Music: Discovering Opera

Whether you’re discovering opera for the first time or you already love it and want something a little more off the beaten track, this online Discovering Opera course will give you new, enjoyable ways to listen, watch, and think about the art form.

Across the term we’ll explore a wide range of operas, from the eighteenth century to the present day, and place them in their social and cultural contexts. If you’re new to opera, you’ll get to know some of the most celebrated works in the repertoire. If you’re already familiar with the classics, you’ll gain fresh perspectives on operas you thought you knew, and you’ll also be introduced to intriguing lesser-known pieces.

The course uses a clear, learner-friendly structure. In the first term, we’ll unpack the key elements of opera production—music, voice, drama, staging, and performance traditions. In the second term, we’ll zoom out to consider broader questions about opera’s big themes, its audiences, and what opera can tell us about the societies that produced it. Each class takes one opera as a case study, exploring its composer, story, ideas, and production history through rich audio-visual extracts.

Expect lively discussion that ranges across music, characterisation, plot, staging choices, and performance, helping you engage with opera as both a powerful art form and a fascinating cultural product.

Open to everyone, with no previous experience necessary. All welcome!

Course term dates

•  Autumn Term: week beginning 12 October 2026 until week ending 11 December 2026

•  Spring Term: week beginning 4 January 2027 until week ending 19 March 2027

Class recordings

These classes are not recorded.

Imperial certificates

This course has no exams or assessments, so you can focus on enjoying your learning. If you attend regularly, you may also receive an Imperial attendance certificate. (T&Cs apply).