Tag Archive The Revolution of Steve Jobs

ByGD

Classic Dicks in the Canon

One of the most frequent – and most valid – arguments against the contemporary relevance of classical art forms like opera and ballet is their heroine problem. Misogyny is an unfortunate and unavoidable conclusion when the canon is littered with stories whose female characters are subjected to the virgin/whore binary and who usually end up dying for love regardless of in which category they are placed.

Philip Newton Photo c/o Seattle Opera

But then I watched the Met’s stream of Norma – a bel canto exception filled with strong, complicated women. In that opera, Pollione, the male romantic lead, starts out as one of the most obnoxious men in theater, a real dick. But he repents and redeems himself with an act usually reserved for the soprano – dying for love. His character development is so unusual that it got me thinking about men in opera. Women might get short shrift, but men aren’t portrayed very nicely either. Normalizing their bad behavior is another facet of misogyny, but the fact remains – if you believe the classics, men are just dicks.

Read More
ByGD

Steve Jobs and the (R)evolution of Opera


Seattle Opera  Steve Job's [R]Evolution Dress Rehearsal McCaw Hall

I was skeptical when I first saw Seattle Opera’s 2018/19 season. An opera about Steve Jobs? Then, when I read more about it, I became curious. I expected it to spark many conversations. What I did not expect was to actually like it. But The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs was a really good opera.

Read More
ByGD

Why I’m Looking Forward to the (R)evolution of Steve Jobs at Seattle Opera


The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, Feb. 23-March 9, 2019, before heading to San Francisco Opera. The remarkable creative team includes Mark Campbell, the librettist who wrote As One, which Seattle Opera produced in 2016, and composer Mason Bates. Photo © Ken Howard for Santa Fe Opera, 2017.

In all honesty, I wasn’t super-impressed last year when the current Seattle Opera season was announced. I didn’t want to see Turn of the Screw, and I was on the fence about the upcoming (R)evolution of Steve Jobs. I was kind of curious about it but suspected I wouldn’t like it. Now I’m actually excited to it see it. Here’s why.

Read More