In this class, we will look at three kinds of modern Italian masterpieces: the music of the 19th century (three of the great operas of Giuseppe Verdi, which combine poetry, theater, and music), the literature of the 20th century (three of the strange and beautiful novels of Italo Calvino), and the cinema of the 21st century (three films by the astonishing young talent of Alice Rohrwacher). Class will focus both on appreciation (understanding why these three artists have made such an impression and why these really are “masterpieces”), critical analysis (understanding their historical and political context, their ideology, where they sometimes fall short), and theory (how do these arts speak to an inform each other?). No knowledge of Italian is required; all works are either subtitled or in translation.
TR 11-12:15 Bunche 3211