The “daughter of the regiment”—an orphan raised by French soldiers—falls in love with a Tyrolean rebel fighting against her French “family”: Result? The perfect operatic comedy, replete with infectious melodies, irresistible humor, and a heartwarming tale of love conquering all. Set to an original libretto by Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Bayard, Donizetti’s effervescent music features the aria whose nine high Cs rocketed Pavarotti to fame, and the rousing patriotic finale, Salut à la France! In this class, we’ll study a complete recording of Covent Garden’s 2008 production, with bilingual (French-English) video-subtitles —a delightful and authentic context for introducing or reinforcing French-language skills, while deepening appreciation of how the composer uses the music to heighten the dramatic and comic effect of the text.  We’ll also listen to historical recordings, and enjoy a video excerpt from a 2016 production featuring a cameo performance by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a non-singing role. There’s an optional trip to the Metropolitan Opera’s widely acclaimed production (Sunday, October 26, 3:00 p.m.).

Text:  All required texts and related materials will be supplied online by the instructor (at no additional cost).