German for opera lovers (intermediate and advanced)
Choose a starting date
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.
- Start Date: 23 Sep 2025End Date: 30 Sep 2025Tue (Daytime): 14:30 - 16:30In PersonFull fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00
- Start Date: 09 Oct 2025End Date: 27 Nov 2025Thu (Daytime): 09:00 - 10:15OnlineFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00
- Start Date: 01 May 2025End Date: 15 May 2025This course has startedThu (Daytime): 09:00 - 10:30OnlineFull fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
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.
What is the course about?
This course aims to give you the opportunity to communicate in the context of German operas at an intermediate and higher level. You will increase your vocabulary, fluency and comprehension in an informal and friendly atmosphere.
What will we cover?
Talking about your love of German opera, opera visits and/ or recordings and opera in general. Each term, we will have a closer look at one or two operas and discuss these in German ( including some of the following: the plot, themes, characters, background, pronunciation and the music) . We will also discuss opera related topics.
LGE33 (1-15May 2025): this three week online course will include discussions on Der Rosenkavalier by R. Strauss
LGE30: this two week in person course will include discussions on Arabella by R. Strauss
LGE31 and LGE32 tbc.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- talk about your love of German opera
- talk about some German operas
- talk about opera related topics
- improve on some grammatical points
- increase your vocabulary related to opera.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Students should have studied German for at least 3 years recently or have at least an equivalent knowledge of the language B1+. This is an intermediate to advanced German language course. Students do not need to be opera experts but should have a great interest in opera.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Our courses are characterised by spoken interaction and communication. Typical activities include pair work, group work, role plays and games. A range of resources will be used to support your learning including presentations, hand-outs, and audio-visual material.
Homework is highly recommended to consolidate learning and to prepare for each session.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
All material supplied by the tutor.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Other intermediate and advanced German courses and other German opera lover courses.
You might also be interested in our other specialist courses: German for art lovers, German for history lovers, German for art lovers, German for Germany/ Austria and Switzerland lovers
Katja is a native German speaker. Having trained as a teacher specialising in phonetics, she has worked for universities, music colleges and opera houses in both Germany and Great Britain, and has coordinated the German programme at City Lit for over 20 years. She has a special passion and interest for opera and Lieder. Katja teaches the German for opera lover courses. Outside the City Lit, she has been the German language coach for prestigious companies like ROH, Garsington, BBC and LPO as well as worked internationally. Katja is the chief editor of Alban Berg's Wozzeck "A Translation and Phonectic Transcript for Musicians", which was published by Pendragon Press in January 2020. “I love sharing my love for the German language with students and see them develop.”
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.