Empires: Culture and Politics in Vienna & Prague : Reviews (Prague)
The following program review responses have been selected for publication by Study Abroad & Global Engagement
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Sasha L Arteaga,
Winter Break 2018 Participant
I really enjoyed how interdisciplinary the program was-we not only saw some fantastic operatic and symphonic repertoire, but we also talked about art, architecture, and political history. It was also cool to see how events that took place even 600 years ago still have an effect on the everyday lives of the people who live in Vienna and Prague.
Winter Break 2018 Participant
Being able to learn about things and places that we were actually seeing and touring was highly unique, and really enhanced how much I understood the material. Just reading from a textbook and attending a lecture gives you a very narrow understanding in comparison, and I know that not only the memories of what we experienced, but also the culture and history behind it will stay with me for a very long time.
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.
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.
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.
Winter Break 2020 Participant
Through this program, I learned much about the history of music and its pivotal connection with the cities of Vienna and Prague. I gained a better understanding of the famed composers from those cities, especially Mozart, Haydn, Smetana, and Dvorak, by learning about their best-known works and their cultural and personal influences.
Winter Break 2020 Participant
Going to another country and seeing how everyday citizens in Austria and the Czech Republic live their lives. I also enjoyed seeing all of the different historic landmarks and museums on our trip.
Winter Break 2020 Participant
Learning about music history while being in cities with such rich musical history is, in my opinion, an extremely valuable experience for any music students. Getting to visit the places were famous composers like Mozart lived and performed was a very valuable and memorable experience.