Russian Literary Classics on the Opera Stage

Borderlines Open School for Advanced Cross-Cultural Studies, an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural teaching and research organization, presents a new course on Music / Russian studies:

Russian Literary Classics on the Opera Stage

Instructor: Philip Bullock – an Oxford don, researcher of Russian literature and music

April 27, May 4, 11, 18 (5:00-6:30pm EDT). Free spots are still available

Opera has long loved to adapt classic works of literature. Over the last two centuries, composers have frequently turned to Russian novels and stories for inspiration. Indeed, so famous have some operatic adaptations become that they sometimes overshadow the original work of literature on which they are based. During four meetings designed for lovers of both Russian literature and music, Philip Bullock will explore four composers – Tchaikovsky, Musorgsky, Shostakovich and Prokofiev – and the works of literature that they adapted for the operatic stage. In doing so, we will discover more about authors such as Pushkin, Leskov and Tolstoy, observe what is lost and gained in such acts of ‘translation’ from one artistic medium to another, and trace a story of affinity, affection and occasional disagreement between the two sister arts.

To enroll in the full course, please visit https://borderlinesopenschool.org/courses/p/russian-literary-classics-on-the-opera-stage. Use the promo code BULLOCK and receive a 50% discount.