Author Archives: uchizono

December 12 – Final Class!

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Dear Art Explorer,

We are winding down towards the end of the semester with our last class on December 12th.  Your first semester as freshman at Macaulay Honors College has been quite an amazing start beginning with RoseAnne Spradlin to Hurricane Sandy to “dormitoryless” and back! All of you have gone through these upheavals with grace.

Your last blog will be on the opera of course (please see Next Week’s Assignment) and on December 12 you will present your Final Project Presentation.

I’m looking forward to your performances.  It has been my deepest pleasure to share this journey with you.

warmly,   Donna Uchizono

 

 

Next Week Assignment for December 12

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Assignment for December 12

  • Blog Assignment:  Blog A & B: Please include answers to the four questions in your blog.  (Due Sunday, December 8.)
  1. Do you think of Don Giovanni as a comedy or a tragedy? Why? 
  2.  Were there class differences reflected in the libretto (Think about the relationships between the various “couples” as reflected in the   language of the libretto:
  3. Did the music enhance the story? What does the music say about the story, the characters and their relationships? 
  4. In your opinion, how does opera, as an older form of performance, compare to the more contemporary performances you have experienced?

Final Performance Presentation (to be performed on December 12 at the Cabaret Space at Macaulay

December 12, 2012 – Cabaret Space- Macaulay Honors College

  • Review of the semester
  • Final Presentation

December 5 – Backstage at the Met!

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Alexandra was able to get a “meet and greet” backstage at the Met for December 5th’s performance!  Exciting News.  In the “green room” no less.  She assumes it will be after the performance but we will keep you posted.

The suggestion is to meet at the water fountain in front of the Met at 7:15.

Looking forward to seeing you all!  

Warmly,

Donna 

Assignment for November 21 and November 28

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November 21-No Class-Paper 2 Due by e-mail

Since many of you will be with the subject of your caretaker study over the holiday weekend,  please record your care taker (3 minutes) talking about what his/her desires are for you in college (or in life if that is what they prefer).

Assignment for November 28

  • Watch a part of Mozart Documentary on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVwxFvjU5vk&feature=relmfu
  • Read Mozart’s Don Giovanni (the Dover Opera Libretto Series) (Paperback) libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte (available at Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore, 939 Lexington Avenue, between 68th and 69th Street)
  • Guest lecturer Alexandra Cohn suggested things to think about when reading the libretto:
  • 1. Do you think of Don Giovanni as a comedy or a tragedy?  2. Think about class differences as reflected in the libretto, if at all (We will be listening to some clips to see if those differences   are reflected in the music)  3. Think about the relationships between the various “couples” as reflected in the   language of the libretto:               Donna Elmira and Don Giovanni             Donna Anna and Octavo        Zerlina and Master    Don Giovanni and Leporello    Donna Anna and her father    Don Giovanni and The Commendatory
  •  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1OEGPxqrcY   Vladimir Jurowski on Don Giovanni (in modern dress)
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZIzJzY3N04&feature=relmfu  Gerald Finley on Don Giovanni (modern dress)

There are many avenues (library, internet, etc) for you to listen to the opera or parts of the opera.  Cohn continues with the following suggestions when listening to the music:

When listening to the opera, give some thought to how the music enhances (or not) the story? What does the music say about the story, the characters and their relationships?  After all, thats what makes the difference between a play and an opera, or even a musical which has text and then musical interludes.  What is the difference in an opera where the entire thing is sung/accompanied by music?

The following are some famous sections of the opera.  Do not limit your listening research to the following four.  Expand your listening!

November 28 – Roosevelt House

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Dear Art Explorers,

It is Mozart week.  We will meet at the Roosevelt House and are lucky to have guest lecturer Alexander Cohn visit our seminar to talk about Mozart’s Don Giovanni.  You must come to class prepared for her lecturer which includes having read  Don Giovanni  libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte,  viewing the videos listed under the assignments tab, prepared answers to the questions provided by Ms. Cohn and on your own become familiar with the music of Don Giovanni. 

Please look at Next Week’s Assignments Tab.

“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.” 

― Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

 

Assignment for November 14

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Assignment for November 14

  • Send thesis statement for approval no later than Friday November 9th to both Donna dnuchizono@mindspring.com and Jessica jesshamm@gmail.com.
  • Prepare first page of Paper 2 to be turned in on November 14.
  • Start to finish Paper 2 as they are due on Wednesday, November 21.  (I suggest that you do not wait till the last minute)
  • Prepare draft of your Final Presentation to be viewed by the class on November 14 at Macaulay Cabaret Space.
  • Go to the Metropolitan Museum (1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street) and view Jacques-Louis David – Death of Socrates (1787).  Browse the museum and compare works of art of the same time period.

November 7-Meet at Roosevelt House

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Dear Art Explorers,

I hope that all of you are able to return to somewhat of a normal routine and life.  My heart goes out to all that suffered much during the hurricane.  

We will meet at the Roosevelt House and continue with October 31 assignment.  (Please see Next Week’s Assignment tab)

  • Age of Enlightenment conference.  
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Jacques-Louis David 
  • Bring in the first paragraph of Final Paper to read in class (should contain thesis statement.
I do look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday, November 7.
donna

 

 

 

Assignment for October 31

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Blog and Assignment for October 31:
• Blog B-discuss The House Divided in relationship to Dixon’s discourse on “liveness” referring to Benjamin, Barthes, Auslander and Phelan. Post by Sunday 12 pm.
• Blog A: comment and add to Blog B’s discourse. In addition, include in your discussion if the use of media enhanced the “live” aspect of the performance or dwarfed the non-mediated performers? Post by Tuesday 12 am.
• Get together with partner to record your “Smarthistory” version of classmate photo
• Make appointment with Jessica to review thesis statement.
• Research Jacques-Louis David, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in relation to the Age of Enlightenment to lead class discussion

October 31
Bring in the first paragraph of Paper 2 to share with the class
Be prepared to lead the Conference -The Age of Enlightenment – Jacques-Louis David, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

House Divided

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Hello Art Explorers,

Transitioning from dance/theater to theater will see Builder’s Associations’ House Divided based on the Grapes of Wrath.

Meet at BAM Harvey Theater for Builder’s Association
A House Divided based on The Grapes of Wrath –
-Performance is at 7:30 – 651 Fulton Street, Brooklyn
Post-performance discussion with director Marianne Weems

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oYZfSVXdMAk

Pina Bausch and Jerome Bel This Week!

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Hello Art Explorers,

Thank you for sharing your caretaker with us today.  Lovely. Please post your video by Sunday, October 21. There will be a tab under Project Archives. Describe the person you chose to do a study on and why.

You can now also post photos and youtubes in comments! Feel free to email Jessica if you need help with this. For youtube, just pasting the link should suffice. The photo upload will be visible in the comments area.

Look at next week’s assignment.

You will be seeing Pina Bausch and Jerome Bel this week:

Pina Bausch-October 19 (Friday)  BAM Howard Gillman’s Opera House for Pina Bausch Company 30 Lafayette, Brooklyn.  I suggest arriving at 7:00.  Performance begins at 7:30.  Since you already have your tickets please go straight to your seats.  We are all in different rows.  

 Jerome Bel–October 20 (Saturday) at 1 or 3 or October 21 (Sunday) at 1  MOMA The Show Must Go On  MoMA atrium  Please note:  The performance is free therefore you must arrive early to get in.  Be prepared to be in an extremely crowded room.

 Here is a clip from Wim Wender’s PINA!

Also go to youtube for the following short clip of the same piece (it won’t upload to website)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGkngAZXcik&feature=related