Sunday, November 08, 2009
Opera on DVD: Why wait for the next production?
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Experiencing a worthy performance of a great opera, such as Pittsburgh Opera's recent production of 'Falstaff,' is as much a matter of excitement as satisfaction. Anyone turned on by the wit and amazing music of 'Falstaff' is likely to want to experience it again, and a lot sooner than it will return to the stage in Pittsburgh."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I am slightly conflicted on this topic. Personally, at this time in my life Opera is my favorite form of theatre. For me there is almost nothing cooler than watching a well done Opera. Its just so beautiful from, the music to the songs, to the set and the costumes, I just absolutely love it. And there is nothing like experiencing this in person. So, Im not sure how I feel about having just a DVD of a show. On the one hand it takes away from the majesty of the show, but on the other how incredible would it be to be able to see versions of shows with the original icons that play them?
I agree with Sonia that a DVD can decrease the majesty of an Opera and that sitting in your living room somehow doesn't fill you with the wonder of being in the audience. However, I recently bought a DVD of the original cast of Les Miserables performing, not the whole show but the songs, with an orchestra behind them. Seeing the actors sing the songs I listen to on my ipod was quite magical. While Les Miserables isn't exactly an opera, I think that the same thing could apply. I think it'd be really cool to see Operas with the original cast and I also think its cool how DVDs would be able to get those operas out to many people who might not be able to see them in person.
I like the idea of filming really extraordinary performances so that they can be viewed by future audiences and so that the production can be preserved infinitely. However, I don't think that these filmed productions should replace new ones. New groups of directors, designers, musicians, performers, etc can bring a unique perspective to an old piece of theatre, and i don't think we should stop creating new productions because the old ones were so good and available on film.
I think you loose the majesty of opera when it's on dvd because the production isn't focused on "dvd" or "film" values. Drama or theatricality on stage is something completely different than theatricality in film. My problem with putting opera on dvd is who is controlling the editing? and the framing of shots. It degrades the quality when one just randomly captures information on film.
While yes, there is some loss of experience, and maybe even artfulness in a DVD, I think that producing one is a very good step towards making opera more accessible. Folks who might not be able to get to a good opera because of where they live, or would feel to out of place at the opera, are able to hear the message of the production and maybe even learn to appreciate the form a bit. San Francisco Opera also has done some work to make opera more accessible by simulcasting to a baseball field and letting people watch for free a few times per year. Encouraging diverse audiences - even if they view in different ways - is part of what keeps art vital and important.
Post a Comment