PMU230: Topics in Vocal Performance
There are a number of great sources at the UTL to help you in your studies. This short, curated list of resources will help you get started on role study research.
Character-Background Research
Conducting research on operatic characters including their age, back story, and specific knowledge can reveal information about their motives, feelings, and decisions.
Published librettos are available in the ML50s (on the main floor near the photocopy room), and often give detailed translations PLUS introductions written by scholars who provide historical context and other relevant background material. Example:
Don Giovanni by Call Number: ML50 .M939 D52 1987Da Ponte, Lorenzo. Mozart’s Don Giovanni: Libretto. Translated by Amanda and Anthony Holden. London: Deutsch, 1987. MUSI (Stacks)
Books:
- Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias by Call Number: ML102 .O6 B65 1994Boldry, Richard. Guide to Operatic Roles & Arias. Dallas: Pst…Inc., 1994.(Reference)
Who's Who in Opera by Call Number: ML102 .O6 B68 1998Bourne, Joyce. Who's Who in Opera: A Guide to Opera Characters. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. (Reference).
