| Sex, seduction, murder, deceit, infidelity, betrayal, jealousy, impersonation, thievery, evil spirits: the stuff of opera. Opera scares some. The "O" word can conjure up visions of corpulent people on stage singing at each other for hours on end. Yet, what is opera: a curious sort of mega art form, a sublime means of musical and dramatic expression or an expensive luxury void of relevance in today's popular culture? This seminar will examine the works of 5 great composers of opera: Purcell, Mozart, Wagner, Verdi and Berg. Then to get an idea of what goes into a performance of opera, students will be witnessing the preparation of the Duke Symphony Orchestra's March production of Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte," and in contact with the professional guest artists joining us (NO PRIOR MUSICAL EXPERIENCE NECESSARY). This is all planned with the hope of unlocking some of the mysteries and fun of "drama per musica." |
