Opera Essay

Daniela Avagnano

Professor Roundtree

Art and Technology

February 11, 2019

Aïda: Giuseppe Verdi

The opera I chose to research was Aïda composed by Giuseppe Verdi. As I watched this opera we were asked to do additional research and comment on the Mise en Scene. Mise en Scene is the arrangement of everything that appears in the framing of the opera. For example, the actors, lighting, decor, props, and costumes. In shorter terms, it is a french term that means “placing on the stage”. After learning how Mise en Scene can completely change the opera and the message it is trying to send I took some notes on Aida. I noticed how the music before every act was different depending on the mood the composer wanted the audience to feel. The lighting would be dimmer if it was a romantic or sad scene and brighter if there was a breakthrough within the opera.

Act one starts off with slow and peaceful music, as any love story should. The scene is in a castle like setting and it is only men. After researching the opera I learned that it is a love story about a warrior and a slave. In this act a warrior named Radames is preparing to go to war against Egypt. He is in love with a women named Aida, an Ethiopian slave to princess Amneris. By winning the war Radames believes he will be able to set Aida free and marry her. Even though he is attacking Aida’s home country she is still torn between her love for him and her country. Some things that I noticed for the Mise en Scene for act 1 was the lighting change, when one person sings the light on them is brighter, and when Radames is summoned to fight in war it becomes dramatized because the composer added in a chorus.

In act 2 the opera starts off with a scene of all women. The princess seems content because she knows that her country has won the war. All of her servants are attending to her but once she notices Aida walk into the room she sends everyone away. She did this because she wants to find out what is going on with Aida and Radames. The music in the background makes it seem like Amneris is more concerned than mad at Aida, I then came to realize it was because she was telling Aida that Radames has died in the war even though he did not. She does this because as king her father wants her to marry Radames not Aida. During this scene the camera zooms into Aida’s face to show her remorse and broken heart through her expressions.

Act 3 starts off with Aida alone in a private place waiting for Radames because she knows in heart that he is not dead. As she waits she reminisces about her country that she will miss so much. Once Radames appears he tells her that he still loves her and agrees to run away with her. While this is all happening Aida was told by her father to find out what the army had in mind for their next move. She gets the secret out of Radames and right away her father appears, dramatic music starts to play, Aida cries realizing she has upset her love and Radames has realized what he has done.

Unsettling music starts to play as act 4 begins. Radames waits for his trial to begin because he has betrayed his army and is ready to surrender himself. He is ready to die because he thinks that Aida has been killed. Before he is brought in front of the priest he finds out that Aida is no dead and refuses to confess to anything he has done. He is sentenced to be buried alive, in a cave where Aida waits for him. Once he is sent down below he sees Aida and they express their love for the last time, while up above Amneris waits and prays for his soul.

I think that overall the opera was a pretty standard love story. By watching the opera the music definitely makes it easier to figure out what kind of mood the composer wants you to feel. This particular show is important chronology of opera because we learn about a historical war while still being entertained. Technology was used in many ways throughout the show some examples would be the light changes or the change of scenery in the middle of an act. It would be pretty easy to turn this opera into a video game if I was a 21st century composer. I only say it would be easy because there is war involved and in this generation most video games involve guns and violence.

My video game would start off in a castle just like the opera. There would be a brief video explaining that your character Radames is in love with a women named Aida and that you are going to war with her country. Once the video is over you will have to run around the castle and find all the things you need for war. While you are doing this you are timed and also have to find ways to keep Aida from distracting you. You will have to also pick up things to distract her while you are looking for your weapons for war. Once you are all geared up and ready for battle you are sent off to fight. As the war begins Aida will show up and you will have to find out ways to not only protect yourself but now her as well. If either of you get wounded you will be responsible for going into the middle of the battlefield without getting hurt and finding the supplies you need to regain strength. If you successfully win the war and you both are safe and healthy you will be rewarded with a trophy and it will unlock a new level for you. A new level will give you the chance to have more strength and give you better supplies/guns for the next battle.

Sources

https://www.metopera.org/discover/synopses/aida/

Madama Butterfly Animation

After watching this animation I figured the opera was about heart break. The women clearly fell in love with the sailor and was not expecting to get pregnant. Once she realized she was pregnant she expected the sailor to come back, and he did. She came to realize that he had a separate life and already had a wife and kids. He came to get his child and left her to be all alone on the island. She was left with nothing and self destructed. At the end of the video we are shown that she is actually a robot and that was a real cliff hanger.

Extra Credit: #1

For this project I decided to merge together half of a skulls face and half of a butterfly. I've decided to call it life vs. death. Even though these two things are completely different I can also find a similar balance between the two. Most people find skulls scary and ugly while butterflies are calming and beautiful,I on the other hand find skulls so raw and interesting. A skull is the foundation of everyones face and for a butterfly they all start off as a simple ugly caterpillar. No one ever thinks to praise the caterpillar part of the butterfly, only their beauty after the fact. The skull half of the sketch is meant to represent the caterpillar part of the butterfly while the actual butterfly part of the sketch is meant to represent beauty.

Raul Cuero's Interview

After watching Raul Cuero's interview we were asked to think about how we could apply some of his concepts to our everyday life. As I watched the interview I wrote down some things that stood out to me and that can easily be applied to my everyday life. He is a true believer that art and technology go hand and hand with each other. I honestly always thought they had some correspondence with each other but after listening to his knowledge I now have a better understanding.
Before the interview started a quote appeared on the screen saying "out of difficulties grow miracles". Raul was born in Columbia and was so poor he could not afford books growing up. As a teen he grew to like basket ball and received a higher education through a sports scholarship. He is now a micro biologist. In this case, art is not with paint and sketches but the art of being able to grow intellectually.
He believes that it is important to have a universal consciousness.
He mentions how creative solutions for life's problems will always be helpful. The only way to be creative with problem solving is by changing the expectations of others. For example, doing something others think that you can not do. Creativity to Raul is innovation and something that is not obvious.
Kids and adults today are at a creative disadvantage because they are born into a life of luxury. When you have everything handed to you there is no need to think outside of the box. Raul believes that doing things with your hands creates new thinking so in order to grow art we need to be working hands on with things.