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The University of Western Ontario Department of Modern Languages and Literatures 1 ITA 2243B Italian Opera: Words and Music Winter 2016 Dr. Maria Laura Mosco [email protected] https://westernuitalian.wordpress.com/category/events/ (Unofficial Blog of the Italian Program) Anti-requisites: none Course description: What do pop music, soap opera, videogames and Italian opera have in common?…Love, death, desire, honour, betrayal, power. In Italian Opera: Words and Music student will learn the linguistic and literary specificity of Italian libretti, while exploring the major themes of riveting Italian operas. This course will investigate some major Italian libretti in the operatic repertoire from the birth of this genre to nowadays, looking in particular at their stylistic and linguistic differences. The exploration of the historical, political, and cultural context in general, will provide students with the necessary background to fully comprehend the development of the form of the libretto since its appearance in theatrical performances in Italian courts in the sixteenth century. The investigation of the interplay among librettists, composers, impresarios, singers, critics, and last but not least, the audience, will have a pivotal role in understanding the evolution of the genre. Questions such as literary dignity of the libretti, poetry vs music and the role of the audience, the changing role of the librettists through time, and the dispute variation vs adaptation will be addressed. The relation with video gaming and advertising will also be discussed.

ITA 2243B Italian Opera- Words and Music Syllabus 2243B Syllabus … · ITA 2243B Italian Opera: ... Course description: What do pop music, soap opera, videogames and Italian opera

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The University of Western Ontario Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

 

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ITA 2243B Ital ian Opera: Words and Music

Winter 2016 Dr. Maria Laura Mosco

[email protected]

https://westernuitalian.wordpress.com/category/events/

(Unofficial Blog of the Italian Program) Anti-requisites: none

Course description: What do pop music, soap opera, videogames and Italian opera have in common?…Love, death, desire, honour, betrayal, power. In Italian Opera: Words and Music student will learn the linguistic and literary specificity of Italian libretti, while exploring the major themes of riveting Italian operas. This course will investigate some major Italian libretti in the operatic repertoire from the birth of this genre to nowadays, looking in particular at their stylistic and linguistic differences. The exploration of the historical, political, and cultural context in general, will provide students with the necessary background to fully comprehend the development of the form of the libretto since its appearance in theatrical performances in Italian courts in the sixteenth century. The investigation of the interplay among librettists, composers, impresarios, singers, critics, and last but not least, the audience, will have a pivotal role in understanding the evolution of the genre. Questions such as literary dignity of the libretti, poetry vs music and the role of the audience, the changing role of the librettists through time, and the dispute variation vs adaptation will be addressed. The relation with video gaming and advertising will also be discussed.

The University of Western Ontario Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

 

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A selection of texts by, among others, Ottavio Rinuccini, Alessandro Striggio, Pietro Metastasio, Lorenzo Da Ponte, Francesco Maria Piave, Arrigo Boito, Nino Rota and Ernesta Rinaldi Rota, and Walter Zidarič will be considered. No specific literary, music, or Italian knowledge is required. Taught in English with tutorial in English, and in Italian (only for students of the Italian programme). Students will also be able to enjoy and benefit from guest lectures by experts from diverse fields. Objectives: - Guide students through trends and genres of Italian Opera, such as favola in musica, intermezzo, opera seria, opera buffa, dramma lirico - Guide the students into understanding the linguistic and literary specificity of Italian libretti across time - Exploring the major themes of Italian operas such as love, death, desire, honour, betrayal Learning outcomes: - Acquire a basic knowledge of the significant Italian librettists and composers from the XVI century to XXI century - Identify and analyse the specific traits of the libretto form and its development through time - Understand how the historical, social and cultural conditions influenced the writing of the librettos and Italian Opera in general.

Libretti that will be considered (full texts or abstracts)

Title and first performance Librettist(s) Composer Dafne - 1598 Ottavio Rinuccini Iacopo Peri/Iacopo

Corsi La favola di Orfeo

Favola in musica – 1607 Alessandro Striggio Claudio Monteverdi

Il Giasone. Dramma per musica - 1649

Giacinto Andrea Cicognini

Francesco Cavalli

Li zite ‘n galera - 1722 Bernardo Saddùmene

Leonardo Vinci

La serva padrona. Intermezzo in due atti - 1733

Gennaro Antonio Federico

Giovan Battista Pergolesi

La clemenza di Tito. Opera seria. KV 621 – 1791

Pietro Metastasio/ Caterino Mazzolà

W. A. Mozart

Il barbiere di Siviglia. La precauzione inutile

Dramma giocoso in due atti - 1782

Giuseppe Petrosellini

Giovanni Paisiello

Le nozze di Figaro. Commedia per musica - 1786

Lorenzo Da Ponte W. A. Mozart

La clemenza di Tito. Opera seria. KV 621 – 1791

Pietro Metastasio/ Caterino Mazzolà

W. A. Mozart

The University of Western Ontario Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

 

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Textbook: Resources will be available as online open source, via the Western Library Catalogue, and in OWL. Assessment: Class Participation 15% Mid-term test 15% Final test 20% Tutorial: 15% Presentation: 10% Final Essay 25% Common statement for all MLL courses on academic accommodation, academic offenses, support services. The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures Policies which govern the conduct, standards, and expectations for student participation in Modern Languages and Literatures courses is available in the Undergraduate section of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures website at http://www.uwo.ca/modlang/undergraduate/policies.html. It is your responsibility to understand the policies set out by the Senate and the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, and thus ignorance of these policies cannot be used as grounds of appeal.

Il barbiere di Siviglia

(Almaviva, o sia l'inutile precauzione) Dramma comico - 1816

Cesare Sterbini Gioachino Rossini

Norma - 1831 Felice Romani Vincenzo Bellini Rigoletto. Melodramma in tre atti –

1851 Francesco Maria

Piave Giuseppe Verdi

Cavalleria rusticana - 1890 Giovanni Targioni – Tozzetti/Guido

Menasci

Pietro Mascagni

Pagliacci – 1892 Ruggero Leoncavallo

Ruggero Leoncavallo

Falstaff. Commedia lirica in tre atti – 1893

Arrigo Boito Giuseppe Verdi

Tosca - 1900

Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica, Victorien Sardou

Giacomo Puccini

Gianni Schicchi - 1918 Giovacchino Forzano

Giacomo Puccini

Il cappello di paglia di Firenze – 1955

Ernesta Rinaldi/Nino Rota

Nino Rota

Passaggio - 1963 Edoardo Sanguineti Luciano Berio Lars Cleen - 2015  Walter Zidarič Paolo Rosato

The University of Western Ontario Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

 

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Missed Assignments Students seeking academic accommodation on medical or non-medical grounds for any missed tests, exams, participation components and/or assignments must apply to the Academic Counseling office of their home Faculty and provide documentation. Academic accommodation cannot be granted by the instructor or department. Please refer to the Policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness https://studentservices.uwo.ca/secure/index.cfm and download a Student Medical Certificate (SMC): https://studentservices.uwo.ca