In my other posts, I've (offhandedly) mentioned the importance of understanding contemporary music in the context of contemporary culture. Today's post will examine the different ways music provides a window into the ways we see ourselves today, and (my) posts for the week will reflect this theme.

This lesson plan from ARTSEDGE is an excellent way to use contemporary opera to understand contemporary culture. While many contemporary operas have some decidedly grown-up subject matter, and this must be considered very carefully before showing the film to the kids, they can be a fabulous learning tool. Consider operas such as:

- Philip Glass' Einstein on the Beach, which deals with personal connections to famous figures, math, science, and the atomic bomb. It is exceptionally long (five hours), so students could pick segments for a report. Glass did not intend for audience members to listen to the opera very closely since it is five hours long.

- John Adams' Nixon in China is a historical opera about Nixon's visit to China. This opera can spark discussions about communism and propaganda.

- Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar would be suitable for a high school Spanish class. It is one of my personal favorite contemporary operas. Golijov's music is quite accessible, and high-schoolers will identify with the main character's struggle for identity and acceptance (be aware of the sexual themes, though).

Rock operas like The Who's Quadrophenia would be another excellent way to reach students, although many deal with very adult issues. Although we shouldn't force these issues on kids, it seems like it would be better to give them the proper tools to understand sex and drugs than to pretend like these issues don't exist.

What place do you think "adult" issues (such as sexuality, drugs, violence) have in the classroom? Contemporary opera, like contemporary life, is full of these.