Towards a New Opera‪!‬ Long Beach Opera

Towards a New Opera!

Ep 4 | Dr. Naomi André - Ways of Seeing // Black Opera

created by Alexander Gedeon

design by Yuki Izumihara

a co-production of Long Beach Opera & Social Convention

--- for mature audiences ---

This week author and scholar Dr. Naomi André joins us to discuss the continued use of blackface in 21st century opera, opera in South Africa, and all of the cognitive dissonances of race in American opera today. Dr. André is the author of “Black Opera: history, power, engagement.”

Towards a New Opera! is a new podcast intended to engage discussion with diverse artists on the expanding possibilities of new American opera. What does a new opera look and sound like if classical music is not treated as a culturally 'superior' form? How can conceptual artists from outside the field be engaged in the 'public dreaming' of new approaches? Each is a ‘message in a bottle’ — with the dream of awakening new connections across vast cultural seas."

Alexander Gedeon is a stage director and performer born and based in Los Angeles, working primarily in the field of contemporary opera. He is currently Long Beach Opera's Minister of Culture.

—

The Towards a New Opera! intro/outro theme is an interpolation of Aretha Franklin's 'Amazing Grace' with Philip Glass's 'Dance No. 1'.

—

RABBIT HOLES:

The title of this episode is partially borrowed from the John Berger book and mini-series “Ways of Seeing” from 1971. Dr. André began a lecture of hers a while back citing this work — a feminist touchstone of understanding the presentation of the feminine in Western media. I encountered it in college and it had a profound effect on me. An obscure but highly recommended (and enjoyable) rabbit hole:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pDE4VX_9Kk



Will Liverman’s new album “Dreams of a New Day”

https://open.spotify.com/album/5fLcTLH7sr3J1s29wQwOyG?si=PHT5KmOjQ2asjjRH4OhyXg



In this clip Sibo Bangoura plays a cora and sings in the Senegambian ‘griot’ tradition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdrPmZwsXiM



The moment Winnie Mandela spoke to the crowd after the premiere of “Winnie the Opera”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tozZudTny2M



I’m watching a video analysis of “The Death of the Author”…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9iMgtfp484



… but haven’t read the 8 page essay… YET

https://sites.tufts.edu/english292b/files/2012/01/Barthes-The-Death-of-the-Author.pdf

Towards a New Opera!

Ep 3 | Charlotte Brathwaite

created by Alexander Gedeon

design by Yuki Izumihara

a co-production of Long Beach Opera & Social Convention

--- for mature audiences ---

This week Alexander connects with opera director Charlotte Brathwaite, currently producing some of the most innovative and exciting work in the field of new opera. Charlotte discusses her journey to finding her directorial voice and the myriad implications of creating freely as an operatist.

Director Charlotte Brathwaite (Canada/Barbados/UK) is known for her unique approach to staging classical and unconventional texts, dance, visual art, multi-media, site-specific installation, video, film, performance art, plays and music events. Named as one of the “up-and-coming women in theatre to watch” by Playbill, her work has been seen in the Americas, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and Asia. With subject matter ranging from the historical past to the distant future, her work offers unique perspectives on form as it illuminates issues of race, sex, power and the complexities of the human condition. www.charlottebrathwaite.com

---

RABBIT HOLES:

Sanctuaries, my collaboration with Darrell Grant & Anis Mojgani

https://www.thirdangle.org/sanctuaries

"What a CITY is For" by Matt Hern

https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/what-city

Where are the Black designers?

wherearetheblackdesigners.com

artnet feature on Abigail Deville

https://news.artnet.com/exhibitions/abigail-deville-art21-madison-square-park-1919345

Ellen Stewart, Mama of La Mama

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Stewart

"We were never meant to survive" is from the Audre Lorde poem "A Litany for Survival"

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/147275/a-litany-for-survival

From the Autobiography of Omar ibn Said

http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/maai/community/text3/religionomaribnsaid.pdf

Rhiannon Giddens

https://www.rhiannongiddens.com

Courtney Bryan

https://www.courtneybryan.com

Cauleen Smith

https://www.cauleensmith.com

Towards a New Opera!

Ep 2 | Carmina Escobar - image, body, text & music 

created by Alexander Gedeon

design by Yuki Izumihara

a co-production of Long Beach Opera & Social Convention

--- for mature audiences ---

Towards a New Opera! is a new podcast intended to engage discussion with diverse artists on the expanding possibilities of new American opera. What does a new opera look and sound like if classical music is not treated as a culturally 'superior' form?

How can conceptual artists from outside the field be engaged in the 'public dreaming' of new approaches? Each is a ‘message in a bottle’ — with the dream of awakening new connections across vast cultural seas."

Alexander Gedeon is a stage director and performer born and based in Los Angeles, working primarily in the field of contemporary opera. He is currently Long Beach Opera's Minister of Culture.

The Towards a New Opera! intro/outro theme is an interpolation of Aretha Franklin's 'Amazing Grace' with Philip Glass's 'Dance No. 1'.

---

SUPPORT CARMINA ESCOBAR ON PATREON!

https://www.patreon.com/CarminaEscobar

EXPLORE HOWLSPACE!

https://www.howlspace.com

Towards a New Opera!

Ep 1 | Long Beach Opera's "Minister of Culture"

created by Alexander Gedeon

design by Yuki Izumihara

A co-production of Long Beach Opera & Social Convention

--- for mature audiences ---

Towards a New Opera! is a new podcast intended to engage discussion with diverse artists on the expanding possibilities of new American opera. What does a new opera look and sound like if classical music is not treated as a culturally 'superior' form? How can conceptual artists from outside the field be engaged in the 'public dreaming' of new approaches? Each is a ‘message in a bottle’ — with the dream of awakening new connections across vast cultural seas."

Alexander Gedeon is a stage director and performer born and based in Los Angeles, working primarily in the field of contemporary opera. He is currently Long Beach Opera's Minister of Culture.

The Towards a New Opera! intro/outro theme is an interpolation of Aretha Franklin's 'Amazing Grace' with Philip Glass's 'Dance No. 1'.