MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY

The course is part of interdisciplinary modules of the BA programme in Conservation of Cultural Heritage and Performing Arts Management ( TARS curriculum). It provides students with a basic knowledge of the history of musical theatre and introduces the principal methodological tools required to understand its historical, artistic, and cultural development. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the course introduces students to the major forms of musical theatre, examining their dramaturgical, musical, and performative characteristics and exploring the relationships between music, text, staging, and performance.
The course also aims to develop a critical understanding of the processes involved in the creation and production of musical performances, fostering knowledge of the principal repertoires and of the professional roles involved in contemporary productions, including musical direction, stage direction, scenography, and theatre management.

– demonstrate knowledge of the principal forms, genres, and historical developments of musical theatre from its origins to the present day;
– identify the main aesthetic, cultural, and social contexts that shaped the history of musical theatre;
– analyse the relationships between music, text, staging, and performance in selected works of the operatic and musical theatre repertoire;
– apply basic critical and methodological tools to the study of musical theatre works and sources;
– discuss key issues in the history and dramaturgy of musical theatre using appropriate terminology;
– recognise the principal professional roles and production processes involved in the creation and staging of musical performances.

No specific prior knowledge is required. The ability to read musical notation is not necessary: throughout the course, the musical concepts essential for the understanding and analysis of musical works and their related issues will be progressively introduced and explained.

The course provides an overview of the history of musical theatre from its origins to the present day, with particular attention to the development of genres, dramaturgical forms, and the relationships between music, text, and staging. Through the analysis of significant works and composers, students will explore the major developments in the history of opera and musical theatre within their historical, cultural, and artistic contexts. Particular emphasis will be placed on the dramaturgical analysis of musical works, the construction of musical narratives, and the various forms of interaction between musical, literary, and scenic elements. The course will also address selected issues relating to the reception, interpretation, and staging of the operatic repertoire.
Thanks to the collaboration with the Teatro La Fenice, the course will be enriched by visits and meetings designed to introduce students to the contemporary world of musical theatre. Students will also have the opportunity to attend the dress rehearsal of an opera production, providing a valuable occasion to observe the creation of a performance at first hand and to connect the theoretical issues discussed in class with contemporary theatrical practice.

Additional bibliography will be provided at the beginning of the course.

Assessment will take the form of an oral examination. Students will be asked three questions concerning the course readings and the works discussed during the lectures.

Non-attending students are required to contact the instructor well in advance of the examination date in order to discuss the preparation requirements.

oral

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

Grading and assessment criteria:
The grading criteria will take into consideration the correctness and propriety in the use of theoretical lexicon (30%), the punctuality and extent of knowledge of the topics explored in depth in class and in any case learnt through the study of the exam bibliography (30%); the ability to critically elaborate the knowledge acquired to the case studies presented from time to time (30%), without forgetting a focus on the care of oral exposition (10%).

Grades in bands 18-22 will be awarded where the aforementioned points reach a sufficient level; grades in bands 23-26 will be awarded where the aforementioned points reach a fair level; grades in bands 27-30 will be awarded where the aforementioned points reach an excellent level; honours will be awarded where the aforementioned points reach an excellent level.

Lectures and group work complemented by readings, musical examples, and guided listening activities.

During the first lesson the assessment methods and the structure of the course will be presented. Attendance is recommended.

Ca ’Foscari applies Italian law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) for the support and accommodation services available to students with disabilities or specific learning disabilities. If you have a motor, visual, hearing or other disability (Law 17/1999) or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010) and you require support (classroom assistance, technological aids for carrying out exams or exams individualized, accessible format material, note retrieval, specialist tutoring to support the study, interpreters or other) contact the Disability and DSA office disita@unive.it.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development