Starting in early 17th-century Florence and focusing on the works of key composers from Monteverdi and Cavalli to Rossini, Verdi and Puccini, among others, this day course follows the development of the opera in Italy and beyond from its first masterpieces to the 20th century.
A Brief History of Italian Opera
A History of French Opera
One of the most frequently performed operas in the world is Bizet’s Carmen. In this course we explore the evolution of opera in France from the creation of the tragédie lyrique and opéra ballet by Lully at the glittering court of Louis XIV; through the works of Rameau to the French ‘reform’ operas of Gluck in the 18th century. We also discuss the developments during the 19th century, with works by Berlioz, Massenet and Debussy, among others.
A History of Germanic Opera
German & Austrian operas are without doubt some of the most dramatic and exciting musical genres. During this course we focus on the development of opera from the Baroque era and the works of Telemann, to the great achievements of Mozart at the end of the 18th century; and in the next century, from Beethoven’s Fidelio, to the Wagnerian music dramas, the works of Richard Strauss and the modernistic output of Schoenberg and Alban Berg.
A Selected Discography:
Anne Sofie Von Otter Sings Baroque Arias
Drama Queens ~ Joyce DiDonato, mezzo
Hasse Opera Arias ~ Max Emanuel Cencic
Mozart: Arias ~ Emma Kirkby, soprano
Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail ~ John Eliot Gardiner, cond.
The Art of the Prima Donna ~ Joan Sutherland, soprano
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (highlights) ~ Otto Klemperer, cond.
Mozart: Die Zauberflote ~ Harnoncourt, cond.
Beethoven : Fidelio [Highlights] – Nikolaus Harnoncourt, cond.
Romantic Arias ~ Jonas Kaufmann, tenor
The Unforgotten Lucia Popp, soprano
Weber : Der Freischutz. Harnoncourt, cond.
My Heart Alone – Favourite Operetta Arias
Natalie Dessay ~ Miracle of the Voice
Wagner: An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Twilight Of The Gods – The Ultimate Wagner Ring Collection
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde [Highlights]
Romantic Arias: Jonas Kaufmann, tenor
Dame Gwyneth Jones sings Wagner
Deborah Voigt, sop. Strauss, R; Wagner – Arias & Scenes
Pavarotti: King of the High C’s
R Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (highlights)
Czech Opera: from Smetana to Martinu
As part of the musical nationalism that spread through 19th-century Europe, opera was a key factor in Czech independence. During this course we explore some of the most influential operas of the era: from Smetana’s The Bartered Bride and Dvorak’s Rusalka, to the dramatic works of Janacek and Martinu.
Discovering the Operetta
Starting with Mozart’s Singspiel and continuing with the 19th-century development of this most lively and enjoyable operatic tradition, we discover some of the great works of Johan Strauss II & III, Offenbach, von Suppé, Messeger, Lehár and Arthur Sullivan, among others. In addition, we explore the Spanish form of the genre, the zarzuela, and Bernstein’s American operetta Candide.
A Selected Discography:
Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail. John Eliot Gardiner, cond.
Coloratura Spectacular. Joan Sutherland, Sumi Jo & Marilyn Horne
A Portrait of Frederica von Stade, mezzo
Recital: Frederica von Stade (Offenbach, etc)
Offenbach: Orpheus in the Underworld/La Belle Helene (Highlights)
Offenbach: Orpheus in der Unterwelt – Highlights
Natalie Dessay ~ Miracle of the Voice
Golden Operetta ~ Lehar, Strauss, Offenbach
Johann Strauss: Die Fledermaus
The Very Best of Fritz Wunderlich, tenor
Dunkelrote Rosen ~ Rene Kollo, tenor
Jerry Hadley & Thomas Hampson; Operatic Duets
My Heart Alone – Favourite Operetta Arias. Kirchschlager/Keenlyside
Barroco Espanol Vol.2 “Ay Amor” Zarzuelas. Al Ayre Espanol
Nebra – Arias de Zarzuelas. Maria Bayo, sop.
Habanera ~ Elina Garanca, mezzo
English Opera: from Restoration Masques to the present day
Explore the development of opera in England, from the 17th-century masques and semi-operas of Blow and Purcell, to the London operas of Handel and Arne; via the 19th-century operas of Balfe to the modernistic outlook of Britten, Tippett and beyond.
The Greatest Female Opera Singers
Rediscover some of the greatest recordings of the famous sopranos, mezzo-sopranos and contraltos of the 20th century and of today. The course includes extracts from interviews and biographies of the most celebrated female singers of recent times, as well as glorious music from the operatic stage and the concert platform: from Callas and Sutherland to Kirkby and von Otter, among many others.
The Greatest Male Opera Singers
Rediscover some of the greatest recordings of the famous tenors, baritones and basses of the 20th century and of today. The course will include extracts from interviews and biographies of the most celebrated male singers of recent times, as well as glorious music from the operatic stage and the concert platform: from Caruso and Pavarotti to Raimondi and Van Dam, among many others.
Handel Operas
From the time George Frideric Handel settled in London, and for a major part of his working life in the capital, he concentrated most of his efforts on producing Italian Operas for the King’s Theatre on the Haymarket. During this course we will explore his role as composer of opera seria and impresario, his struggles with the famous castrati and the infamous prima donnas, as wel as exploring some of his best vocal dramatic output.
A Selected Discography:
Drama Queens. Joyce DiDonato, mezzo
Anne Sofie Von Otter Sings Baroque Arias
Handel – Opera Arias & Cantatas. MarÃa Bayo, sop.
Baroque Opera Arias. Carolyn Watkinson, mezzo.
Mark Padmore – As steals the morn (Handel arias & scenes for tenor)
Handel: Arias for Montagnana. David Thomas, bass.
‘Ah! mio cor’ Handel: Arias. Magdalena Kozena, mezzo.
The History of Opera Part I & II
Starting in early 17th-century Florence and focusing on the works of key composers from Monteverdi and Cavalli to Handel, Gluck and Mozart, and to 19th-century grand opera, this course follows the development of the genre from its first masterpieces. We explore the worlds of opera seria and opera buffa, while enjoying musical examples from the greatest composers.
A Selected Discography:
La Pellegrina. 1589 Intermedi. Andrew Parrot, cond.
Montiverdi’s L’Orfeo. G Garrido, cond.
Monteverdi: L’Incoronazione di Poppea (Concerto Vocale/Rene Jacobs)
Lully: Les Divertissements de Versailles
Lully: Atys (Les Arts Florissants/William Christie)
Handel – Opera Arias & Cantatas. MarÃa Bayo, sop.
‘Ah! mio cor’ Handel: Arias. Magdalena Kozena, mezzo.
Mark Padmore – As steals the morn (Handel arias & scenes for tenor)
Handel;Arias for Montagnana. David Thomas, bass.
Ombre De Mon Amant – French Baroque Arias. Anne Sophie von Otter
Rameau – Pygmalion (Les Arts Florissants/William Christie)
Baroque Opera Arias: Carolyn Watkinson
Mozart: Arias. Vasselina Kasarova, mezzo. Sir Colin Davis, cond.
Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail / Abduction from the Seraglio
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro
Bryn Terfel sings Tutto Mozart!
Diana Damrau ~ Arie di Bravura (Mozart, Salieri, Righini)
Rossini: L’italiana in Algeri (highlights)
Rossini Three Tenors – Ford . Matteuzzi . Austin Kelly
Rossini: Colbran, The Muse; Joyce DiDonato, mezzo.
Bravissimo – Best of Bel Canto
Pavarotti – King of the High Cs
Bellini: Norma. Gruberova/Garanca/Machado/Miles
Bel Canto. Marcelo Alvarez, tenor
Jerry Hadley & Thomas Hampson; Operatic Duets
Donizetti & Bellini Arias. Juan Diego Florez, tenor
Coloratura Spectacular. Sutherland, Horne, Jo
Natalie Dessay ~ Miracle of the Voice
The Best Opera Album In The World Ever
Italy and the Birth of Opera
Explore how in the great cultural centres of Northern Italy a new fusion of music and drama was created at the turn of the 17th century.
Italian Opera: from Rossini to Puccini
From the premiere of The Barber of Seville in 1816 to Turandot in 1926, the whole repertoire of Italian opera comprises 110 years of inexhaustible melody and effortless invention. This period is understood as Italian opera’s Golden Century. During this course we explore the works of the bel canto composers, the dramatic developments of Verdi, and the verismo school.
A Selected Bibliography:
The Golden Century of Italian Opera from Rossini to Puccini
New Looks at Italian Opera: Essays in Honour of Donald J. Grout.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Opera
The Lives Of The Great Composers: Third Edition
Verdi (The Master Musicians S.)
A Selected Discography:
Bravissimo – The Best of Bel Canto
Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia
Rossini: Colbran, The Muse. Joyce DiDonato, mezzo
Juan Diego Flórez – Rossini Arias
Rossini Three Tenors – Bruce Ford, William Matteuzzi, Paul Austin Kelly
The Art of the Prima Donna. Joan Sutherland, sop.
Coloratura Spectacular: Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne & Sumi Jo
Operatic Duets: Jerry Hadley, tenor & Thomas Hampson, baritone
Pavarotti – King of the High Cs
Maria Callas: Rossini & Donizetti Arias
Natalie Dessay ~The Miracle of the Voice
Juan Diego Flórez: Donizetti & Bellini Arias
Bel Canto ~ Marcelo Alvarez, tenor
Maria Callas: Verdi Arias, Vol. 1
Maria Callas: Verdi Arias, Vol. 2
Modern Opera: from Schoenberg to Adès
Modern opera began at the same time as recording technology and would change dramatically from its previous 300 years of history, owing partly to the influences of the atonal movement. It also began to address the complexities of modern life and the new sounds of the urban landscape. During this course we explore the development of opera in the 20th century through the works of Schoenberg, Berg, Stravinsky, Britten and Philip Glass, among others.
Operas from the Met
During this course we explore ten individual operas from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. The operas will be broadcast live in HD on Saturday afternoons at local cinema theatres, as well as on BBC Radio 3. Every Met season includes a variety of operas ranging from bel canto to verismo, 18th-century works, etc.
The Operas of Monteverdi
The first masterpiece of opera is Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, composed in 1607 for the court of Mantua. It is very different in aesthetic from his two other surviving operas, created thirty years later to entertain audiences in the first public opera houses in Venice. All three works are explored in this course, along with insights from a performer’s point of view.
The Operas of Mozart & Da Ponte
One of the most fruitful musical concurrences existed in late 18th-century Vienna between W A Mozart and librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. The resulting three masterpieces, namely The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan tutte, have delighted audiences ever since. During this course we explore this fascinating collaboration while enjoying music from some of the greatest Mozart operas.
A Selected Bibliography:
‘Lorenzo Da Ponte: The Man Who Wrote Mozart’ by Anthony Holden
‘Lorenzo Da Ponte’ by Rodney Bolt
‘The Faber Pocket Guide to Mozart’ by Nicholas Kenyon
‘Mozart’s Women’ by Jane Glover
‘Who’s Who in Mozart’s Operas’ by Joachim Kaiser
‘Mozart the Dramatist’ by Brigid Brophy
A Selected Discography:
Diana Damrau ~ Arie di Bravura (Mozart, Salieri, Righini)
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro. Vittorio Gui, cond.
Le Nozze Di Figaro. Harnoncourt, cond.
A Portrait of Frederica von Stade
Le Nozze Di Figaro. Östman, cond.
Bryn Terfel sings Tutto Mozart!
Mozart – Arias / Magdalena Kozená , Rattle
Recital: Janet Baker. Mozart Arias
Mozart: Don Giovanni. Harnoncourt, cond.
Puccini and la giovane scuola
From the 1890s until his death in 1924, Puccini was the leading figure in the ‘Young School’ of Italian opera composers who inherited the mantle from the ‘grand old maestro’ Verdi and developed the verismo school: operas that represented ‘real’ life.
Russian Opera: from Glinka to Shostakovich
Emerging as a reaction to the influence of imported European culture into Russia, a nationalistic Russian opera school began in the 1830s. With a distinctly patriotic and romantic style, opera was influenced by the national history, religion and folklore. During this course we explore the works of Glinka and Mussorgsky, the romantic operas of Tchaikovsky, and the developments of Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Shostakovich.
The Voice
Can you tell your Spinto soprano from your Soubrette? Do you know your Spieltenor from your Heldentenor? Or your Cavalier from your Basso-profondo? Learn about the different voices and their repertoire, and explore the fascinating world of the Voice.
A Selected Bibliography
‘The Art of Auditioning: A Handbook for Singers’ by Anthony Legge
‘Bel Canto Principles and Practices’ by Cornelius Reid
‘The Tenor: History of a Voice’ by John Potter
Caruso and Tetrazzini On the Art of Singing
Diva: Great Sopranos and Mezzos Discuss Their Art
Bravo: Today’s Great Tenors, Baritones and Basses Discuss Their Roles
‘A History of Singing’ by John Potter
A Selected Discography
Mozart – Cosi fan Tutte. Sigiswald Kuijken, cond.
French Opera Arias. Natalie Dessay, soprano
Natalie Dessay ~ The Miracle of the Voice
Famous Operatic Arias. Edita Gruberova, soprano
Coloratura Spectacular: Joan Sutherland, Sumi Jo, Marilyn Horne
The Art of the Prima Donna: Joan Sutherland
The Best Opera Album In The World Ever
Diana Damrau ~ Arie di Bravura (Mozart, Salieri, Righini)
Handel: Arne – Arias. Dame Emma Kirkby, soprano
Maria Callas – Verdi Arias, Vol. 1
Strauss, R; Wagner – Arias & Scenes. Deborah Voigt, sop
Mozart: Idomeneo. Pavarotti, Gruberova, Baltsa, Popp, Nucci
R Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (highlights)
Twilight Of The Gods – The Ultimate Wagner Ring Collection
Rossini: Colbran, the Muse. Joyce DiDonato, mezzo
Baroque Recital. Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo
A Portrait of Frederica von Stade, mezzo
Britten: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Duetti: Philippe Jaroussky/Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenors
Rokoko – Hasse Opera Arias. Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor
Handel: Lucrezia -Cantates pour alto solo. Gérard Lesne, countertenor
Wolkenstein: Songs of Myself – Andreas Scholl, countertenor, baritone
Rossini – Franco Fagioli, countertenor
Rameau: Pygmalion, Nélée et Myrthis
Vivaldi: Arie per tenore. Topi Lehtipuu, tenor
The Three Baroque Tenors ~ Ian Bostridge
As Steals the Morn: Handel arias & scenes for tenor. Mark Padmore
Mozart: Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail. Gardiner, cond.
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (Norrington, London Classical Players)
The Very Best of: Fritz Wunderlich, tenor
Rossini Three Tenors: Bruce Ford, William Matteuzzi & Paul Austin Kelly
Juan Diego Flórez – Rossini Arias
Luciano Pavarotti – King of the High Cs
Rossini: L’italiana in Algeri (highlights)
Bel Canto: Marcelo Alvarez, tenor
Romantic Arias: Jonas Kaufmann, tenor
My Heart Alone – Favourite Operetta Arias. Keenlyside & Kirchschlager
Bravissimo – Best of Bel Canto
Jerry Hadley & Thomas Hampson; Operatic Duets
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (highlights). Klemperer, cond.
Bryn Terfel sings Tutto Mozart!
Wagner : Tristan Und Isolde [Highlights]. Barenboim, cond.
Ravel: L’enfant et les sortilèges. Simon Rattle, cond.
Strauss, J.: Die Fledermaus. André Previn, cond.
Beethoven: Fidelio [Highlights]. Nikolaus Harnoncourt, cond.
A Musical Pilgrimage to Santiago
Discover the music inspired by one of the most important pilgrimage routes in the world.
