Date of Award
Spring 2020
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
School of Music
First Advisor
Jacob Will
Abstract
Opera as an artform has a very misogynistic history. Many of the most beloved works in the standard repertory involve female characters as victims of violence, or an abuse of power by male characters. These works have recently been cast in a different light, in part due to a greater cultural awareness inspired by the “Me Too” movement. This study was executed to explore productions of standard repertory operas around the world, and how they have been handled in light of current culture. The study examines popularly performed operas Carmen, Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Rigoletto. The study also explores contemporary works as well as what can be done to create a more conscious future for the artform. The study collects what is being done to address these issues and provides a first of its kind digest that can give insight to the producers about how their colleagues are grappling with these difficult choices. The study also serves to start a conversation about how opera may strive for a more diverse and inclusive future.
Rights
© 2020, Craig Price
Recommended Citation
Price, C.(2020). Time’s Up: How Opera Is Facing Its Own Me Too Reckoning. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/5773