A Brief History of Opera

9:00 am - 4:00 pm Saturday 11 May 2024, WEA Sydney

The history of opera is a story in itself. An understanding of this story leads to a greater appreciation of how the genre moves and enthralls us. In this music appreciation course we traverse the development of opera, from its earliest origins in the Renaissance to the beauty and drama of Puccini and beyond. We explore the great moments in opera history, listening to the wonderful music of such composers as Mozart, Wagner, Verdi and Puccini. No musical knowledge is necessary.

How to enrol

Course Outline

Session 1

The birth of opera
The camerata and ideas from Ancient Greek theatre
Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo
Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas
Late Baroque opera
The castrati
Handel’s Julius Caesar

Session 2

Opera in the Classical period
The reforms of Gluck
Mozart’s operas
The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute
Bel canto opera
Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti
Bellini’s I Puritani
Rossini: The Barber of Seville

Session 3

Opera in the Romantic period
Opera in Italy and France
Verdi’s operas
Rigoletto, La Traviata, Aida
Opera in Germany and Russia
Wagner’s innovations
The Flying Dutchman
The Ring Cycle

Session 4

Opera in the Impressionist period
Opera and realism: Verismo
The Operas of Puccini
Madama Butterfly, La Boheme, Tosca, Turandot
Twentieth century experiments and opera
Britten: Peter Grimes
Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
Adams: Nixon in China

Comments from students

“First class course....excellent lecturer, excellent notes....I so enjoyed the course that I will be purchasing a package of 5 tickets for this Opera season”

“Excellent, it is great to have a greater appreciation to opera through understanding the theory behind the diffferent eras. Also to understand more about an opera singer’s voice and range and styles”

“Very good. Excellent content. Good notes can be used for future reference. Level and pace were just right for beginner”

“Really enjoyed the course and the accompanying sound and visual material”

“I appreciate the effort put in preparing these notes. They are a very good reference. Thanks Susan”

“Most enjoyable, very informative. Susan is an excellent tutor who is passionate about her subject. I really appreciated learning more about something I knew little about”

“It has been great. I loved it. Could listen all day”

“Thank you Susan – you are a legend. I feel that I have a general grasp/overview of a big area and this gives confidence, sense of control”

“Susan is an excellent presenter who uses a variety of resources to enhance the course”

“FUN. Also leads me to appreciate operas on anaother level. Now I enjoy opera even more”

About Susan Deas

Susan Deas is a professional musician, lecturer and teacher. She has been teaching music appreciation courses for more than twenty years, through Sydney University's Centre for Continuing Education, WEA Sydney and at other venues. Her training includes a Bachelor of Music with a major in Performance (Piano) and Musicology, a Master of Music Studies (Studio Pedagogy), a Bachelor of Arts (Communications), and an A.Mus.A in Musicianship. Susan teaches piano and music theory to adults and children, and plays piano and organ at various venues around Sydney. Susan is an Accredited Member of the Music Teachers’ Association of NSW.

More about Susan’s qualifications

Read what people have said about Susan’s other courses

Susan’s other music courses