Status Updates From How to Listen to and Unders...

Lecture 21

Lecture 10

Lecture 9 The Growth of Opera

Lecture 7 Invention of Opera and Monteverdi's Orfeo part 3

Lecture 6

Lecture 5

Next lecture 3: a brief history of vocal expression in music

Absolutely delightful

On lecture 12

This is a really fascinating course. I went into this wondering why anyone would ever want to sit through hours of being shrieked at in Italian, German, or French (being US-centric here), but it really is an interesting subject.

And I think I have a professor crush on 1997-ish handsome Dr. Greenberg. Love his enthusiasm and cheeky asides.

Spotify playlist of the last castrato, Alessandro Moreschi. This is an acquired taste. I find his voice annoying. A castrato’s singing voice is unlike anything we hear in opera nowadays.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/19JLG...

Interesting background on castrati. Spotify playlist of male sopranos, boy sopranos, and countertenors. Beautiful.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Ml...

Interesting background on castrati. Spotify playlist of male sopranos, boy sopranos, and countertenors. Beautiful.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Ml...

“In opera, the composer is a dramatist. He or she uses music to create the character. For example, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart chills us with Electra’s crazed fury as she sings “Of Orestes and Ajax” from Idomeneo (1780).”

“To what might we attribute the popularity of opera? It is posited on the idea that music has the power to distill, crystallize, and intensify
the meaning of words. Children at play, who sing-song their words to themselves and their toys, exemplify the operatic ideal.”

I am listening to the audio but will mark updates according to the accompanying PDF. Opera has been holding my interest since the Met’s production of Wagner’s The Ring of Nibelung. In this case, re-production from 10 years ago. I’m catching up on past opera productions via Met Opera HD app.

If I don't like opera at the end of this course, I can't imagine that it could ever happen.
But, as usual, Robert Greenberg is so fascinating, entertaining, and informative that I'm a third of the way through 32 lectures. True, I can't listen straight through, but no one can sit still that long. "A tenor isn't a man, it's a disease." Tons of interesting background, like the history of the castrata. (Ouch)

This is honestly one of the most adorably passionate professors I’ve listened to ^•^

Wow, I'm really learning a lot with this and I've only completed the 3rd lecture! I highly recommend any of The Great Courses for folks trying to get back into the swing of academia

This is my third time listening to this witty series of lectures. Every few years I need to be refreshed on how funny and fun opera can be.

48 lectures x 45 minutes. This a commitment! But, Greenberg is more animated than any Great Course so far.