Shakespeare’s influence and inspiration extend not only to language, theatre and literature but his stories and characters are alive and well in music. There is evidence of his presence in a wide range of compositions. Whole plays are recounted in operas, such as Verdi’s Macbeth and Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet along with Prokofiev’s ballet and Bernstein’s musical, West Side Story. Hamlet and A Midsummer’s Night Dream inspired orchestral pieces. Vaughan Williams set three pieces of Shakespearian text for choir while Debussy’s piece for solo piano brings Puck to life. Let us experience Shakespeare in music.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face

SUGGESTED READING

• Various works by Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, Midsummer’s Night Dream, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing

COURSE OUTLINE

• Music in Shakespeare’s time, its role in his plays and instruments. Romeo and Juliet. Early operas.
• Romeo and Juliet continued. Operas and orchestral pieces.
• Hamlet: Pieces by Tchaikovsky and Berlioz. Macbeth: Verdi
• Macbeth continued. Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District.
• Midsummer’s Night Dream: Purcell, Mendelsohn, Britten.
• The Tempest: Sibelius, Adès.
• Much Ado About Nothing: Korngold, Berlioz.
• Some Sonnets.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Name three plays set as operas and their composers.
2. Gain knowledge of three composers who wrote overtures based on Shakespearean works.
3. Understand the influence of Shakespeare on Shostakovich and his opera.
4. Name three works based on Romeo and Juliet.