Amistad: Race, art, history and opera from Dan Conover on Vimeo.
So I’ve been thinking quite a bit about Amistad lately (not surprising, given that I’ve shot three Amistad-related events and interviewed a few of its principals), and with my print-edition advancer running Thursday morning before the opera’s preview performance, today seemed a good time to take some of my footage from the dress rehearsal and put together a video essay on the topic.
There’s an odd thing about this opera: It looks for all the world like an intentionally provocative, politically aware, socially conscious work of art. But there’s also this cautious vibe surrounding it, as if the festival wants to make sure talk about the controversial subject doesn’t overwhelm talk about the music, or the staging, etc.
My take? As composer Anthony Davis put it, art isn’t politics, but art can be political. And it sure sounds as if the people who put on this production delved seriously into their explorations of history and current events as they worked up the concept for this presentation.
Call it whatever you like: I say it’s ambitious, with all the mythic aspirations of classic European opera but deep roots in American (and African) soil. Let me show you why I think people will be talking about this opera all festival — and beyond.
Tags: Amistad, Spoleto
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