uwloo

MUSIC 261Opera and Musical Theatre

Units
0.50
Faculty
Arts
Subject
Music

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course introduces students to the themes, sources, forms, and conventions of opera and musical theatre through selected works from Europe and North America. The course explores ways that drama is interpreted through music and considers opera and musical theatre in a broader context of social, political, and artistic issues. Students will learn to articulate how musical elements are used in musical dramas and assess opera and musical theatre performances with critical perception and contextual analysis.

Prerequisites

None listed.

Antirequisites

None listed.

Notes

  • The ability to read music notation is not required.

Leads to

No course lists it as a requisite.

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 001448316 / 40TTh 10:00–11:20

Reviewed on UW Flow

100% liked it100% easy75% useful

From 1 rating and 1 comment on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • I'm a huge opera fan, so this was a pleasure from start to finish. Just spend half of class listening to opera excerpts and outside of class spending minimal time completing short and interesting assignments. Great exposure to new (to me) works!

    Mar 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

One post or comment in 1 thread mentions MUSIC 261, October 2017 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Fall 2017

Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments

“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”

u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”

u/Jackhofmann: “… MUSIC 181AW MUSIC 216 MUSIC 217 MUSIC 222 MUSIC 226 MUSIC 227 MUSIC 232 MUSIC 253 MUSIC 254 MUSIC 261 MUSIC 270 MUSIC 275 MUSIC 316 MUSIC 317 MUSIC 326 MUSIC 327 MUSIC 363 MUSIC 370 MUSIC 376 MUSIC 380 MUSIC 381 MUSIC 390 MUSIC 426 MUSIC 427 MUSIC 428 MUSIC 492 NANO 701 NANO 702 …”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar