Music: Discovering Opera

Course overview

The aim of this course is to give you new ways of listening to opera, whether you are getting to know the form for the first time or you are already familiar with it and looking for something unusual.

Together we will explore a wide variety of operas and their social and cultural contexts, ranging from the eighteenth century to the present day, catering to all tastes. If you are new to the genre, you will get to hear some of the most famous works in the form. If you are more familiar with opera, you will gain fresh perspectives on the works you already know, and will have the opportunity to discover some less well-known works as well.

The course will introduce the various elements of opera production in the first term, and will explore some of the more general ideas around opera in the second term. Each class takes a single opera as a case study and considers its composer, context, themes, and production through rich audio-visual material.

Discussions will range across music, staging, characterisation, plot, and performance traditions, enabling learners to critically engage with the opera as both an art form and a social product.

This course is open to everyone, with no previous experience necessary. All welcome!

Term dates

•  Autumn Term: week beginning 13 October 2025 until week ending 12 December 2025

•  Spring Term: week beginning 5 January 2026 until week ending 20 March 2026

Any questions?

If you have any questions about the content of this course please contact the tutor, Dr Bruno Bower: b.bower@imperial.ac.uk

For general programme and enrolment questions please contact the Imperial after:hours Administrator, Christian Jacobi: c.jacobi@imperial.ac.uk

Class recordings

These classes are not recorded.

Imperial certificates

There are no examinations or assessments for this course. However, attendance can lead to the award of an Imperial attendance certificate (T&Cs apply).