MHST 316 - Studies in Opera: Opera and the Melodramatic Sublime

Next Offered: Spring Semester

Semester Offered: Second Semester
Full Course
Credits: 4 Credits
Attribute: CNDP/DDHU

Around 1750, opera began attracting significant criticism, for its entirely-sung texts were considered incomprehensible and a mere display of technical ability. Within two decades, a new music-theatrical genre, melodrama, emerged as operatic reform. As an alternation of spoken text and instrumental accompaniment, melodrama was originally considered so exotic that it might even replace opera. But melodramatic practices-especially its evocation of the sublime-were quickly co-opted by through-composed opera. This course investigates works such as Benda’s Ariadne auf Naxos, Mozart’s Zaide, Cherubini’s Les deux journées, Beethoven’s Fidelio, and Weber’s Der Freischütz to uncover opera and melodrama’s aesthetic and performative entanglements.

Enrollment Limit: 30
Instructor: A. Glatthorn

Consent of the Instructor Required: Yes
Prerequisites & Notes: MHST 101, and one MHST 200-level course