The idea of dance as a language would no doubt surprise most folk seeing as Rosetta Stone hasn’t yet released its “Dance” software. However, by definition, dance can be considered a language, as it is a “nonverbal method of expression or communication” (Oxford). In a literal context, bees perform a dance to communicate to their hives. If you think about it, dance was probably one of the very first human languages, as most elderly civilizations use(d) dance to communicate with the gods themselves, and I’m sure the first stubbed toe was conveyed with a dance to rival Alvin Ailey (as well as the very first swear words.)
Author: Alex Mozeak
Le Nozze di Figaro (Four Stars)
Of course people are calling this year’s edition of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) a grand retelling of a classic for this generation, but a better observation would be a comparison to films such as the Pierce Brosnan era Bond series or any of George Lucas’ flashy, showy works. Like these movies, the most recent edition of Figaro is so over-the-top, albeit through singing and orchestral flourishes, that every ten or so minutes you find yourself watching a spectacle instead of a scene.
For one thing, this season’s cast is phenomenal. Emma Bell and Isabel Leonard blow their parts, Countess Almaviva and Cherubino, respectively, out of any sort of realist water that could be holding them. They make these characters come alive (see Bell’s Act III aria “Dove sono.”) Also admirable is Denmark’s Bo Skovhus, who plays the often campy role of Count Almaviva in a straightforward fashion that lends itself incredibly well to the innate comedy in the character.
But the most striking thing is the set design. For any newcomer to the Met, or opera in general, the way that the sets pop from the stage will intrigue their mind, while the lighting and mood direction will woo their soul (I needn’t even mention the mind-obliterating set change between scenes III and IV.) It is these mammoth artworks that tie the ostentatious festival together and make it memorable.
All in all, Le Nizzi di Figaro will be one of your favorite productions of the year, even if you don’t like sitting through three and a half hours of opera. It is a treat and an extravaganza whose sum is truly greater than its (pretty great) parts.
Op Art
Op Art is an early 20th century art movement in which the focus is optical illusion. That being said, most op artists do not merely make their art for the sake of tricking the eye. For them, it is an exploration of chromatic tension and perspective illusion. Indeed, the most popular paintings have been done in black and white, such as Bridget Riley’s “Intake,” yet this is merely because the simple contrast of these colors brings more attention to the juxtaposition and mathematical flow of lines. In a technical sense, op art is to painting as mathcore is to music.
Bridget Riley’s “Intake”
Though it appeared almost simultaneously in Europe and the United States during the late 1950’s, Op Art can be traced back as far as 1945, to Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis Escher. Escher often experimented with perspective, the best example of which can be seen in his 1955 lithograph “Convex and Concave.”
Works Cited:
- “ArtLex on Op Art.” 2009. ArtLex.com
<http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/o/opart.html>
- Esaak, Shelley “Op Art- Art History 101 Basics.” 2009. About.com
<http://arthistory.about.com/cs/arthistory10one/a/op_art.htm>
- “Op Art (Optical Art).” 2009. Huntfor.com
<http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/C20th/opart.htm>
Photos:
- Riley, Bridget “Intake.” 1964.
Retrieved from: <http://www.ubu.com/aspen/aspen3/powers.html#riley>
- Escher, Maurits C. “Convex and Concave.” 1955.
Retrieved from: <img2.allposters.com/images/20/PRO9ESC.JPG>
Self? Portray-it.
1) Art is what happens when someone forgets to be afraid. Art occurs when the soul takes the brain on a date. Art is everyone’s best times and worst times. Art can’t really be described, it’s the other 90% of the brain and it has to be experienced.
2) My favorite art form is music, and I think that the most artistic music falls in place in pop. It’s something about the way the pop artist tries to connect with humanity and society as a whole and not just some underground demographic.
3) The best historical period is our post-everything instant gratification 21st century! People think that we’re getting worse as a society but i think we have and often take the opportunity to use everything that we have already discovered and go deeper into what and who we are.
4) My academic strength is writing and, particularly, grammar. I nitpick sometimes when it comes to that stuff. Non-academically, I have a few years of guitar experience and am pretty good at tennis. My weakness is math. Good God I hate math. Down with math.
5) Of course I feel comfortable with new technologies! I love everything about computers and the like. Sure, I don’t know how to program or anything, but i don’t know how to make chicken parmesan either and that sure as hell doesn’t stop me from eating it!
6) I’m good at writing. I’m not the best and I’m not going to try and sound like I am, but I like the sound of my own voice and I like it even more on paper, so I try and make sure it sounds good. Just as long as I’m not doing math. Ugh.
Yo.
