Opera in Venice

Opera as we know it was born in Venice. After an early phase of private operatic experiments under the patronage of courts and aristocratic academies, the first public opera house, the San
Cassiano Theater, opened its doors in Venice in 1637. As a commercial enterprise, opera rapidly came to dominate the social and cultural life of the city, as Venice grew into one of the most influential and strangely seductive European capitals of music. The course traces the Venetian history of opera from its origins to the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797. Students will also have an opportunity to explore the legacy of this tradition in contemporary Venice as well as in the twentieth-century construction of a nostalgic image of the city’s past musical splendor. Instruction will focus on the relationship between the unique political and topographical organization of Venice and the development of opera. The syllabus integrates academic training with activities designed to allow students to take full advantage of Venice’s historical and cultural resources, including live musical performances, museum visits, and workshops on the workings of Venice’s historical theaters.