THMUS 544E — Giacomo Puccini: Verismo and Expanding the Boundaries in Italian Opera

3 credits
Fall
Michelle DiBucci

Prerequisite: THMUS 511 . Praised as Verdi’s successor and one of the most performed composers in opera history, Giacomo Puccini helped usher Italian opera into the 20th century. Fully immersed in the operatic tradition, Puccini incorporated elements of the opera genre verismo (realism) with Wagnerian leitmotifs, exoticism, and bold orchestral color. Unabashedly romantic, he was inspired by the French and German musical styles of Debussy and Strauss, from which he was able to push the boundaries of Italian opera from verismo to modernism. In this course, we will explore the musical climate in Italy through which Puccini flourished, focusing on several of Puccini’s late operas: Tosca, Il Trittico, and Turandot. We will also explore how the generation of Italian composers after Puccini sought to find a new musical expression inspired from modernism and the art movement of Futurism. Coupled with analysis will be select readings, listening and reflection reports, and a final essay.