MHST 530A Topics in the 19th Century: Verdi
Verdi lived for nearly a century and in that remarkable span wrote 28 operas that reflect profound musical and social change. Why are Verdi's works still among the most performed in opera houses throughout the world? The answer to that question stimulates even more questions about opera history and aesthetics, economics, censorship, literary sources and the libretto, musical conventions, national styles, journalism and criticism, politics, and above all, passion. Individual classes will be devoted to early works; compositional practice; Verdi, the Risorgimento, and Censorship; Verdi's struggles with the genre of comedy; Verdi as a story-teller; Performance practice; Verdi's singers; staging, acting, and stagecraft; and problems of editing Verdi. We will spend several full classes looking closely at a single work. Readings, two short papers, frequent quizzes, class presentation. No midterm or final exam.