19th Century Italian Opera: Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi

Learning Outcomes

Cognitive Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• appreciate opera performances with a developed understanding of their status as (and relation to) ¡®texts¡¯
• demonstrate confidence in handling the multi-layered notion of operatic text
• comment perceptively on the social, intellectual, and political forces that shaped the culture of opera in 19th-century Italy

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• the processes of creation, production, dissemination, and reception of Italian opera in the 19th century
• the formal, stylistic, and textual features of a number of contrasting Italian operas from the early- and mid-19th century
• the careers and historical significance of Gioachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti, and Giuseppe Verdi, and their relations with their musical and social environments

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• research and interpret primary and secondary sources
• present your knowledge and ideas in persuasive written prose
• communicate coherently your knowledge and critical perception of subjects related to 19th-century Italian opera with your peers and others
• impart the results of your research with a secure handling of appropriate apparatus (footnotes, bibliography, examples)

Summative

This is how we¡¯ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we¡¯ll assess you if you don¡¯t meet the criteria to pass this module.