MUS 330 | Opera: Based on a True Story

Every opera's characters and situations reflect the times and societies in which they were created, and in performances decades or centuries later, they continue to adapt to reflect changing circumstances. A few operas go further, actually portraying people and events plucked from the history books, or even the headlines. This course considers a selection of operas "based on a true story." What is the true story, as far as we can discern? Who transformed the event into words, music, sets, costumes, and movement onstage? What decisions did they make, and how do those decisions serve to interpret the historical event? How do works and productions reflect, or at times subvert, societal power structures involving class, race, gender, and nationality? How have productions changed over time to reflect shifting attitudes about their subject matter? And what are the ethical and political implications of turning historical events into prestigious aesthetic objects?