COM219: A Cultural History of Nineteenth Century Europe through Wagner's Ring (Fall 2018)

Wagner's 15-hour opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen is a unique masterpiece that transformed opera as a genre. With enormous emotional and intellectual power, it provides insight into key social and political issues that were particularly troubling in 19th-century Europe. It is also the magnum opus of a controversial composer whose overt anti-Semitism resonates well into the present. Through a close study of audio and video recordings, and with equal emphasis on musical and theatrical aspects, this course will offer a cross-disciplinary introduction to the Ring, unpacking the musical, cultural, political and economic history of the period.