Our client, Duluth Festival Opera, is planning an innovative approach to their upcoming concert production of Puccini’s perennial favorite, La bohème. In an effort to remain cutting-edge, artistic director Craig Fields sought an innovative approach to this concert presentation, which is a departure from the full productions of the past three years. It was important to Fields that this concert-style production contain a beautiful visual component, since it would be staged without the sets and costuming that are used in fully-staged productions.
Fields began exploring ways to introduce dramatic visual excitement and along came a fortuitous discussion with talented illustrator, Mike Reed. A fascinating idea emerged: to have Reed draw the performers, their gestures and his impressions of their work during the performance. Seated on stage, calling on his quick eye and imaginative hand, Reed’s impressions of the artists would be projected onto a large screen, providing a visual commentary for the audience during the performance.
Fields believes that the effect of the changing visual images will reinforce the dramatic momentum of the music and that the loose style and sparsely detailed nature of quick sketches will give the audience a chance to compare their own impressions with those of the artist. The work of the musicians, the singers and the visual artist will all be channeled into the same time and space as each responds to the powerful music of Puccini’s score. It may even be an exciting new way to solve an age-old problem by creating ‘musically-inspired’ visuals for opera presented in concert.
For tickets or information call 1-800-628-8385 or 218-727-4344 or go to www.ticketmaster.com
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