Opera as the New Greek Tragedy. This class is about love, hatred, hubris, punishment and destiny as they have been sung on operatic stages in the last four centuries. Opera history will be studied from the perspective of its use and transformation of classical mythology. From Orpheus to Elektra, from Iphigenia to Ariadne, from Hercules to Dido, this class will explore not only the evolution of the operatic genre, but also the evolution of the multiple interpretations of classical mythology’s many enigmas.
Founded as a graduate program in 1904 and joining with the undergraduate Literature Concentration in 2007, Harvard’s Department of Comparative Literature operates at the crossroads of multilingualism, literary study, and media history.
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