Chinese Opera – A Surprisingly Good Way to Get Into Opera

On Saturday April 12th I attended a performance by the Tianjin Peking Opera Company. The show comprised of selections from three different operas; A Dragon Flirts with a Phoenix, Wu Song Kills the Tiger, and The Ghost of the Black Pot. The show opened with A Dragon Flirts with a Phoenix. The synopsis of this selection is the Chinese Emperor, Zhengde of the Ming dynasty, is travelling and stops for rest at an inn where he meets Phoenix, the innkeeper. While there he tries everything in his power to seduce the young woman. The second selection was Wu Song Kills the Tiger. This selection is about an outlaw hero, Wu Song, who is travelling (I’m sensing a theme here) and comes across an inn where he stops for a drink. While at the inn he has a large amount of wine, against the advice of the innkeeper, and then sets out to retrieve money to pay his tab. There have been many reports of a tiger that is terrorizing the area. Upon setting out Wu Song comes across this tiger and is force to fight it, inebriated. Eventually, after an impressive fight scene between the two, Wu Song kills the tiger. (Who would have guessed) The third selection was The Ghost of the Black Pot. This selection recounts how a kiln owner, Big Zhao, and his wife murder a merchant in order to steal his money. The merchant’s body is then cremated and made into a black pot by his murderers. Eventually after years of living in luxury an old man name Zhang Biegu comes to collect money from Big Zhao. Instead of paying him in actual money Big Zhao gives him the pot with the merchants soul trapped in it. The merchants soul appears of stage and asks for help getting revenge on Big Zhao. That’s where the selection ended.. no resolution.

Going into this I was not expecting to enjoy it very much; eastern music tends to be hard on the ears of a western listener. However, I was very pleasantly surprised, the music was not too hard to listen to and the stories made the experience a lot of fun. The first two selections were very comical with Phoenix constantly denying the advances of the emperor and Wu Song and the innkeeper drinking so much they could barely stand. Given the opportunity I would definitely attend a Peking opera again. It was a lot of fun and I think a lot of people would enjoy it.

Kia – Opera – Hamsters – I see no connection.

I assume Kia is attempting to dramatize the introduction of a new model of Soul by using opera. Opera is often viewed as a dramatic art form (rightly so) and Kia is playing on how people view it to their ad. Aside from using the drama of opera to dramatize the introduction of the new model they might also be attempting to add class to a relatively cheap and unclassy car. People inherently see opera as something high class members of society attend and by associating the car with that pre-existing belief Kia subconsciously increases the “class” of the car. The ad definitely upholds the preconceived notions of opera that are held by the public. Opera is seen as uptight, old, “classy”, and dry, and in the first part of the commercial it is apparent that that is what Kia was going for. It is not until the introduction of the car that things change from the boring old opera into a party with loud and intense electronic music, dancing, and lasers. Perhaps Kia is trying to insert some fun into opera unintentionally; I do not think that was their intention though. They are advertising a car, not opera. And, of course, because it’s Kia and they can’t let go of a once successful ad, the hamsters make an appearance; one even being disguised as the conductor. They hold no importance to the add other than trying to make it seem fun or exciting, and they make it not that way. (Office reference?) I do not believe this add is effective and it does not show opera in a good light. They are playing on the contrast between the two halves of the commercial to show that their car is fun, not boring.

The Incorporation of Opera in Shawshank Redemption

I think it demonstrates a great deal of creativity when directors draw from other resources to create an effect or evoke a response from the audience. And in my opinion, the movie that does this with such genius and expertise is the scene in the Shawshank Redemption where the leading character who is an inmate barricades himself in the prison office which housed the PA system. He then decides to play and aria from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figoro and broadcast it throughout the facility. Once the music rings across the yards, you get different responses from different people. The guard who left his post to relieve himself scrambles out of the bathroom to stop the unusual occurrence only to find himself unable to apprehend the culprit due to a barricaded door. Other officials of the prison are also alarmed at the disturbance because they dread how it may effect the inmates.

The astonishing thing about the whole episode was that in the courtyard of the prison there were hundreds of prisoners just standing still and gazing in the heavens as if transfixed on a celestial being. Even those in the infirmary glanced out the windows only to be mesmerized also by the music. So here we have a paradox, the guards and officials acting like animals feverishly trying to crush the disturbance, and the so called animals (the inmates) totally absorbed and captivated by the pulsating melodies resonating from such a beautiful voice.

I was so moved that I found myself emotionally attached to entire scene. The operatic effect in that movie was profound!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=718RlaIYBlo

Duke Ellington’s Queenie Pie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3v0Q93CB6k

3 tenors and Animanics

“Hey I have Heard that Before…”
It has been gradually common for opera music and classical musical works to be included as part of advertisement strategies. Numerous attempts to make opera accessible for people of every socio-economic class has been more closely watched. It is perhaps possible for theatre and opera production and advertisement crew to help reverse the effects of the stereotype of the general public towards opera. In general, most people expect for opera to be a “old people” thing, when in fact opera is intended to be viewed by everyone. It is important to point out that during the rise of Opera in the eighteenth century, it was more common for opera to be attended by those who formed part of the higher status, or the wealthy, or powerful part of societies. Therefore, this had a huge impact on what kind of people should attend an opera premiere or event even to the date many people in general have the misconception that opera is something that is costly and should therefore be attended for special occasions. The most common ways have been cartoons, advertisements on the radio and on the television. As the author Justin Moss from the Huffington Post puts it “Opera is universal. Most people — no matter their age, ethnicity or social standing — have been exposed to some form of opera, even if they are not aware of it.” However, I think that in a certain form almost everyone has been in contact with a melody of an aria or song or theme from an opera and what better way to listen to opera as it is combined with cartoonist works. Sounds fun right? It’s nice to think in the words of Moss “They’ve never been to the opera. “Where have I heard that before?” they ask. The answer: their favorite cartoon, of course! For many of us, cartoons provided the first taste of this wonderful, transcendent art form.” (Huffington Post 06/26/2012 , accessed April 2014)
However, I question is it an attempt to provide access to younger generations to operatic works? Smaller operas are being formatted to be more child-friendly such as Hanzel and Gretel or even “Where the Wild Things Are.” Better to appreciate opera while you are still growing than to miss out on Opera in a whole.

Alexsandra Castellanos

Hey That sounds Familiar…..

“Hey I have Heard that Before…”
It has been gradually common for opera music and classical musical works to be included as part of advertisement strategies. Numerous attempts to make opera accessible for people of every socio-economic class has been more closely watched. It is perhaps possible for theatre and opera production and advertisement crew to help reverse the effects of the stereotype of the general public towards opera. In general, most people expect for opera to be a “old people” thing, when in fact opera is intended to be viewed by everyone. It is important to point out that during the rise of Opera in the eighteenth century, it was more common for opera to be attended by those who formed part of the higher status, or the wealthy, or powerful part of societies. Therefore, this had a huge impact on what kind of people should attend an opera premiere or event even to the date many people in general have the misconception that opera is something that is costly and should therefore be attended for special occasions. The most common ways have been cartoons, advertisements on the radio and on the television. As the author Justin Moss from the Huffington Post puts it “Opera is universal. Most people — no matter their age, ethnicity or social standing — have been exposed to some form of opera, even if they are not aware of it.” However, I think that in a certain form almost everyone has been in contact with a melody of an aria or song or theme from an opera and what better way to listen to opera as it is combined with cartoonist works. Sounds fun right? It’s nice to think in the words of Moss “They’ve never been to the opera. “Where have I heard that before?” they ask. The answer: their favorite cartoon, of course! For many of us, cartoons provided the first taste of this wonderful, transcendent art form.” (Huffington Post 06/26/2012 , accessed April 2014)
However, I question is it an attempt to provide access to younger generations to operatic works? Smaller operas are being formatted to be more child-friendly such as Hanzel and Gretel or even “Where the Wild Things Are.” Better to appreciate opera while you are still growing than to miss out on Opera in a whole.

Alexsandra Castellanos

Frozen Leitmotifs

Recently, I had the pleasure of watching the movie, Frozen, one or a few times. The tale follows two sisters, Elsa and Anna, on their journey to understanding and accepting each other. As I enjoyed the music and the story, I noticed recurring themes throughout the songs. “Let It Go,” which becomes Elsa’s leitmotif, and is one of the songs that the movie is most known for, creeps into a couple of other songs that are also sung by Anna; it has a very distinctive melody. It blends into “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” at a critical point of the girls’ lives – when their parents get lost at sea. “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” is sung by Anna, begging Elsa to come out of her room so that the two can spend time together like they used to. As the sisters lose their parents, Elsa’s leitmotif within Anna’s song shows the audience that the girls now only have each other to lean on. “Let It Go” is heard again during “For the First Time in Forever,” this time, in a more obvious way. The tune starts out with Anna singing a solo in a very recitative style. She actually stops singing to speak at some points, and then continues in a speak-singing fashion. It’s very catchy, but is still somewhat difficult to get a hold of. Once Anna gets about halfway through, Elsa interjects. Again, she brings her theme back with her, this time with the introduction and even some of the same lyrics.

I don’t actually think that the use of these topics that relate to opera were intentional in the way that the producers set out to use these techniques because they relate to opera. These methods have stood the test of time across all different genres of music and other forms of entertainment. These practices show that good craftsmanship goes hand-in-hand with good art and good storytelling.

-Clare Geenen Lipana

Let It Go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk
Do You Want to Build a Snowman?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YwXff-i1fY
For the First Time in Forever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BulXil2ROy4

This is what luxury sounds like…

A commercial for the soon to be released Kia K900 “Luxury” car was shown as one of the slew of Superbowl commercials to catch the nation’s eye. In this commercial, Morpheus, a character from the movie “The Matrix” pops up out of nowhere to show a couple the meaning of “luxury”. They end up in the Kia, amazed at all the car has to offer. Morpheus then says. “This is what luxury looks like, this is what it feels like, and this…. is what it sounds like”. At this point, Morpheus “sings” the famous aria “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s Turandot (this version sung by Luciano Pavarotti). As he sings, sparks fly, glass breaks and everything turns into a spectacular sight.

Advertising is, of course, all about sales and results. To pull the audience in, a focus of luxury and high-standard is placed before the viewer. The car is supposed to make you feel like a king, and the commercial is made to make you yearn for this higher lifestyle; the director doesn’t fail with this commercial; you can FEEL the lavishness of this car, the feel of its fabric… and of course the smooth buttery, tenor voice of Pavarotti. Opera music many times is very elaborate and complex. The idea of opera being a “high-class” pleasure is definitely in play. By using a (more than) five-star opera artist, singing a high, sustained, note brings the viewer to a different world, experiencing all the riches that this car will bring them. I think the use of opera music in this commercial is smart and sneaky. There is no better way to feel luxury than to hear a song sung to perfection.