MUS 201 — I Hear America Singing: American Opera Takes the Stage
Quarter: Summer
Instructor(s): Kip Cranna
Date(s): Jun 25—Aug 6
Class Recording Available: No
Class Meeting Day: Thursdays
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Please Note: No class July 16
Tuition: $415
Refund Deadline: Jun 27
Unit(s): 1
Status: Registration opens May 18, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Summer
Day: Thursdays
Duration: 6 weeks
Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jun 25—Aug 6
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $415
Refund Deadline: Jun 27
Instructor(s): Kip Cranna
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Recording Available: No
Status: Registration opens May 18, 8:30 am (PT)
Please Note: No class July 16
When we think of opera, the European greats come to mind: Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner. While American composers followed European models at first, by the early 20th century, many began forging a new idiom, adapting inherited forms to American subjects. This course traces the emergence of a distinctly American operatic voice balancing the demands of popular appeal with artistic innovation, giving American history and cultural identity new modes of expression. Through engaging lectures and video illustrations, we’ll explore early figures such as Scott Joplin, George Gershwin, and Virgil Thomson, then turn to midcentury operas by Gian Carlo Menotti, Leonard Bernstein, and Aaron Copland. We’ll give special attention to frequently performed living composers, including Philip Glass and the Bay Area’s own John Adams and Jake Heggie. Finally, we’ll turn to contemporary voices such as Jennifer Higdon, Missy Mazzoli, Anthony Davis, and Terence Blanchard to highlight a tradition that continues to evolve through acclaimed new American works.
No previous opera background is required.
KIP CRANNA
Dramaturg Emeritus, San Francisco Opera
Clifford "Kip" Cranna served on the San Francisco Opera staff for more than 40 years, including over 30 years as director of music administration. In 2008, he received the San Francisco Opera Medal, the company’s highest honor. Cranna received a PhD in musicology from Stanford, focusing on early Italian Baroque music. He writes and lectures frequently on opera and teaches at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLI) at UC Berkeley, SF State, and Dominican University of California.
Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.