2013 Arts in the City

Webster Hall

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Orchestral Music in Der Rosenkavalier

I do not think I was prepared to appreciate an opera prior to attending this show, and as such my evaluation of the dynamics within it are frustratingly shallow. Having recently misplaces my glasses, I was under the belief that I would be able to focus more clearly on the effects of the music, and how they told of parallel story to that of the characters on stage. This was a little bit of a fanciful idea, seeing as how I have no classic training in music and lack the vocabulary to properly express what effect it is that it truly had. What did become very apparent is that the music was very much a frame for which the powerful and beautiful voices of the singers to be presented in the most appropriate way possible, working to help sonically emphasize the most important emotions trying to be communicated. Orchestral music is very soothing for me to hear, and in this case proved to be much to relaxing. Without a clear view of the characters onstage I could not follow the story as well as I would have liked, and swiftly fell victim to the music. I enjoyed what I saw of the opera, and hope to go next time after a good nap and some coffee.

Acting in a Mid Summer Night’s Dream

The performances in this rendition of Shakespeare’s legendary comedy displayed the many ways in which an actor can impact an audience. I saw in the acting a level of physicality, at times very flamboyant and at times more subtle, that added new layers to the words being communicated by the actors. The lines were at times exaggerated, undermined, or more artfully expressed, through the graceful movements of the actors.  Puck was given such a strong on stage presence what his charming wit and humorous antics. What really set him apart was his physical interactions with the sets and the other characters. His quirky mischief is personified through the actors physical interpretations of what Shakespeare has Pluck saying, and the otherworldliness of his character is given a stronger meaning through the flight so often incorporated in his scenes.

I can’t help but connect this to our study of Tibet Through the Red Box, in that they both work on two levels to add depth to a single story. The same way Peter Sis uses both his words and his art to demonstrate the different levels of the story; the directors and actors wield both the masterful Shakespearean dialogue and the incredible physical talents of the actors to provide a more fantastical, immersive, and impactful experience. I haven’t been able to shake the power of the moment in which Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena joined together to throw pillows at Hermia. Her solitude and the cruelty of a lost love created a deep empathy in me for her, while the humorous dialogue and the silliness of the pillows made me laugh. Feeling two such contradictory emotions adds depth to the experience and demonstrates the artistic effect of not only the acting, but also the expert directorial choices.

Grey Gallery Look and Look Again

 Modern Iranian Art

Revolutionary Posters

 Raised fists, c. 1979

 Look:

In this powerfully evocative poster we see the silhouettes of what appear to be several protestors with their fists raised creating a long black outline set to a bright red background. Inside of the silhouette and in accordance to it’s shape, are the words “There is no God but God” transcribed in Arabic with a bold white font. At first glance this poster seems almost to have designed to peak my interest as I am fascinated by street art both in it’s ability to create powerful images rooted in simplicity and style, as well as it’s implementation of words to add context and a message to the chosen aesthetic, both of which are elements this poster displays to great affect.

Look Again:

Further inspection of the image and a deeper understanding of it’s historical context add significance to some of the subtler choices made by the artist. For instance, this being a poster that is created in order to spur the people into some type of action, it would make sense that the people be portrayed not as individuals but rather as a unit brought together by a common message. A common message that calls for the defense of  a belief that this image suggests is a part of the people, as the affirmation of their faith is in this poster transcribed onto the people joining them with their cause. The powerful choice of coloring, what with the sharp contrast, add to the aesthetic as well as the political effect, as these could be considered “violent” colors.

Scene Analysis

The excerpt I’d chosen from Romeo and Juliette was that of Mercutio’s death. Mercutio is a vital character in the play, and his passing marks one of the most important moments in the play. I chose this segment originally because I thought it was a perfect example of the very real and raw emotions Shakespeare is able to communicate, even within the backdrop of what seems to be a silly love story between children. In my opinion, that is the primary purpose of his death in the play, it effectively reminds the audience that these children live in an adult world in which their childish romances have very real and very frightening consequences.

Watching the play, my opinion was only fortified, as the death of Mercutio was arguably the most powerful moment in the play. The character of Mercutio was given an extremely flamboyant personality, one that absorbed my attention whenever he was on stage. His presence was full of power, charisma, and slight perversion, making his character in this interpretation something of a controversy, but undeniably significant. That is to say, regardless of your opinions on the persona communicated by the actor, you can’t deny that his was a very prominent presence. This makes his death, his cruel and ugly death, a much more powerful moment, if at all possible, than can be communicated in just the text of the play. When reading the lines of Mercutio we do not grasp the large role he plays in the world of the play, it is hard to see what impact he has. It is not until you see him physically die, and until you can’t help but notice how large a void is left by his passing through the lack of his physical presence, that you truly understand the gravity of his death. No more short funny man running around from corner to corner of the stage.

This was not my favorite interpretation of Romeo and Juliette, but I can’t imagine them having done a better death for Mercutio. The raw ugliness of it, the anger and the confusion, they all worked together to expertly contrast the fluffy love the audience had just gotten accustomed too, and in doing so the audience feels the shock of youth as it learns of the cruel world. Shakespeare makes us, for a second, feel like children, and artfully destroys the rosy lovey lens with the death of youthful energy, passion, and misunderstood wisdom personified.

William S. Burroughs

William S. Burroughs was one of the most influential members of the Beat Generation, and one of the most significant American authors of the 20th Century. He captured, shocked, disgusted, and amazed readers with a talented knack for honestly and artfuly expressing the horrors of addiction while expertly subverting many of the repressive and hypocritical tenants of American Society. A dark and complex individual, with a very controversial life, Burroughs’ unique voice helped shape advances in American culture and literature. I have included a reading by Burroughs of an excerpt from his novel, Naked Lunch. 

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Art is… Movement

While walking up the High line, as I have done countless times before, I began to contemplate exactly how the art of the High line itself work on us. That is to say, how it’s purposeful construction and design of the space  affects those who go to experience it. I realized that part of the beauty of the High line was how it encouraged movement between spaces. Designed almost like more of a hallway than a park, it encourages one to take a self guided walking tour of Chelsea, from a space just high enough for you to enjoy the beautiful views, but low enough for you to still feel the energy of the city. Amongst all the movement I saw the picture of the family on the wall that has been the source of inspiration for many members of the class. Seeing that family, frozen in time, forever in the spot the artist wanted, made me think of how some art is meant to move and inspire movement, while other art celebrates stillness and the values that never change no matter how much one moves.