Marxism, Greek Mythology, 18th C France - Pacific Opera Scenes Program
Poster Number
15
Format
Poster Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
James Haffner
Faculty Mentor Department
Music
Abstract/Artist Statement
Pacific Opera Theater’s upcoming production of “Dido and Aeneas” by Henry Purcell is a directing forum for the directing seminar presented by Professor James Haffner. Four student directors and the Pacific Opera Theater group participated in the collaborative piece over the course of the semester. All of the student directors were required to draft a directing concept for the production they would produce if the funds were limitless and all rules were off the table. From this concept, they then created concepts that reflected the spirit of the original composition; an effort to discover how storytelling can take place in it’s most basic form, using only the necessary elements of the story and it’s message - “page to stage”. Students were often told, when gathering materials, to ask themselves if there material was absolutely necessary in order to tell the story; if not - don’t use it. The production of Dido and Aeneas Act 2 was inspired by a recent reading of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto, and the Marxist theory of the bourgeoisie and proletariat. Drawing upon studies in cultural anthropology and Marxist theory, there was a discovered divide between the two cultures represented in the opera - a bourgeoisie and proletariat divide. In this interpretation the story is set in 18th C France, on the cusp of the French Revolution. Dido and Aeneas are represented as French bourgeoisie inspired by King Louis and Marie Antoinette. The main idea of the piece was to emphasize the disparities and blind oppressive nature of the rich upon the poor, and to inspire a new interpretation of the opera.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Start Date
25-4-2015 10:00 AM
End Date
25-4-2015 12:00 PM
Marxism, Greek Mythology, 18th C France - Pacific Opera Scenes Program
DeRosa University Center, Ballroom
Pacific Opera Theater’s upcoming production of “Dido and Aeneas” by Henry Purcell is a directing forum for the directing seminar presented by Professor James Haffner. Four student directors and the Pacific Opera Theater group participated in the collaborative piece over the course of the semester. All of the student directors were required to draft a directing concept for the production they would produce if the funds were limitless and all rules were off the table. From this concept, they then created concepts that reflected the spirit of the original composition; an effort to discover how storytelling can take place in it’s most basic form, using only the necessary elements of the story and it’s message - “page to stage”. Students were often told, when gathering materials, to ask themselves if there material was absolutely necessary in order to tell the story; if not - don’t use it. The production of Dido and Aeneas Act 2 was inspired by a recent reading of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto, and the Marxist theory of the bourgeoisie and proletariat. Drawing upon studies in cultural anthropology and Marxist theory, there was a discovered divide between the two cultures represented in the opera - a bourgeoisie and proletariat divide. In this interpretation the story is set in 18th C France, on the cusp of the French Revolution. Dido and Aeneas are represented as French bourgeoisie inspired by King Louis and Marie Antoinette. The main idea of the piece was to emphasize the disparities and blind oppressive nature of the rich upon the poor, and to inspire a new interpretation of the opera.