American Opera Since 1950, a sequel?

This idea came to me in class on Friday...one of the themes of our course would make a fabulous seminar all by itself. I think someone really needs to teach a special topics class on the intersection of opera and film. It seems like the topic has come up in just about every piece we have talked about this semester.

My ideas aren’t fully formed yet, but here are some things I would like to see explored in such a hypothetical course:

The influence of film on opera

For one, the use of projections or graphic images in the production of opera has changed the way companies think of set design and visual aesthetics and brought a new dimension to the visual aspects of opera. In terms of this, I am thinking of the Robert LePage production of Le Damnation de Faust and his use of interactive projections that reacted to the performers. Secondly, there were many times during the class when we pointed out that the score sounded like a film score (such as in The Aspern Papers), so those aesthetics would be interesting to explore. Which leads me to a second topic:

The use of opera in film

I think this could encompass the way film scores function, as well as how opera functions in terms of mood, character, or time period. In addition, there are many operatic scenes one could look at in film (I'm sorry, but I can’t help but think of Pretty Woman). How do they function? How do they reflect society’s idea of opera? Is that perception different in different countries (for example, how is opera used in French film)?

Opera on film

Considering the increasing number of operas on film, as well as the Metropolitan Opera’s “Live in HD” program, I think this is important to talk about. Much of the discussion we had this semester touched on the different effects which viewing opera on film and viewing live opera had on the viewer. I would include a discussion of filmed live opera vs. operas that have been made into films. I think it would be particularly interesting to explore the criticism as well as the public’s reaction to the “Live in HD” program and its effects (if any are measurable) on the world of opera. I think this should also encompass a discussion of operatic films (such as The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) and opera based on film (such as Dead Man Walking). Which would be a nice transition to…

Modern opera/rock opera, and its intersection with film

I think our discussion this week really forced a lot of us to think outside the box, which is extremely valuable. I would like to see those ideas explored more fully. I think they may be integral to the future of opera.