Principles of opera directing

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Subject guarantor:

Name of lecturer(s):

Josef HERMAN

Learning outcomes of the course unit:

Student gains a bearing in contemporary opera, is able to describe, analyse and evaluate the language of an opera work. Student has command of basic profession terminology.

Mode of study:

Classes with explanations.

Prerequisites and co-requisites:

Attending selected opera performances.

Course contents:

The course aim is to acquaint students - non-musicians with the basic aspects of opera theatre, primarily opera direction and provide them them with basic knowledge for practical use according to the student's focus (critique, directing, dramaturgy).

The course is comprised of a presentation of selected issues (particulars of opera direction, relationship of theatre and music, expression tools of music, opera acting, opera acoustics and visual space, tempo-rhythm of opera staging, particulars of opera critique), which are covered in classes (class discussion, completion and countering parts of student work).

The classes and presentation of issues are set for analyses of available opera stagings (theatre attendance, video-recordings), predominantly domestic and European (particularly German) contexts, and some from historical material. In some cases the thought limits of opera are crossed towards other types of musical theatre (particular musicals and operettas).

Recommended or required reading:

Herman, Josef: Duch díla a nikoli souhrn vyzkoušených obvyklostí?. In: Šormová,Eva (red), Kuklová,Michala (red). Miscellanea theatralia, Sborník Adolfu Scherlovi k osmdesátinám. Praha, Divadelní ústav 2005, s. 53-61.

Herman, Josef: Duch díla a nikoli souhrn vyzkoušených obvyklostí?, In: Miscellanea theatralia : sborník Adolfu Scherlovi k osmdesátinám / Uspořádala a redigovala Eva Šormová s Michaelou Kuklovou 1. vyd. Praha : Divadelní ústav, 2005 s. 53-61 80-7008-180-5

Herman, Josef: O smyslu operního divadla. Disk, 2005, č.14. s.113-143.

Spurná, Helena (ed): Hudební divadlo jako výzva. Interdisciplinární texty. Národní divadlo Praha 2004 (1).

Trojan, J.: Dějiny opery, Paseka, Praha-Litomyšl 2001.

Tyrrell, J.: Česká opera, Opus musicum, Brno 1992.

Zítek, Ota: O novou zpěvohru. K dramaturgii a režii hudebního dramatu. Umělecká beseda Praha 1920.

Divadelní noviny, Svět a divadlo, Hudební rozhledy, Opera Plus, vybrané recenze v denním tisku

Assessment methods and criteria:

Participation in instruction (max. 20% absence), completion of assignments including attendance at opera performances. Submission of a paper and an interview over the paper (70% for the final grade).

Course web page:

Note:

Schedule for winter semester 2016/2017:

	06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon	místnost S410 Učebna (Karlova 26, Praha 1) HERMAN J. 10:30–12:00 (přednášková par. 1)
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri

Date	Day	Time	Tutor	Location	Notes	No. of paralel
	Mon	10:30–12:00	Josef HERMAN	Učebna Karlova 26, Praha 1		přednášková par. 1

Schedule for summer semester 2016/2017:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

The subject is a part of the following study plans:

• Theory and criticism (B.A.) (compulsory subject)