The Operas and Influence of Wagner and Verdi

Lottery entry opens January 9 and closes January 16. Regular registration opens January 15.
Dates: April 10 - May 8, 2025
Meets: Th from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
 Location: Bozeman, MT - Hope Lutheran Church
Cost:  $65.00

There are still openings remaining at this time.

Date Day Time
04/10/2025Thursday1 PM to 3 PM
04/17/2025Thursday1 PM to 3 PM
04/24/2025Thursday1 PM to 3 PM
05/01/2025Thursday1 PM to 3 PM
05/08/2025Thursday1 PM to 3 PM

OR

Please note: This course program requires membership in a 2024-2025 OLLI at MSU Membership

Description

Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner were very different men but were giants of 19th-century opera composition. They were popular in their time and remain so today. This course will compare their lives, the musical traditions from which they came, the characteristics of their operas, the motivations behind their efforts and their influence on future operas. It will also demonstrate how their work influenced the subsequent century's art, culture and even politics with examples from the visual arts, literature and film.

Course Takeaways

  • Familiarity with the lives, music and drama of Verdi and Wagner.
  • Differences between Italian and German approaches to opera.
  • How Verdi and Wagner's work and ideas permeated aspects of culture beyond music.

Scholarship

Apply for a needs-based scholarship to take this offering.

Meet the Instructor

Fee:  $65.00

Bozeman, MT - Hope Lutheran Church

2152 Graf St
Bozeman, MT 59718
View the location on a map.

Stephen Guggenheim

Stephen Guggenheim is a retired physician and professor of medicine. He has presented several previous courses and discussions about opera for OLLI and Wonderlust. He is also an amateur musician and former member of the Bozeman Symphony and Intermountain Opera Orchestra. While he has no academic credentials in music, he has pursued a lifelong interest in music, especially opera, since age 12.
Date Day Time Location
04/10/2025Thursday1 PM to 3 PM Bozeman, MT - Hope Lutheran Church
04/17/2025Thursday1 PM to 3 PM Bozeman, MT - Hope Lutheran Church
04/24/2025Thursday1 PM to 3 PM Bozeman, MT - Hope Lutheran Church
05/01/2025Thursday1 PM to 3 PM Bozeman, MT - Hope Lutheran Church
05/08/2025Thursday1 PM to 3 PM Bozeman, MT - Hope Lutheran Church