Code 18665
Level of study Third/Final year
Credit value 20
Semester Not running Spring 2012. Further information available June 2012.
The operas of Puccini occupy a paradoxical position in musical criticism; although at least three are among the most successful stage works ever presented, their musical value has often been derided, and indeed their very popularity has often been seen as something suspect - a deplorable consequence of crowd-pleasing superficiality. This course will examine the main influences on Puccini's musical style, the sources and development of his libretti, and discuss the dramatic and musical techniques used in the operas from Manon Lescaut to Turandot.