Southern Illinois University Carbondale

HONORS 351: From Florence To Broadway

UHON 351:  From Florence to Broadway

Days: T/R; Time: 12:25-1:50; Place: Alt 301

Instructor: Timothy Fink

Altgeld Hall, Room 208

(tjfink@siu.edu) Office 453-5291

Required Texts: 

Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera: Fred Plotkin

            The Musical: Richard Kislin  

Course Content: The first half of the course will survey the major developments and contributors to the operatic art form, while the second half of the course will examine the more commercial outgrowth of opera—operetta--and its development into what is known today as the Broadway Musical. Class will consist of a combination of lecture, discussion, student presentations, audio and/or video examples, or live performances from School of Music faculty and students.

Objectives:

• To identify and describe major composers and librettists of operas and their most significant works.
• To identify and describe major operatic movements and their style.
• To identify and describe major composers and librettists of musicals and their most significant works.
• To identify and describe some of the major singers, dancers, choreographers and directors.

Grading: Grading will be based on four tests and one class presentation.

• 4 Tests @ 50 pts each

50        5-10 page paper (30 pts); class presentation on recent musical or opera produced in the last 4 years (15 pts); class handout (5 pts).

A = 225-250; B = 200-249; C = 175-199; D = 150-174; F < 149

Tests:  likely be organized in three parts:

• Short essay: Describe plots of the selected operas and musicals, major characters and voice types (if important). 15pts
• Fill in: Identify composers, librettists, and other important contributors (ie Jerome Robbins) 15 pts
• Essay: Describe the stylistic attributes of the various movements using the eleven music and theater elements 20 pts

Report/Presentation: The report and presentation will be on an approved new opera or musical produced recently in a major venue within the last 4 years. See separate handout.

Emergency Procedures:
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is committed to providing a safe and healthy
environment for study and work. Because some health and safety circumstances are
beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the SIUC Emergency
Response Plan and Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) program.
Emergency response information is available on posters in buildings on campus,
available on the BERT'S website at www.bert.siu.edu, Department of Public Safety's
website www.d~s.siu.edu( disaster drop down) and in the Emergency Response
Guidelines pamphlet. Know how to respond to each type of emergency.
Instructors will provide guidance and direction to students in the classroom in the
event of an emergency affecting your location. It is important that you follow these
instructions and stay with your instructor during an evacuation or sheltering
emergency. The Building Emergency Response Team will provide assistance to your
instructor in evacuating the building or sheltering within the facility.