The University of Western Ontario
Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
ITA 2243B
Italian Opera: Words and Music
Winter 2016
Dr. Maria Laura Mosco
[email protected]
https://westernuitalian.wordpress.com/category/events/
(Unofficial Blog of the Italian Program)
Anti-requisites: none
Course description: What do pop music, soap opera, videogames and Italian opera have
in common?…Love, death, desire, honour, betrayal, power. In Italian Opera: Words and
Music student will learn the linguistic and literary specificity of Italian libretti, while
exploring the major themes of riveting Italian operas. This course will investigate some
major Italian libretti in the operatic repertoire from the birth of this genre to nowadays,
looking in particular at their stylistic and linguistic differences. The exploration of the
historical, political, and cultural context in general, will provide students with the
necessary background to fully comprehend the development of the form of the libretto
since its appearance in theatrical performances in Italian courts in the sixteenth century.
The investigation of the interplay among librettists, composers, impresarios, singers,
critics, and last but not least, the audience, will have a pivotal role in understanding the
evolution of the genre. Questions such as literary dignity of the libretti, poetry vs music
and the role of the audience, the changing role of the librettists through time, and the
dispute variation vs adaptation will be addressed. The relation with video gaming and
advertising will also be discussed.
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Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
A selection of texts by, among others, Ottavio Rinuccini, Alessandro Striggio, Pietro
Metastasio, Lorenzo Da Ponte, Francesco Maria Piave, Arrigo Boito, Nino Rota and
Ernesta Rinaldi Rota, and Walter Zidarič will be considered.
No specific literary, music, or Italian knowledge is required. Taught in English with
tutorial in English, and in Italian (only for students of the Italian programme). Students
will also be able to enjoy and benefit from guest lectures by experts from diverse fields.
Objectives:
- Guide students through trends and genres of Italian Opera, such as favola in musica,
intermezzo, opera seria, opera buffa, dramma lirico
- Guide the students into understanding the linguistic and literary specificity of Italian
libretti across time
- Exploring the major themes of Italian operas such as love, death, desire, honour,
betrayal
Learning outcomes:
- Acquire a basic knowledge of the significant Italian librettists and composers from the
XVI century to XXI century
- Identify and analyse the specific traits of the libretto form and its development through
time
- Understand how the historical, social and cultural conditions influenced the writing of
the librettos and Italian Opera in general.
Libretti that will be considered (full texts or abstracts)
Title and first performance
Dafne - 1598
Librettist(s)
Ottavio Rinuccini
La favola di Orfeo
Favola in musica – 1607
Il Giasone. Dramma per musica 1649
Li zite ‘n galera - 1722
Alessandro Striggio
La serva padrona. Intermezzo in due
atti - 1733
La clemenza di Tito. Opera seria. KV
621 – 1791
Il barbiere di Siviglia.
La precauzione inutile
Dramma giocoso in due atti - 1782
Le nozze di Figaro. Commedia per
musica - 1786
La clemenza di Tito. Opera seria. KV
621 – 1791
Giacinto Andrea
Cicognini
Bernardo
Saddùmene
Gennaro Antonio
Federico
Pietro Metastasio/
Caterino Mazzolà
Giuseppe
Petrosellini
Composer
Iacopo Peri/Iacopo
Corsi
Claudio Monteverdi
Francesco Cavalli
Leonardo Vinci
Giovan Battista
Pergolesi
W. A. Mozart
Giovanni Paisiello
Lorenzo Da Ponte
W. A. Mozart
Pietro Metastasio/
Caterino Mazzolà
W. A. Mozart
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Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
Il barbiere di Siviglia
(Almaviva, o sia l'inutile precauzione)
Dramma comico - 1816
Norma - 1831
Rigoletto. Melodramma in tre atti –
1851
Cavalleria rusticana - 1890
Pagliacci – 1892
Falstaff.
Commedia lirica in tre atti – 1893
Tosca - 1900
Cesare Sterbini
Gioachino Rossini
Felice Romani
Francesco Maria
Piave
Giovanni Targioni –
Tozzetti/Guido
Menasci
Ruggero
Leoncavallo
Arrigo Boito
Vincenzo Bellini
Giuseppe Verdi
Pietro Mascagni
Ruggero Leoncavallo
Giuseppe Verdi
Giacomo Puccini
Il cappello di paglia di Firenze –
1955
Giuseppe Giacosa,
Luigi Illica,
Victorien Sardou
Giovacchino
Forzano
Ernesta Rinaldi/Nino
Rota
Passaggio - 1963
Lars Cleen - 2015
Edoardo Sanguineti
Walter Zidarič
Luciano Berio
Paolo Rosato
Gianni Schicchi - 1918
Giacomo Puccini
Nino Rota
Textbook: Resources will be available as online open source, via the Western Library
Catalogue, and in OWL.
Assessment:
Class Participation 15%
Mid-term test 15%
Final test 20%
Tutorial: 15%
Presentation: 10%
Final Essay 25%
Common statement for all MLL courses on academic accommodation, academic
offenses, support services.
The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures Policies which govern
the conduct, standards, and expectations for student participation in Modern
Languages and Literatures courses is available in the Undergraduate section of the
Department of Modern Languages and Literatures website
at http://www.uwo.ca/modlang/undergraduate/policies.html. It is your responsibility to
understand the policies set out by the Senate and the Department of Modern Languages
and Literatures, and thus ignorance of these policies cannot be used as grounds of appeal.
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Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
Missed Assignments
Students seeking academic accommodation on medical or non-medical grounds for any
missed tests, exams, participation components and/or assignments must apply to the
Academic Counseling office of their home Faculty and provide documentation.
Academic accommodation cannot be granted by the instructor or department.
Please refer to the Policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness
https://studentservices.uwo.ca/secure/index.cfm and download a Student Medical
Certificate (SMC): https://studentservices.uwo.ca
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