Course Description

This course surveys the career of Giuseppe Verdi through representative works such as Nabucco, Macbeth, La Traviata, Don Carlos and Falstaff. We will review some of the standard scenic structures of Italian opera and see how Verdi reworked them for dramatic effect. Particular attention will be paid to Verdi’s concept of “tinta” (dramatic color) and its influence on his choice and treatment of subject matter. We will also consider Verdi’s work in the larger context of opera production in the nineteenth century. This will include Verdi’s relationships with major theaters and publishers (particularly Ricordi), with his librettists, and with the singers who premiered his works.