| Unit name | 20th-Century Opera |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MUSI20130 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Carter |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
n/a |
| School/department | Department of Music |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit looks at the way in which opera acts as a mirror of society, reflecting the political, philosophical and artistic currents of its own time. The unit will encompass issues of criticism, history and analysis: students are expected to listen to, and gain a good working knowledge of, all the operas studied, some in greater depth than others, to develop an understanding of major currents in 20th-century musical opera, and to begin to relate the works themselves to broader social, political and cultural trends.
An overview of content
Opera is often seen as an elite art-form, divorced from everyday life. This unit takes a journey through the last century through the medium of opera with the specific aim of challenging that easy assumption. We will study a different one each week, from different countries in Europe, the Soviet Union and thew United States. In each case we will examine how cultural politics and ideology, often invisible or concealed within cultural production, nonetheless emerges through these works.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Taking this unit will encourage and facilitate deeper understanding of the intricate relationships between opera, its literary source, and the politics of the time and place of its creation. Students will not only gain from learning incredible works of art in detail, but will also learn about political and social history, gender and race politics and be able to relate these issues to their own experiences as consumers of culture in the 21st century.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, a successful student will:
1) recognise and discuss key works of 20th-century operatic repertoire
2) understand and explain the relationship between culture and politics in 20th-century European and North American opera with sound critical awareness grounded in both history and major musical works
3) demonstrate a good up-to-date working knowledge of the main English-language secondary sources
4) demonstrate a sound grasp of reception issues in the US and UK
5) comment on a range of musical and historical issues with reference to the scores
6) clearly present their understanding of the unit's topics to a non-specialist audience
7) use software and group working skills to present effectively to the whole class
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions, including lectures and self-directed exercises.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
None
Tasks which do not count towards your unit mark but are required for credit (zero-weighted):
None
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Recorded Presentation in groups of 2 or 3 students, 10 minutes [40%] (ILOs 6 and 7)
Essay, 2000 Words [60%] (ILOs 1-5)
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MUSI20130).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
