Aims

•       to learn and be part of the production of an opera from the early modern period (c. 1600 to 1800).
•       to understand and practice historically informed approaches to the performance of music dramas of this period.
•       to give actors, dancers, and singers the opportunity to experience the staging of operas and masques, and to give instrumentalists the specific experience of accompanying performers who may be singing, dancing, and acting on stage.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module introduces students to the performance of early opera, through a year-long study through practical workshops and seminar readings of a chosen set opera, masque, or a selection of opera scenes. Students will develop performance skills as singers, actors, instrumentalists, and stage managers/assistant directors in ways that are informed by historically-informed performance practice (HIPP). However, given the flexibility of resources deployed at the time of the composition of such works, part of the module may well include devising appropriate ways to deploy "modern" instruments in the absence of suitable "originals", and to integrate modern conceptions of dramaturgy alongside the historical.

Via professional vocal, instrumental, dramatic, and movement coaching, students will gain an insight into what it takes to put an music drama of this period onto the stage. Alongside practical workshops students will be required to undertake set readings that document historically-informed performance practice, the socio-cultural contexts inside of which early opera developed and was presented, and the ways in which such work is realised from the score through to public presentation.

The range of characters and the musical styles in the piece allow for the participation of students with ANY musical background (classical, pop, or folk). Students from outside Music are welcome to participate, particularly performers with a dramatic rather than a musical background, especially if the set opera includes spoken text (please consult with module leader if interested), and a number of non-performing 'backstage' roles will be offered to suit non-performers with an interest in dramatic production. The module will culminate in a fully staged performance in a suitable venue, with the possibility of further performances in other venues/cities.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Workshops develop students' practical skills (K1, K3, S1, and S2 above).

Directed research and reading introduce and develop contextual understanding of early opera in its historical period, as well as historically-informed approaches to performance (K1, K2, K3, S1 and S2 above).

Skills practice is where individual performers work on their own roles/parts, embedding the material, and memorising (K3, S1, S2, and S3 above).

Student-led group activity allows for further embedding of the materials for performance, developed memory, and also requires working as a team with a clear agenda to fulfil (K3, S3 and S4 above).

Independent study is scheduled in order that students may bring together their individual and collective experience with the scholarly work they have undertaken throughout the module to produce a reflective and evaluative essay (K1, K2, K3, and S4 above).

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

•       The performance tests, in a professional-style public event students learning of the required practical, and by implication historically informed performance practice skills for the module.
•       The essay gives students the opportunity to reflect on their experiences and at the same time relate these to what they have learned about opera/music dramas of this period, and the approaches and challenges to performing this kind of work in the present day.