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12 or 6 classes
The poster above suggests a period romp; the images on the right suggest something different—and different also from each other. All of Mozart’s later operas—Idomeneo, The Abduction from the Seraglio, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, and The Magic Flute—contain passages of music drama that are miracles in themselves. But the biggest miracle may be how this one composer reentered the opera repertoire nearly a century ago, and has continued to inspire directors ever since with different interpretations of his insights, each reflecting our own times as well as those of the composer. This course will look at the major operas in modern videos, pointing out their musical riches, but also sampling the range of production concepts that Mozart inspires. The 12-week course would enable us to study more operas, and to spread some of them over more than one class session.