Principles of opera directing

Display Schedule

Code Completion Credits Range Language Instruction Semester
207POR1 ZK 3 2T Czech

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).

Schedule for winter semester 2018/2019:

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
Tue
room S410
Učebna S410 (DAMU)

(Karlova 26, Praha 1)
HERMAN J.
14:00–15:30
(parallel2)
Wed
Thu
Fri
Date Day Time Tutor Location Notes No. of paralel
Tue 14:00–15:30 Josef HERMAN Učebna S410 (DAMU)
Karlova 26, Praha 1
parallel2

Schedule for summer semester 2018/2019:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

The subject is a part of the following study plans