FRS 001W - Sec. 001 - (2 units - CRN 83068 - W 3:10-5:00 PM - 5 Wellman
The Evolution of Opera

Instructor: David Newman, Department of Music, College of Letters and Science

Description: Opera as we know it began at the end of the 16th century with the lofty goal of elevating words with music and recapturing the glory of ancient Greek drama. Since then, the art form has gone through many changes in its goals and forms. Modern expressions of operatic ideals exist across stylistic boundaries, and sometimes strenuously avoid the label of opera. This course will explore the history of opera from the perspectives of the composer, the performer and the audience. We will look at different ways of defining opera as a genre and study examples of different forms of operatic expression. Students will develop a vocabulary for discussing operatic form and expression.

Format: The seminar will meet for two hours each week for eight weeks. There will be one optional field trip to attend a live operatic performance. There is no text for the course. Course content will include lectures, discussion, and reading and listening assignments. The course will culminate in a short paper and presentation by each student on an opera of their choice (with instructor approval). Grading: Students will be given a letter grade based on the quality of their participation in class (50%) and the quality of their final paper and presentation (50%).

About the Instructor: David Newman has taught voice at UC Davis for 4 years. As a performer, he is highly regarded for his work in opera, oratorio and chamber music throughout the United States and Canada. He has performed roles with The Opera Company of Philadelphia, The Metropolitan Opera Guild, The Opera Festival of New Jersey and Opera Birmingham. His first commercial recording was made while still a student, singing a small role in The Philadelphia Orchestra's recording of Pagliacci, with Riccardo Muti conducting and Luciano Pavarotti in the title role. More recently, he recorded the role of Pistol in Gordon Getty's Plump Jack with The Russian National Orchestra for Rork Music. He won rave reviews for his portrayal of Uberto in La Serva Padrona with San Francisco's Magnificat, and sang in the American Premiere of Hanz Werner Henze's Der Prinz von Homburg at The Spoleto Festival USA.