Star One, Star Too, Star Three, Star Four

The Star Too Experimental Theatre group is a group based in Dubai. They describe themselves as an avant-garde theatre. All of their performances are free. Their "company" is extremely global and multicultural and I think that that comes into their performances. Though there is the global aspect to the group it still has a lot of the Dubai culture in their use of music and movement.

A photo collage from the Star Too Website of a Performance

Liquid Culture Opera.......like kool-aid?

The Atlanta Opera participated in apublic event at the Sandler Hudson Gallery on July 30th that celebrated Liquid Culture.Now I Googled Liquid culture and I got some kind of mushroom drink? so if anyone gets anything else I'd really like to know what it is. Anywho, the Opera participated in what were called "utopia stations". With these stations, audience members were able to walk through the opera singers and through the "performance". Along side the opera singers were dancers and sculptures.http://theatlantaopera.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-view-from-bleachers-getting-taste-of.html

Liquid Culture Opera performance

Experimentation

There's a company, Experiments in OPera, in where ever it is and they are all about trying new works of opera and being innovative and trying to connect the music to the story to the text. This sounds easy but....it isn't. Some of their main goals as a company are to provide up and coming composers with workshops and classes to better their craft, as well as performance opportunities. I think that this is amazing because there aren't a ton of opera houses that are doing newer works. I thought that their production of Chorus of Souls from the photographs were incredibly innovative.

 

 

 

Chorus of Souls/ Holy Souls Scene

Chorus of Souls/ Reanimator 2 Directed by Reuben Radding

The crazy man's theatre

So no one with a mental illness should be referred to as the cliche term used in some of the darker times of our country (I would argue that we are still in dark times but that would digress) crazy. The Pathological theater in northern Rome, Italy focuses on producing shows that show the perspective of people living with different mental illnesses.People within the company have mental illnesses and not only are in the shows and learn their lines but also assist with the production of the show including but not limited to the set, & costumes.  Here's the full article

Two actors from the Pathological theater working a scene

The one....the only...the great Lepage!...oh and Wagner

Das Rheingold in NYC Met

So everyone knows who Robert Lapage is right? Well if you don't you're on the interwebs so go look it up. In short, Robert Lapage is a French Canadian director who is noted for being a pioneer and a fan of integrating technology including moving scenery with projections. His latest production was at the AMAZING Metropolitan Opera in New York and he did a production of the Ring Cycle written by an influential man who could be paralleled to Mr. Lepage who is an important figure to musicians, actors, directors, and technicians......Mr. Richard Wagner! This production of the Ring cycle is awe inspiring and I am completely in love with it. Hopefully this can spawn a new generation of opera and opera goers alike. Here's the FULL PERFORMANCE you heard me the....FULL PERFORMANCE.You're Welcome I just saved you 15% or more on car insurance by switching to Geico and a plane ticket to the Met and a ticket sooooo.....alot of money.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phUqKszrK9w