Module overview
In this module you will explore the operas by Benjamin Britten, one of Britain’s most influential composers. Britten’s operas are among the few 20th-century works that hold a central position in today’s operatic canon. They are produced regularly by world-leading opera companies, and they are available in numerous audio and video recordings. Proceeding in rough chronological order from Peter Grimes (1945) to Death in Venice (1973), you will become acquainted with Britten’s most popular works, including Billy Budd, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Turn of the Screw, and Owen WIngrave. Each opera discussed in the module will serve as a case study to explore a broad theme in operatic culture, including reception and dissemination, the adaptation of a literary source to an opera libretto, national identity, social issues, sexuality, and opera and the media.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Understand and interpret the social, intellectual, and political forces that shaped Britten’s culture of operas
- Approach opera performances with an increased awareness of their status as (and relation to) ‘permanent’ texts.
- Attain some perception of the multi-layered notion of operatic text
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- The processes of creation, production, dissemination, and reception of Britten’s operas
- The cultural themes explored in key operas by Britten and their relevance at the time and today
- The stylistic features of selected works by Britten
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Communicate your knowledge and ideas in proficient written prose
- Discuss your knowledge and critical perception of Britten’s operas with your peers and others
- Present the results of your research with appropriate academic apparatus (footnotes, bibliography, examples).
- Research primary and secondary sources
Syllabus
Examples of topics that may be explored include:
Opera in the twentieth century: trends, repertoire and cultural significance
Britten’s first large-scale operas: Peter Grimes and Billy Budd: Success and circulation
Expanding opera’s generic boundaries; operas for small companies, the church, and television: The Turn of the Screw, Curlew River, Owen Wingrave
Sexuality and social themes: A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Death in Venice
Britten and the legacy of opera in Britain: adaptations and dissemination
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
Weekly lectures
Class discussion, encouraging each to develop an active and critical awareness of the issues raised
Depending on enrolment numbers, a certain amount of individual time with each student to ascertain their comprehension and absorption of complex issues.
Learning activities include
A wide range of reading (certain books and articles will be required reading)
Screening of video recordings
Use of online resources to find journal articles and other material relating to the subjects being studied.
Formative feedback on written work and reading assignments.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Completion of assessment task | 40 |
| Wider reading or practice | 40 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 26 |
| Lecture | 24 |
| Revision | 20 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Peter Evans (1997). The Music of Benjamin Britten. New York: Clarendon Press.
Claire Seymour (2007). The Operas of Benjamin Britten: Expression and Evasion. London: Boydell Press.
Philip Brett (2006). Music and Sexuality in Britten: Selected Essays. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
Include details of the proportion and weighting of coursework as well as the number, type and duration of examination(s). You must specify which element will be taken as the final assessment. Differentiation between 2nd and 3rd level work
The assessment of skills will be the same as for 2nd level students. For 3rd level students taking this unit, expectations will be higher than those for 2nd level students, and the assessment criteria will be accordingly stricter. In particular:
Topics chosen should allow a greater degree of focus and detail, whether of analysis, examination of and commentary on facts, critical insight, independent argument, or other factors.
Conversely, assignments should demonstrate a broader knowledge and understanding of context, a more confident use of analytical and critical tools, and a more mature handling of argument, etc.
Optimal standards of presentation are required, in terms of spelling, punctuation, and grammar; sophistication of vocabulary; provision of footnotes; inclusion of full bibliographic and related details; physical appearance of work, etc.
In short, 3rd level students should aspire at all times to the highest possible levels of undergraduate work.
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Outline
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback:
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 100% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External