Shakespeare’s immortal plays have inspired more operatic compositions than any other author’s. We explore some of the greatest musical adaptations of his plays to the opera stage: the eternal love story of Romeo and Juliet; the dark, existential questioning of the tragedies of Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello; the larger-than-life character of Falstaff. The teasing ambiguities of the Problem Plays, the wit of the Comedies and the magical enchantment of A Midsummer Night’s Dream have also inspired masterpieces. We address the eternal outreach of the poet’s unsurpassed knowledge of life and the human condition, using his texts and the music it has inspired in every age.
Course Dates
Course details
Tutors
Key features
Course delivery and schedule
Each weekend course features seven sessions (1.5 hours each) running from Friday evening to Sunday lunchtime plus regular breaks for meals and refreshments. On Saturday there’s also a longer break after lunch to relax, read or enjoy the gardens of Madingley Hall.
Course overview
The plays of the Bard are cherished throughout the world and have served to inspire more operatic compositions than any other authors. The course will explore some of the treasures resulting from the musical adaptations of Shakespeare’s immortal plays to the opera stage. The eternal love story of Romeo and Juliet has inspired Bellini, Gounod, Delius, Sutermeister; the dark existential questioning of the tragedies of Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello have produced powerful operatic adaptations by Thomas, Verdi and Rossini. The larger-than-life character of Falstaff and The Merry Wives of Windsor have been a recurrent source of fascination to composers like Balfe, Nicolai and Verdi, as have the teasing ambiguities of the problem plays (like Measure for Measure and Troilus and Cressida) for Wagner and Walton. The wit of the comedies (like Much Ado About Nothing) and the magical enchantment of A Midsummer Night’s Dream have inspired masterpieces by Purcell, Mendelssohn, Berlioz and Britten. In the aftermath of the four-hundredth anniversary of his death, the course aims to capture something of the eternal outreach of the poet’s unsurpassed knowledge of life and the human condition, using his texts and the multifarious music it has inspired in every age.
Aims
This course aims to:
- explore the plays of William Shakespeare and deepen knowledge of their universal appeal
- examine musical responses to his work, especially in the musico-dramatic form of opera
- sharpen critical reaction to both the poetry of the plays and the language of opera
Course sessions
Please arrive between 4:30pm and 6:30pm. You can meet other course members in the Bar which opens at 6:15pm. Tea and coffee making facilities are available in the bedrooms.
Friday
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:00pm | Dinner |
| 8:30pm to 10:00pm | Chronological Introduction |
| 10:00pm | Terrace Bar open for informal discussion |
Saturday
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:30am | Breakfast (for residents only) |
| 9:00am to 10:30am | Comedies 1 |
| 10:30am | Coffee |
| 11:00am to 12:30pm | Comedies 2 |
| 1:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00pm to 4:00pm | Free time |
| 4:00pm | Tea |
| 4:30pm to 6:00pm | Tragedies 1 |
| 6:30pm | Dinner |
| 8:00pm to 9:30pm | Tragedies 2 |
| 9:30pm | Terrace Bar open for informal discussion |
Sunday
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:30am | Breakfast (for residents only) |
| 9:00am to 10:30am | Problem Plays |
| 10:30am | Coffee |
| 11:00am to 12:30pm | Conclusion |
| 12:45pm | Lunch |
The course ends after lunch.
Presentation of the course
The course will be built around the operatic output inspired by Shakespeare, played on CD. There will be constant allusion to the intellectual and cultural background out of which the operas emerged, and discussion of the many thematic and symbolic concerns implicit to the drama and the music, and its reflection of the views of the various composers of the human condition. A strong visual dimension will be part of this process.
Learning outcomes
As a result of the course, you will gain a greater understanding of the subject and you should be able to:
- demonstrate the universal nature of Shakespeare’s genius, in the responses of other artists to his stories and poetry
- show how music, and particularly opera though the centuries, reflects a reciprocal response to the issues raised by Shakespeare’s plays
- feel greater fluency in articulating and analysing both literary and musical reactions to the human and even ontological situations and questions presented in the plays and in other forms of dramatic reflection on them
Reading resources list
There are no compulsory readings for this course.
Venue and accommodation
About Madingley Hall
Built in the 16th century, Madingley Hall is set in eight acres of landscaped gardens designed by Capability Brown. Madingley is just four miles from the centre of Cambridge and 60 minutes from London, with excellent links to London airports.
As a student you will enjoy award-winning cuisine in our elegant dining hall and first-rate facilities in an inspiring setting.
Accommodation
You can book to stay in the comfortable rooms at Madingley Hall, with views over the woods, gardens and courtyard. Each en-suite room has wi-fi, TV, phone, and tea- and coffee-making facilities. Breakfast is also included.
A lift gives access to two bedrooms adapted for wheelchair users. All ground floor areas can be reached once inside the building. A lift also gives access to first floor teaching rooms for those unable to use stairs. Let us know any additional requirements when booking.
If you choose to stay nearby, no problem. You’ll still be able to enjoy the grounds during the day and enjoy the award-winning cuisine in our elegant dining hall. Lunch and dinner is included in the course price.
If space permits, non-participant guests over the age of 18 may accompany a course attendee for the weekend.
For information on accommodation fees, see our ‘Fees and funding’ section below.
Dietary requirements
If you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies, please indicate these when booking.
Getting to Madingley Hall
Madingley Hall is located in the village of Madingley (CB23 8AQ), four miles west of Cambridge. It is easily accessible from the M11, A14 and A428.
If you are arriving in Cambridge by train you can take a taxi to Madingley Hall. Please contact Reception to book a taxi for your return journey.
Parking
Free on-site car parking is available and we have a small number of spaces close to the Hall entrance for Blue Badge holders.
Fees
| Weekend course | Fee |
|---|---|
| Including tuition, lunches, evening meals, tea and coffee | £435 |
| Accommodation, including bed and breakfast | Fee for Friday and Saturday night |
|---|---|
| Single room (£85 per night) | £170 |
| Double or twin room: shared with another course attendee (£65 per night, per person) | £130 |
| Double or twin room: for single occupancy (£110 per night) | £220 |
| Double or twin room for a guest (not attending a course) sharing with a course attendee: £65 per night plus 20% VAT | £156 |
| Meals for guests | Fee (including 20% VAT) |
|---|---|
| Dinner: Friday and Saturday. Lunch: Saturday and Sunday | £162 |
Guests must pay for accommodation and meals. These charges are subject to VAT.
Accommodation for verified carers is provided free of charge however, meals must be paid for.
If you’re sharing a room with a carer, please use the 'Ask a question' button to discuss further details before the booking deadline.
Booking extra nights
Want to stay longer? You can book the Sunday night after your course at the same weekend bed and breakfast rate. Please note that dinners are not provided on a Sunday evening.
If you wish to arrive early (before Friday) you will need to make a separate booking with Madingley Hall (charges may differ).
Financial support
We offer a range of concessions for our weekend courses:
- State School Teacher Concession: 25% reduction of tuition fee for any teacher with Qualified Teacher Status working in a UK state-funded school or Further Education institution.
- Benefits Concession: 25% reduction of tuition fee for recipients of a UK state benefit. Examples of benefits may include Universal Credit, Job Seekers’ Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Carer's Allowance or Attendance Allowance, or Pension Credit.
- University of Cambridge staff concession: 25% reduction of tuition fee for employees who hold a permanent contract of employment with the University.
- Cambridge Alumni (CAMCard) concession: 10% reduction of tuition fee for Cambridge University alumni.
You will be asked to upload current proof of status for all concessions when booking. If you are applying for the Benefits Concession, you must be in receipt of the benefit at the time of booking and documents must be dated within the last 12 months.
Please see our concessions page for further details.
Who can attend?
Our weekend courses are open to all adult learners. Courses are taught at approximately first-year undergraduate level. No academic qualifications are required, most courses are suitable for students who are new to the subject. Please complete any required reading listed in your course materials before the course starts. This enables you to fully participate and get the maximum enjoyment out of your course.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, you will need to be confident understanding and following discussions presented in written and spoken English at University level and will need to satisfy yourself that you have the appropriate level of English language proficiency. As a guide, we would suggest you need near-native command of the language, with levels around IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 92. Please contact us if you are unsure.
Student support and welfare
We welcome learners of all backgrounds and abilities and are committed to providing learners with disabilities and/or medical conditions equal opportunities and access to their chosen course of study.
We are committed to developing an inclusive learning and teaching environment and will seek to make reasonable adjustments where possible to enable learners to reach their full potential whilst studying with us.
Please let us know about any support requirements when booking so that we can work to support you.
Late bookings
Whilst we accept late bookings, for sustainability reasons we cannot always accommodate complex dietary/allergen or other additional support requirements for any bookings received or any dietary/additional support requirements notified after the booking deadline. Please consider this if you are asking to book after the deadline and have special dietary or additional support requirements.
Booking a weekend course
To book a weekend course click the 'Book now' button in the course details section on this page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address and pay for your course by credit or debit card.
If the course is full, the ‘Book now’ button will be replaced with ‘Add to waitlist’.
Please let us know about any support requirements when booking so that we can work to support you.
Payments
Payment can be made by credit/debit card using our secure online booking system, unless otherwise arranged. You can pay in full at the time of booking or pay in two instalments (the first instalment will be 15% of the full fee, the 85% balance will be taken automatically two weeks before the course starts if your payment card is stored in our system). For bookings received later than 14 days before the start of the course, payment must be made in full.
Booking deadlines
Bookings close 5 days before the start of the course. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking, the ‘Book now’ button will be replaced with ‘Add to waitlist’. Please add yourself to the waiting list and we will notify you, by email, if a place becomes available. We always recommend that you book early and well before the booking deadline to avoid disappointment.
Booking terms and conditions
Before booking your course, please ensure that you have read and understood our booking terms and conditions.
