Two party system

Week 5 Discussion

-

submit during W5 due dates

"Western Influence on Asia; Opera and Society and a Dilemma"

Please

res

pond to

one (1)

of the following,

using sources under the Explore heading

as

the basis of your response

-

remember tell us 'why' you think this, and what factual

support to build upon your learning this week:

·

Describe (1) example of how either black slaves

or white abolitionists used

literature or the visual arts as a form of protest against slavery; and compare this

to a modern example of art used for social protest.

This may seem redundant

from last week, but building upon additional readings, key here i

s how you relate

modern issues to the foundation of, impact of slavery protest and add new ideas

from what we have discussed to

-

date!

·

Building on the key motives involved in the increased presence of Westerners in

India, China, and Japan in the 1700s and

1800s

-

British policies influences, how

can you relate them to contemporary trade issues between the US and/or India,

China and Japan?

What lessons have we learned in our current policies,

or not?

·

Read, listen to, and watch the sources for the opera com

posers at the Websites

below and in this week's Music Folder.

Pick one composer, identify and

discuss the major influences they exerted upon opera in terms of

making it more innovative, realistic, and even controversial.

Next,

consider Wagner and this dile

mma: Wagner's brilliance is clear because his

works remain some of the most popular and admired productions in our own

time. Yet, he was a blatantly antisemitic and held notions of racial purity, traits

that have stained his artistic legacy. (This was comp

ounded by the later

celebration of Wagner's music by Hitler and the Nazis). New York Times writer

Anthony Tommasini wrote of Wagner in 2005: "How did such sublime music

come from such a warped man? Maybe art really does have the power to ferret

out the bes

t in us."

So relating to Wagner, consider the issue of whether

we should or can separate the artist from the art, whether we can

appreciate the art but reject the artist. Or whether we should reject

both the person and his or her art. Identify one (1) mode

rn musician

or artist where this dilemma arises.

·

This question asks you to reverse our focus

–

start with the modern adaptation to

search and explore, then look back to address cultural impact(s).

How can you

relate a modern opera to our CH readings th

is week?

Choose (1) below to

explore the modern application and how it ties to our weekly

learning:

Modern operas include:

o

Amahl and the Night Visitors

, Gian

-

Carlo Menotti, about the visit of the Three

Kings to a humble peasant.

o

Candide

, Leonard Bernstein’s comic opera based on Voltaire’s famous satire.

o

Sweeney Todd,

Stephen Sondheim’s operatic take on a creaky nineteenth

-

century horror play.

Week 5 Discussion - submit during W5 due dates

"Western Influence on Asia; Opera and Society and a Dilemma" Please

respond to one (1) of the following, using sources under the Explore heading as

the basis of your response - remember tell us 'why' you think this, and what factual

support to build upon your learning this week:

 Describe (1) example of how either black slaves or white abolitionists used

literature or the visual arts as a form of protest against slavery; and compare this

to a modern example of art used for social protest. This may seem redundant

from last week, but building upon additional readings, key here is how you relate

modern issues to the foundation of, impact of slavery protest and add new ideas

from what we have discussed to-date!

 Building on the key motives involved in the increased presence of Westerners in

India, China, and Japan in the 1700s and 1800s - British policies influences, how

can you relate them to contemporary trade issues between the US and/or India,

China and Japan? What lessons have we learned in our current policies,

or not?

 Read, listen to, and watch the sources for the opera composers at the Websites

below and in this week's Music Folder. Pick one composer, identify and

discuss the major influences they exerted upon opera in terms of

making it more innovative, realistic, and even controversial. Next,

consider Wagner and this dilemma: Wagner's brilliance is clear because his

works remain some of the most popular and admired productions in our own

time. Yet, he was a blatantly antisemitic and held notions of racial purity, traits

that have stained his artistic legacy. (This was compounded by the later

celebration of Wagner's music by Hitler and the Nazis). New York Times writer

Anthony Tommasini wrote of Wagner in 2005: "How did such sublime music

come from such a warped man? Maybe art really does have the power to ferret

out the best in us." So relating to Wagner, consider the issue of whether

we should or can separate the artist from the art, whether we can

appreciate the art but reject the artist. Or whether we should reject

both the person and his or her art. Identify one (1) modern musician

or artist where this dilemma arises.

 This question asks you to reverse our focus – start with the modern adaptation to

search and explore, then look back to address cultural impact(s). How can you

relate a modern opera to our CH readings this week? Choose (1) below to

explore the modern application and how it ties to our weekly

learning: Modern operas include:

o Amahl and the Night Visitors, Gian-Carlo Menotti, about the visit of the Three

Kings to a humble peasant.

o Candide, Leonard Bernstein’s comic opera based on Voltaire’s famous satire.

o Sweeney Todd, Stephen Sondheim’s operatic take on a creaky nineteenth-

century horror play.