Join us to explore the history of opera over three enjoyable terms. In this second term we’ll explore the innovations of Mozart, the impact of the French Revolution and the early Romantics. NB: this course has no scheduled break week
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
This is the second of three modules of Exploring Opera, but each module can be taken as a stand-alone course. In Exploring Opera 2 we focus on the Classical and early Romantic periods.
What will we cover?
- Italian and French opera of the early Classical period and the Querelle des bouffons - Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Le devin du village and the rise of comic opera characters - Classical operas of Mozart - Beethoven’s Rescue opera - the early Romanic sensibilities and German opera, in Weber’s Der Freischütz.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Discuss individual operas and their social and political context - Understand the circumstances of each opera’s composition and first performance - Discuss the place of these operas in the context of their composers’ lives and work.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is for those with some familiarity in listening to a particular composer or opera, having taken a previous beginners course, or a willingness to undertake short reading tasks between sessions. We may look at music scores and identify key features of music notation, but this will not be the main focus of the studies.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
- Sessions will comprise combinations of lecture, discussion, quizzes, guided listening, video and score study. - Course materials (handouts, scores, links to online videos) will be shared via google classroom. - You will be encouraged to do extra reading outside class.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Please bring a notebook and pen to make your own notes. If you would like to read a textbook alongside this course we recommend The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera by Roger Parker (OUP, 1994), but this is not essential for your enjoyment of the course. You may also wish to purchase some of the music books or recordings discussed in class; links to these materials will be available after each session. You may also wish to attend live performances.
Pauline Greene studied composition at Nottingham University and then composed, performed and was Musical Director with various theatre companies. She taught flute and composition, performing her music across the UK at various venues, including the Southbank Centre and the Edinburgh Festival, with her group The Concert Party, which she managed and directed. She has taught at the Universities of Middlesex and Hertfordshire, and ran the Music Access course at Morley College. She taught at Birkbeck from 1984-2023, moving from Music to Arts Management, and currently lectures on the MA in Events and Experience Management at Goldsmiths. She has given talks at the Royal Opera House, Wigmore Hall and Glyndebourne. At City Lit Pauline teaches a wide range of music history courses, with specialisms in opera, music for dance, theatre and film, musical analysis, and music since 1900. She is still involved in the organisation of small-scale charity concerts and one-off musical events, and she sings and plays with several small groups.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/exploring-opera-21181431Exploring opera 2https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/e/x/exploring-opera-2-md998-1024.jpg299299GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Performing arts/Courses/Performing arts/Music/Courses/Performing arts/Music/Music history/Courses/Online courses228513141351136317311228513141351<p>Join us to explore the history of opera over three enjoyable terms. In this second term we’ll explore the innovations of Mozart, the impact of the French Revolution and the early Romantics. <strong>NB: this course has no scheduled break week</strong></p>003034423Exploring opera 2299299https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/e/x/exploring-opera-2-md998-1024_5.jpgInStockDaytimeFriOnlineAvailable courses5-10 weeksWeekday2027-01-15T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceJan 2027Performing artsMD998299299Exploring opera 2239209299Pauline Greeneexploring-opera-2/md998-2627<p>Join us to explore the history of opera over three enjoyable terms. In this second term we’ll explore the innovations of Mozart, the impact of the French Revolution and the early Romantics. <strong>NB: this course has no scheduled break week</strong></p>0000-Available|2027-01-15 00:00:00<p>This is the second of three modules of Exploring Opera, but each module can be taken as a stand-alone course.<br/>In Exploring Opera 2 we focus on the Classical and early Romantic periods.</p><p>Join us to explore the history of opera over three enjoyable terms. In this second term we’ll explore the innovations of Mozart, the impact of the French Revolution and the early Romantics. <strong>NB: this course has no scheduled break week</strong></p>- Italian and French opera of the early Classical period and the Querelle des bouffons<br/>- Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Le devin du village and the rise of comic opera characters<br/>- Classical operas of Mozart<br/>- Beethoven’s Rescue opera<br/>- the early Romanic sensibilities and German opera, in Weber’s Der Freischütz.- Discuss individual operas and their social and political context<br/>- Understand the circumstances of each opera’s composition and first performance<br/>- Discuss the place of these operas in the context of their composers’ lives and work.This course is for those with some familiarity in listening to a particular composer or opera, having taken a previous beginners course, or a willingness to undertake short reading tasks between sessions. We may look at music scores and identify key features of music notation, but this will not be the main focus of the studies.<p>- Sessions will comprise combinations of lecture, discussion, quizzes, guided listening, video and score study. <br/>- Course materials (handouts, scores, links to online videos) will be shared via google classroom.<br/>- You will be encouraged to do extra reading outside class.<br/> </p><p>Please bring a notebook and pen to make your own notes. If you would like to read a textbook alongside this course we recommend <strong>The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera</strong> by Roger Parker (OUP, 1994), but this is not essential for your enjoyment of the course.<br/>You may also wish to purchase some of the music books or recordings discussed in class; links to these materials will be available after each session. You may also wish to attend live performances.</p><p>This course is followed by <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/exploring-opera-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Exploring Opera 3</a> next term.</p><p>You may also wish to take <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/operas-in-production" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Operas in production</a>, to find out about operas being performed in and near London during the upcoming season.</p><p><br/>City Lit offers a wide range of <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/performing-arts/music/music-history" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Music history courses</a>. For more information, visit our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/music-history-your-guide-our-programme" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Guide to the Music history programme</a>.<br/>You may also be interested in our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/musicianship-music-theory-courses-city-lit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Music theory and musicianship</a> offer, or one of our many practical music courses.</p>MusicMusic historyvirtual239299209MD998NONEFri15/01/27 - 19/03/2710:30 - 12:3010:3012:3010 sessions (over 10 weeks)105-10 weeksDaytimeWeekdayOnlineOnlinePauline GreeneSome experienceAvailable courses2027-01-15T00:00:00+00:00Jan 2027Performing arts299299Exploring opera 2exploring-opera-2/md998-2627<p>Join us to explore the history of opera over three enjoyable terms. In this second term we’ll explore the innovations of Mozart, the impact of the French Revolution and the early Romantics. <strong>NB: this course has no scheduled break week</strong></p>0000-Available|2027-01-15 00:00:00<p>This is the second of three modules of Exploring Opera, but each module can be taken as a stand-alone course.<br/>In Exploring Opera 2 we focus on the Classical and early Romantic periods.</p><p>Join us to explore the history of opera over three enjoyable terms. In this second term we’ll explore the innovations of Mozart, the impact of the French Revolution and the early Romantics. <strong>NB: this course has no scheduled break week</strong></p>- Italian and French opera of the early Classical period and the Querelle des bouffons<br/>- Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Le devin du village and the rise of comic opera characters<br/>- Classical operas of Mozart<br/>- Beethoven’s Rescue opera<br/>- the early Romanic sensibilities and German opera, in Weber’s Der Freischütz.- Discuss individual operas and their social and political context<br/>- Understand the circumstances of each opera’s composition and first performance<br/>- Discuss the place of these operas in the context of their composers’ lives and work.This course is for those with some familiarity in listening to a particular composer or opera, having taken a previous beginners course, or a willingness to undertake short reading tasks between sessions. We may look at music scores and identify key features of music notation, but this will not be the main focus of the studies.<p>- Sessions will comprise combinations of lecture, discussion, quizzes, guided listening, video and score study. <br/>- Course materials (handouts, scores, links to online videos) will be shared via google classroom.<br/>- You will be encouraged to do extra reading outside class.<br/> </p><p>Please bring a notebook and pen to make your own notes. If you would like to read a textbook alongside this course we recommend <strong>The Oxford Illustrated History of Opera</strong> by Roger Parker (OUP, 1994), but this is not essential for your enjoyment of the course.<br/>You may also wish to purchase some of the music books or recordings discussed in class; links to these materials will be available after each session. You may also wish to attend live performances.</p><p>This course is followed by <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/exploring-opera-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Exploring Opera 3</a> next term.</p><p>You may also wish to take <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/operas-in-production" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Operas in production</a>, to find out about operas being performed in and near London during the upcoming season.</p><p><br/>City Lit offers a wide range of <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/performing-arts/music/music-history" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Music history courses</a>. For more information, visit our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/music-history-your-guide-our-programme" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Guide to the Music history programme</a>.<br/>You may also be interested in our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/musicianship-music-theory-courses-city-lit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Music theory and musicianship</a> offer, or one of our many practical music courses.</p>MusicMusic historyconfigurable
13631351Music historyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/performing-arts/music/music-history1/2/285/1314/1351/13631/Courses/Performing arts/Music/Music history
