Please register for this course only if you are taking/have taken the first course (Part A).  We are hoping to offer another series starting in April or September, so please do email the Activity Leader to express your interest in the first course.

If you want to learn about opera, whether you are familiar with the genre or just beginning to enjoy it, then this two-part course will offer you new ways of listening to opera, by exploring a wide variety of operas and their social and cultural contexts, ranging from the eighteenth century to the present day.

In this second 11-week course (Part B), we will explore some of the more general ideas around opera. In each class we will take a single work as a case study, outlining some of the general history of the composer and of the background to the opera, discussing the plot, the characters, the music, and different approaches to staging. As per the first series (Part A), classes will be supported by a PowerPoint presentation and plenty of audio and video examples of the operas, and there will be opportunities for discussion.  Following each class, the presentation and video links will be sent to participants, so you will still have the information if you miss a class.

The tutor, Dr Bruno Bower (FHEA, FRSA), is a lively and enthusiastic tutor whose love of music is infectious. He is a musicologist, performer, composer, and music editor, as well as a highly experienced teacher. He currently teaches at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Imperial College London. He is also the principal oboist of West London Sinfonia and the cor anglais player for Chelsea Opera Group.

Part B: Lectures will take place on the following Mondays (in 2026)

January: 12th, 19th, 26th

February: 2nd, 9th, (half-term break), 23rd

March: 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th

Tickets: The 11-week course is £220, payable in advance, and the cost includes tea/coffee and biscuits.  You may purchase the Part B series using the instructions below.

This is a unique joint venture between KCWC and Imperial College, so there is a two part ticketing process:

Step #1: Please make your payment directly to Imperial College using the following link – https://estore.imperial.ac.uk/browse/product-selection?product-token=8bf95a613dfee9cbed8ca3e57df70236 

Step #2: Please use the normal KCWC ticket purchase process in the “Tickets” section below (there is no additional charge, but we need you registered for tracking and communication purposes)