Winter Break 2020 Participant
I enjoyed all the operas I saw and seeing the various historical sites. I liked Die Fledermaus for its analogy of life in Austria-Hungary in the early 1870s and its presentation, The Magic Flute for its mystical and joyful quality, and The Bartered Bride for its impressive if less elaborate presentation.
The particular sites I really liked seeing were the Schonbrunn Palace and the Mozarthaus, where I was able to grasp a large collection of knowledge about the lives of emperors and composers. I enjoyed the places where I got to experience other forms of art besides music, especially the Vienna Secession, the various theaters, and the castles.
Winter Break 2018 Participant
The sense of independence in navigating a foreign country definitely stayed with me when I returned home, and being able to relate the material from this class to my other music history courses has been very useful and helpful. Even learning about one area or specific time period can give you a larger perspective on everything else you learn about.
Jane Carrol Trembley, Winter Break 2018 Participant
My favorite part of this program was discussing an element of common themes in class, and then watching an opera and seeing how that particular production handled the topic we focused on. I loved being in a country where opera is so appreciated and important to their culture.