3.0

Average Course Rating

As early as the mid-1920s opera was widely criticized for purportedly being out-of-joint with modernity, irrevocably stuffy, and elitist. By mid-century few composers associated with avant- garde movements were interested in the form. Since the early 1970s, however, there has been a kind of operatic renaissance involving a diverse pool of composers, writers, and artists (although the critiques never stopped). This course surveys an array of the more experimental operas written since 1970 by composers with roots in numerous traditions including serialism, free jazz, fluxus, performance art, and minimalism. We will seek out causes for the operatic turn while exploring how composers, writers, directors, and visual artists have adapted opera to reflect contemporary concerns. Each class will focus on a single work with associated texts by the relevant artists as well as readings drawn from musicology, art history, philosophy, media theory, sociology, linguistics, psychology, and theater studies. In addition to our weekly meetings we will have opportunities to visit composers, opera companies and institutes, venues, and festivals. Composers/librettists/directors covered in the course will include: Igor Stravinsky and W. H. Auden (the sole pre-1970 example); Carla Bley and Paul Haines; Meredith Monk; Gyorgi Ligeti; Robert Wilson and Philip Glass; Karlheinz Stockhausen; Robert Ashley; Anthony Davis and Thulani Davis; Laurie Anderson; Luigi Nono; Anthony Braxton; Heiner Goebbels; Olga Neuwirth and Elfriede Jelinek; and Michel van der Aa.