'Franco-Italian Cultural Transfer: Opera and Song 1800-1850' (FICTOS)
Department of Music
The Department of Music at the University of Southampton (UK), together with Opera Rara and the Arts and Humanities Research Council, announce THREE fully-funded collaborative PhD studentships, commencing 1 October 2008. The studentships form part of a research project ‘Franco-Italian Cultural Transfer: Opera and Song 1800-1850' (FICTOS). The scope of this project is wide and encompasses the widest spectrum of contact, transfer and exchange between Italy and France and vice-versa in opera and song. Our investigation includes, for example, the transfer of works between languages and genres, the careers of composers and performers, and the investigation of the wider principles of cultural transfer in the context of Franco-Italian operatic cross-fertilisation.
The award-holders will
- spend about two-thirds of their time at the University of Southampton, where they will research and write a dissertation leading to a PhD in musicology. A vital part of this work will be the edition for performance, recording and future study of a work or group of works from the repertoire with which FICTOS will engage.
- spend a proportion of their time working with Opera Rara at their London offices helping to prepare, and then to assist with the management and supervision of the recordings of works from the repertoire that is the subject of their research. Opera Rara is currently preparing three such projects: Mercadante's Il reggente, Donizetti's L'ange de Nisida and Italian Song in Paris. Although we do not necessarily envisage these as sole subjects for dissertations, we do see them as forming part of, for example, of a study of French opera libretti as the source for melodramma, of Donizetti's work in Paris, or of the reception of Italian musical culture in nineteenth-century France.
We seek student researchers interested in exploring a specific work or repertory that falls within the chronological, geographical and theoretical limits of the project. The successful candidates are likely to have many of the following qualifications:
- a committed interest in opera and its history.
- an excellent (upper second or first class) undergraduate degree in music, or in a cognate subject like modern languages or history.
- a relevant masters degree (under certain circumstances, you may proceed directly from undergraduate to doctoral study if your qualifications and experience are appropriate).
- working knowledge of French and/or Italian. The University of Southampton will provide language training as appropriate as part of your degree programme should you need to deepen your knowledge of either or both of these.
- an interest in, or a willingness to learn about, the latest methods and technologies of editing music.
- an understanding, or a willingness to learn about, of the performance, production, and recording of opera and song today.
PROJECT SUPERVISORS: Prof Mark Everist (m.everist@soton.ac.uk) and Dr Francesco Izzo (f.izzo@soton.ac.uk). Please direct any inquiries in advance of application to either or both.
TO APPLY: Further particulars, details of funding, and instructions for applicants are available at http://www.humanities.soton.ac.uk/default.asp?sec=66&sub=157&pag=1
The closing date is 16 May at 12 noon.
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