MUSI 283 - Opera: The Marriage of Figaro

Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)

In this course we study Mozart’s opera The Marriage of Figaro, starting with the Beaumarchais play on which it is based. We learn about the political and social circumstances under which the opera was composed, as well as how Mozart transferred the play to the operatic stage, using musical characterization and classical forms to build the arias, duets, and ensembles into a dramatic whole. On Saturday, November 16 (1 pm) we go to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City to see a performance of the opera (which transfers the action to Spain in the 1930s). The course concludes with small group presentations on different aspects of the opera.

Prerequisite(s): One year of college-level music lessons and/or one previous course in music or drama recommended, but not required.

Second six-week course.

Two 75-minute periods.

Not offered in 2019/20

Course Format: CLS