Deceptive Cadence : NPR: We Shall Not Be Moved is a new opera that takes its name from both the old spiritual-turned-civil-rights anthem and the Philadelphia black liberation group, MOVE. That group might be best-remembered for a 1985 tragedy: A police helicopter bombed the MOVE house, and the resulting fire killed 11 people and destroyed 62 homes in the neighborhood.
2 comments:
The thing that most intrigued me about this new opera is that it takes a historical event and connects it directly to modern day. First, off it takes the event of the 1985 MOVE Bombing and sets it in a modern context. Not the actual bombing but the characters interact with a space affected by the bombing (something that a lot of pieces fall to do when commenting on a historical event). It is good to have theatre commenting on a historical event to set the audience in this setting but sometimes especially with younger audiences, there is a disconnect. This brings a different audience type in, which means there is a wider audience. This is an added plus. Another way the opera modernizes is through its music choice. The article talks about how there is an R&B and Eminem/rap influence. Not only does this connect the audience to the music but it compliments the modern theme. One of the turn-offs to Opera to a modern audience is the classical music. This is another way the show is innovative and why it is successful.
When I think of forms of art to use to make a political statement I usually don’t think opera. When I thin opera I think Italian, long, elegant, formal, stingy, dated. I think my preconceived notion about opera is formed around the fact that opera ids not a accessible art for all people. I have never seen an opera because I am intimidated by the content mater and the opportunity has never been presented to me to see an opera nor have I gone out of my way to look for that opportunity. All of my opinions about opera could be completely wrong, and I bet most of them are, but I’m not going to ignore the fact that I hold these opinions and I can’t be the only one. I think making more operas like the one here could change all of these preconceived notions that people hold and open the art form to a wider audience. This show about the MOVE bombing could do that. It brings opera to a modern time and a subject mater that people can relate to. Which motivates people to go and sit in those seats and experience it because audience members know that they will be able to physically understand the show because there will be no language barrier and it is a topic that people are willing to learn about, using art as the conduit for learning, about this event in Philadelphia and the civil rights struggle that went on in this country. It is also a great was to use an art that is not typically known for its use as a political tool, and change that. To make opera a tool and an outlet for political and social discussion that we need to be having in the arts community and the world as a whole.
Post a Comment