COWL 118C Musical Theater in America

Investigates the early years of musical theater by focusing on the arrival and spread of opera across the continental United States. Explores popular genres, media reception, discourses on race and art, and the way that opera transformed the American landscape. Students read important social, cultural and political histories of American opera, listen to recorded versions and watch several films. Class also features collaboration with the UCSC Opera Program to examine questions of performance.