THE ARTS IN NEW YORK CITY

The Cambodian dance performance of the Magic Flute was, at the very least, an interesting experience. I had never had the opportunity to see anything quite like it, being ignorant of the Cambodian dance traditions and not very familiar with the Magic Flute’s plot. The most interesting part of the performance for me was the dance itself. I liked the traditional costumes, particularly the contrast between male and female attires. They both had a traditional look to them, which made the experience of watching the play more engaging. Apart from that, the music was also compelling, unlike most of what I’ve heard and having a very important effect on the experience of watching the play. The sountrack was certainly one of the differentiating aspects of this Cambodian version of the play from the original.

One of the most important purposes of this form of art is honoring traditions and striving to keep them alive despite the present difficulties of doing so. I find that the producers of the show have an enormous responsability because they are in charge of passing down the centuries of dancing traditions of Cambodia. Imagine what things would be like without these courageous individuals. So many cultural traditions would have died out, if it was not for their efforts.

The Cambodian performance is a perfect example of combining cultural traditions with new artistic models. Opera is a more modern form of art and its combination with Cambodian dance gave us a unique result. I believe it allowed us viewers to grasp a sense of both works, getting the best out of each one of them. Operas allow us to experience a story through acting and music, while dancing provides us with the physical embodiment of emotions. Together, they have a powerful effect that allows us to get closer to what both arts attempt to convey.

Moving on, our visit to the Met was a worthwhile experience. Although I had been to the museum many times, It’s not everyday that you get the opportunity to get a hands-on look at what the curators do. It was also great to get some in-depth information on Dutch art.

Answering the question that was posed, art preservation has a very important role in the way we view art. Art itself is timeless; any work from any time period has importance because it reveals something about human nature. Regardless of the work’s focus, any topic it wishes to express reveals important information that should be passed down from generation to generation.

I believe that there is something that can be absorbed from every form of art. For this reason, I find that we must do what is necessary to allow all works to live on and continue to present their meanings throughout history.

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 13th, 2007 at 3:15 pm and is filed under