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Nationalism in 19th-Century Opera

6 or 12 classes

Operas from Eastern Europe appear less often on Western stages, because of language, the relative unfamiliarity of their plots, or their special vocal requirements. But DVDs with English subtitles have bridged the gap and brought us some amazing productions. Composers to be sampled include Glinka, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostakovich, and Prokofiev in Russia, Dvorak, Smetana and Janacek in Czechoslovakia, Moniushko in Poland, and Bartok in Hungary. They too are the product of the great flowering of opera in the Romantic Era that gave us Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, and Strauss, and their rewards are no less compelling.

The 6-week class would feature Russian composers only.