Syllabi: Medicine and Opera

INSTITUTION: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine

PRESENTERS: Mrs. Maria Hutterer and Dr. Ferenc Hutterer, Professor Emeritus and former Chairman, Biochemistry Department, NEOUCOM

PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Martin Kohn, Ph.D., Director of the Human Values in Medicine Program (email: mfk@neoucom.EDU)

ENROLLMENT: BS/MD; selective; limit: 25

SEMESTER: Spring 2000
April 29 and 30 (Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.)

LEARNING GOALS:

1) To appreciate the "musical language" as a means for description of human characters and situations.

2) To learn how physicians are viewed by other segments of society and how these views are expressed in the language of music.

METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: Lectures, audio and video demonstrations, and active group participation at the piano.

OUTLINE:

Physicians are depicted in classical operas frequently and described - in the musical language -variously as noble, competent, serious, greedy, evil, ignorant. You will "hear" a house visit of a serious physician of his tuberculotic patient; a family practitioner who takes care of all sorts of problems besides health; a greedy physician whose only interest is money; a quack who sells placebos (which turn out to be effective); an evil physician who torments his patient and drives her to psychosis and death; and an ignorant one who makes a total fool of himself.

These characterizations will be illustrated by operas of Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini and Offenbach. The music will be played first by tape followed by an analysis at the piano. This will include the study of text, group singing and the translation of musical language to (Hungarian) English with your active participation.

REQUIREMENTS: Active participation.

READING LIST: Handouts will be supplied.