opera. These operas will be understood as an artistic and historical reflection on the change in operatic art that was in the offing from the 18th to the 19th century. Study-unit Aims: The study-unit aims to introduce the student to the operatic genre and specific works by Mozart written in collaboration with the librettist Lorenzo da Ponte. Students will explore a variety of issues such as dramatic and musical conventions, performance practice, reception history, and the role of performers in the creation of works. Attention will be also given to the position, function, and meaning of opera in society at different times and places. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: i) know the stylistic frame; ii) understand the dramatic concept; ii) assess the characterisation of the various roles in the Da Ponte operas. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: i) understand the relation between text and music and to improve the personal aesthetic judgement regarding interpretation and singing techniques; ii) comprehend the libretti and their setting to music in the social and political context of the time; iii) define art in an inner context. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: 1) Roger Parker, ed., The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994). Paperback ISBN: 9780192854452. 2) John A. Rice, Mozart on the Stage (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009). Paperback ISBN: 978052106612. 3) Piero Weiss, Opera: A History in Documents (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002). Paperback ISBN: 9780195116380. 4) Andrew Steptoe, The Mozart Da Ponte Operas - the Social and cultural background (available on request from lecturer) 5) Muzik Konzepte Mozart the Da Ponte Operas - special volume (available on request from lecturer) 6) Gernot Gruber, Mozart und die Nachwelt (Mozart and the period after) (available on request from lecturer) |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite qualifications: No qualifications are required but students are expected to familiarise themselves with the Da Ponte Operas libretti. | |||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Seminar | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | John Galea |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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