Last October, Dayton Opera presented ‘Charlie Parker’s Yardbird’ under the artistic direction of Dayton newcomer Kathleen Clawson. The production was a rousing fusion of jazz and opera to tell the last days of the legendary Charlie Parker and his struggle to create his final jazz masterpiece. I went to the dress rehearsal wondering how this opera could be crafted to reflect a modern sensibility and aesthetic. The composition played with jazz rhythms and stylistic references that made the power of opera relevant to modern audiences who may, unfortunately, carry a bias towards opera as an elitist and exclusionary art. This production shattered those tropes and made me hungry for more challenging and modern productions coming out of Dayton.
A few weeks ago, I was the guest of a wonderful patron of the Cincinnati Opera for their re-imagined production of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly. Because of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, I was more than willing to take a chance on this production.
This production took the reinvention of opera to the next level, featuring a classic tale of love and betrayal set in the virtual world of 19th century Japan, with echoes of the sci-fi movie “Ready Player One.” This production addressed the problematic issues of colonialism and exoticism of Japanese culture in more traditional interpretations. It also provided visually arresting set pieces and costuming that pulled us in immediately as an audience. It was visceral and gut-wrenchingly powerful; it earned a much-deserved standing ovation.
As I exited the theatre, I began thinking about what I had missed out on because of my artistic bias. How often do we not explore cultural and artistic forms because of unfamiliarity or prejudice? For myself and many others, opera never appeals as a first or second choice of cultural outings or even makes it into our top ten list. It is time for us all to reconsider the place of opera as a cultural and artistic entity. And one that can speak to our modern times.
Opera is about our collective humanity. It speaks to grand themes of love, loss, desire, and pain. A passage from Puccini’s Nessum Dorma translates to, “You look at the stars that tremble with love and of hope,” which speaks to how big the emotional and dramatic stakes of the opera Turandot are and can be.
There is a majestic beauty in hearing arias from operas that have permeated into pop culture, such as in films like Pretty Woman (La Traviata) ‘Amami Alfredo’ and Apocalypse Now’s use of Wagner’s ‘Ride of the Valkyries.’
The dramatic storylines of television shows like Succession, Breaking Bad, and The Sopranos are operatic in tone and scale.
Great art reflects how messy and complicated our lives are as human beings. It speaks to untapped primal connections. Great opera sings to our souls. These two masterful productions from Dayton Opera and Cincinnati Opera opened my eyes to the power and possibility of opera growing and adapting to modern times, which can happen without leaving Southwest Ohio.
There’s a great, upcoming opportunity to sample the opera, ballet and philharmonic in one showcase performance during the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance’s Season Spectacular on Sept. 16 and 17. Learn more on daytonperformingarts.org.
Take a chance on the opera. You won’t regret it.
Rodney Veal is the host of thinkTV/CET Connect and President of the board of OhioDance.
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