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The History of Opera and Theater in Vienna: A Musical Journey with Alexander McCargar

The History of Opera and Theater in Vienna: A Musical Journey with Alexander McCargar


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Join historian Alexander McCarger to explore the musical history of Opera in Vienna, Austria. We’ll go beyond the renowned Vienna State Opera to uncover the past and present worlds of musical performance in this majestic European capital. This seminar is for the music aficionado and the arm-chair traveler alike.

For centuries, Vienna has been known as a city of music. Mozart, Beethoven, and the waltzes of Strauss immediately come to mind. But for visitors to the city today the intricate and varied musical legacy of Vienna is often overshadowed by just a few major institutions such as the State Opera and the Mozart House. In this seminar, we will focus on music and performance in Vienna from two angles. Firstly, we will examine the unique history of musical performance—mainly opera—in Vienna going back several centuries. Many contemporary visitors to the grand Hofburg Palace, for example, have no idea that in the 17th century one of the largest and grandest operas of all time was staged in the courtyard.

We will then focus on the city as it is today and how to visit lesser-known sites of musical historical interest and different performance venues. Theaters for spoken drama and more experimental works will also be pointed out. Maps of the city, performance programs, and a plethora of images will be used. This course is for anyone interested in discovering the sites of musical history in Vienna whether arm-chair traveling or planning an upcoming trip.

Led by an expert on historical performance, Alexander McCargar, this interactive seminar will introduce participants to sites of musical interest in Vienna. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased understanding of the diverse and layered musical legacy of Vienna.

Alexander grew up in the greater Boston area and now lives in Vienna, Austria. He earned a MFA from Yale School of Drama and previously studied Architecture and Art History at Rhode Island School of Design. He has been awarded numerous grants to study the history of visual culture including a Fulbright Scholarship and a Beinecke Library Research Fellowship. He enjoys traveling and is always eager to learn new things.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 5 reviews
60%
(3)
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L
Laurie
Excellent content

Excellent and very interesting- I learned a lot

N
Nancy (Victoria, CA)

Absolutely brilliant

K
Kimberlee (Redmond, US)
Great Addition to Context Experts

Alexander is both a knowledgeable and entertaining speaker. The topic was fascinating and illustrated with a well-curated selection of visual materials. I very much look forward to future offerings from Alexander!!!

N
N.S. (Hollywood, US)
Review

Very pleasantly surprised by how much detail Mr. McCargar was able to fit into this lecture...could have gone on & on....Of interest were the 'lost' theaters that were built over/destroyed, and live on only in drawings. Mr McCargar has a clear, well-modulated speaking voice, so I was able to pick up everything...learned about the "2-point perspective" and one of the last old surviving theater houses of Europe, the 'Cesky Krumlov' about ~3 hours from Vienna,...very informative lecture.

M
Mary Allen (Cambridge, US)
Wonderfully presented

This was informative, beautifully organized, and exactly on the subject. McCargar's visual presentations were exceptionally well-done and included several old engravings and prints illustrating the history. I have lived in in Vienna and especially enjoyed the section on "Vanished Theaters," showing pictures of them as well as their locations on an excellent map of the Inner City.
My only complaint was that McCargar has the unfortunate habit of using "um" a lot when he speaks. It's distracting. But overall, an excellent presentation. Thank you!

Customer Reviews

Based on 5 reviews
60%
(3)
40%
(2)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
L
Laurie
Excellent content

Excellent and very interesting- I learned a lot

N
Nancy (Victoria, CA)

Absolutely brilliant

K
Kimberlee (Redmond, US)
Great Addition to Context Experts

Alexander is both a knowledgeable and entertaining speaker. The topic was fascinating and illustrated with a well-curated selection of visual materials. I very much look forward to future offerings from Alexander!!!

N
N.S. (Hollywood, US)
Review

Very pleasantly surprised by how much detail Mr. McCargar was able to fit into this lecture...could have gone on & on....Of interest were the 'lost' theaters that were built over/destroyed, and live on only in drawings. Mr McCargar has a clear, well-modulated speaking voice, so I was able to pick up everything...learned about the "2-point perspective" and one of the last old surviving theater houses of Europe, the 'Cesky Krumlov' about ~3 hours from Vienna,...very informative lecture.

M
Mary Allen (Cambridge, US)
Wonderfully presented

This was informative, beautifully organized, and exactly on the subject. McCargar's visual presentations were exceptionally well-done and included several old engravings and prints illustrating the history. I have lived in in Vienna and especially enjoyed the section on "Vanished Theaters," showing pictures of them as well as their locations on an excellent map of the Inner City.
My only complaint was that McCargar has the unfortunate habit of using "um" a lot when he speaks. It's distracting. But overall, an excellent presentation. Thank you!