Napoleon was a silent film from 1927 directed by Abel Gance. The camera work was revered for being much more smooth than most films at the time. Hand-held cameras were used and extensive close-ups were featured. The story revolves around a young Napoleon, following him to his rise to power.
It is widely considered one of the greatest and most innovative films of the silent era. It has been screened all over the world since 1927, and still is today:
Trailer for a screening of Napoleon
This movie set the precedent for many silent films to come.
"A Trip to the Moon" was an interesting look at early cinematography. It was fascinating to see what early "special effects" entailed, like how the smoke explosion was physically small but knocked down all five of them due to the implied effect. It had a surrealist vibe, and many small details were amusing to me. For example, the fact that they all had umbrellas on the moon and even used them as weapons. I also liked the way the camera got closer to the moon as they were traveling towards it, rather than the other way around. It was good that this video had commentary, otherwise I'm not quite sure I would have known what was going on. Overall, this was an interesting video to portray early films.
First of all, as a person who has been involved in stage crew for the past three years (from set design to lighting), talking about the technical aspect of theater is something I quite enjoy. Here are the videos that caught my attention:
Neil Patrick Harris: What If Life Were More Like Theater from the 2012 Tony Awards
Here we see almost every well-known technical theater trick used in just 5 minutes. Lighting and sound cues, cables, on-stage costume changes, the works.
Peter Pan: I'm Flying
The obvious technology influencing this scene is the cable work. Without the cables being worked by some lucky stage hand, this song wouldn't be anywhere near as interesting or believable.
Guys and Dolls: Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat
The contributing technology in this scene includes lighting and the stage backgrounds.
Anything Goes: Blow, Gabriel, Blow
The lighting work is significant to this scene. The lights are dimmed, and the spotlight is focused on only her top half. Also, the costumes contribute to the upbeat and flashy number.
Annie Get Your Gun: There's No Business Like Show Business!
The extravagant lighting and orchestra onstage adds to the high caliber of this performance.
Evita: A New Argentina
The use of technology greatly enhanced this scene from Evita. Stage pyrotechnics are always fun. Also, the descending backdrops contribute to the visual political message.
Cabaret: Willkommen
The technology that is seen in the opening scene of Cabaret influences the mood of the entire production. The artificially lit background, the musicians on stage, and even the seating of the viewers enhanced the experience.
Technology is arguably as important to a production as any performance aspect. One cannot exist without the other. With time, these technologies will become more advanced, and theater will only grow.
The Jazz Age was about more than just jazz.
It was a period for the cultural expansion of music, dance, fashion, and lifestyle, taking place during the 1920's. It was most prevalent in the US.
Jazz music was created by African Americans, but was widely accepted among middle class white Americans. Radio greatly helped jazz spread into the mainstream, and jazz clubs were popular locations for hearing this music live. Dances such as the Charleston went along with it. Famous jazz musicians of the time include Loius Armstrong, Billie Holliday, and Ella Fitzgerald.
Fashion took a high and scandalous turn, particularly for women, during this decade. Women went from full-covering dresses to shorter skirts, dropped waists, and more playful styles. Many dresses included fringe or beads. The women's suffrage movement was a large factor in this newfound independent way of dress. Men's fashion was classy and stylized, with various hat and suit styles commonly worn.
The 1920's was a time of prohibition, and Speakeasies were anything but scarce. These establishments of illicit alcohol, dancing, and general shenanigans were frequented by many and enjoyed by all. The mafia payed off police officers so they could keep these bars running.
The jazz age, which was a time of great cultural progression, came to a screeching halt when the Great Depression hit. It remains a significant point in history that improved our country and culture.
The Madama Butterfly animation was interesting and appropriately disturbing. Although it wasn't very long, it summarized the most key and dramatic parts of the opera. In order to have more of an idea of what exactly I was watching, I researched the plot a bit before finishing the video. I'm glad I did, because if not I would have been mostly clueless to the strange representation of suicide in the final moments of the video. It was interesting what parts of the opera the animator put the most focus on. The three main parts of the video were focussed on the American and Madame Butterfly making love, Madame Butterfly waiting for her American, and her suicide. It is difficult to condense an entire opera down to 10 minutes, but I think Pjotr Sapegin did so eloquently.
The lesson that intrigued me the most from last week was about the Castrati. It's mind-boggling to think that there is a whole subculture of opera singers that do not exist today. There are no true recordings, there is no way to completely recreate the sound (though the BBC method was quite fascinating), and there is no way to ever see one of these singers in the flesh.
While watching the documentary, I found myself wondering: who's decision was an individual's castration? Was it the consent of the young boy? Was it his parents? Or was it a voice mentor, who knew when a boy was destined for greatness? Was this "gift" considered a blessing or a curse to the individual? What were the psychological impacts? If the Castrati were still around today, what would society's view of them be?
It is understandable why the practice was stopped, but it would be wonderful to hear a Castrato in person. Alas, it is not possible, and we can only settle for high-tech BBC mixing methods. The Castrati are an interesting part of Opera history that should not be forgotten.
