Literature Music Performing Arts

The first part of the course focuses on the production system of opera and the fundamentals of musical dramaturgy (plot structure, dramatic construction, characterization, relationships between poetic models, musical forms and dramatic function, stage action, and spectacle). The second part of the course is devoted to Giuseppe Verdi’s «La traviata» (1853). We will analyze the literary and dramatic sources of the opera («La Dame aux camélias» by Alexandre Dumas, novel of 1848 and five-act play of 1852), the libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, the dynamics of dramaturgy (interaction of words, music, and stage action), and the opera itself in different theatrical productions and film adaptations.

No prerequisites required.

Gloria Staffieri, «Un teatro tutto cantato. Introduzione all’opera italiana», Carocci, 2017. ---- Fabrizio Della Seta, «Introduzione storica», in Critical Edition of «La traviata» by Giuseppe Verdi, Ricordi-UCP, 1996, pp. 45-62 [PDF]. ---- «La traviata», Programme Notes, Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, 2002 [PDF].

Attendance is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended. Students are invited to register for the course on the Google Classroom platform to access teaching materials and study resources (course code: xza5xfoi).

The final examination consists of an oral interview designed to assess students’ knowledge, comprehension, and critical ability to elaborate on the topics covered during the course. Students who regularly attend classes may take in-progress assessments, which consist of preparing and presenting a multimedia project on topics agreed upon with the instructor.

John Rosselli, «Sull’ali dorate. Il mondo musicale italiano dell’Ottocento», il Mulino, 1992, pp. 63-79 [PDF]. ---- Lorenzo Bianconi and Giorgio Pagannone, «Piccolo glossario di drammaturgia musicale» [PDF]. ---- Alexandre Dumas, «La signora dalle camelie», novel (any edition); five-act play, free Italian version by Luigi Enrico Tettoni, 1852 [PDF]. ---- Michela Gerosa, «Tra “La Dame aux camélias” e “La traviata”: un molteplice orizzonte letterario e teatrale», in «La traviata», ed. by Livio Aragona and Federico Fornoni, Fondazione Donizetti, 2009, pp. 27-46 [PDF]. ---- «La Traviata», Programme Notes, Teatro Regio di Parma, 2007 [PDF]. ---- «La Traviata», Programme Notes, Teatro Regio di Torino, 2021 [PDF]. All PDFs are available on Google Classroom.

To encourage active and participatory learning, lectures are integrated with text analysis workshops, guided listening sessions, group work, and presentations of multimedia projects created by students.

The first part of the course focuses on the production system of opera and the fundamentals of musical dramaturgy (plot structure, dramatic construction, characterization, relationships between poetic models, musical forms and dramatic function, stage action, and spectacle). The second part of the course is devoted to Giuseppe Verdi’s «La traviata» (1853). We will analyze the literary and dramatic sources of the opera («La Dame aux camélias» by Alexandre Dumas, novel of 1848 and five-act play of 1852), the libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, the dynamics of dramaturgy (interaction of words, music, and stage action), and the opera itself in different theatrical productions and film adaptations.

No prerequisites required.

Gloria Staffieri, «Un teatro tutto cantato. Introduzione all’opera italiana», Carocci, 2017. ---- Fabrizio Della Seta, «Introduzione storica», in Critical Edition of «La traviata» by Giuseppe Verdi, Ricordi-UCP, 1996, pp. 45-62 [PDF]. ---- «La traviata», Programme Notes, Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, 2002 [PDF].

Attendance is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended. Students are invited to register for the course on the Google Classroom platform to access teaching materials and study resources (course code: xza5xfoi).

The final examination consists of an oral interview designed to assess students’ knowledge, comprehension, and critical ability to elaborate on the topics covered during the course. Students who regularly attend classes may take in-progress assessments, which consist of preparing and presenting a multimedia project on topics agreed upon with the instructor.

John Rosselli, «Sull’ali dorate. Il mondo musicale italiano dell’Ottocento», il Mulino, 1992, pp. 63-79 [PDF]. ---- Lorenzo Bianconi and Giorgio Pagannone, «Piccolo glossario di drammaturgia musicale» [PDF]. ---- Alexandre Dumas, «La signora dalle camelie», novel (any edition); five-act play, free Italian version by Luigi Enrico Tettoni, 1852 [PDF]. ---- Michela Gerosa, «Tra “La Dame aux camélias” e “La traviata”: un molteplice orizzonte letterario e teatrale», in «La traviata», ed. by Livio Aragona and Federico Fornoni, Fondazione Donizetti, 2009, pp. 27-46 [PDF]. ---- «La Traviata», Programme Notes, Teatro Regio di Parma, 2007 [PDF]. ---- «La Traviata», Programme Notes, Teatro Regio di Torino, 2021 [PDF]. All PDFs are available on Google Classroom.

To encourage active and participatory learning, lectures are integrated with text analysis workshops, guided listening sessions, group work, and presentations of multimedia projects created by students.