Opera for Everyone: The Industry's Experiments with American Opera in the Digital Age

Opera for Everyone explores the acclaimed experimental productions of The Industry, a Los Angeles-based opera company, and their integration of new media and interactive performance. It traces the company's path from Crescent City (2012) to Sweet Land (2020) and argues that The Industry's productions expose the economic and aesthetic structures key to the circulation of operatic performance while deploying opera as a tool for digital listening, community engagement, popular entertainment, and commentary on systemic racism and settler colonialism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 30 April 2024
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

Opera for Everyone: The Industry's Experiments with American Opera in the Digital Age is a comprehensive study that explores the acclaimed experimental productions of Los Angeles-based opera company The Industry. Drawing on seven years of multi-sited ethnography, the book examines the company's productions as part of an emerging wave of U.S. operas that integrate new media and interactive performance through site-specificity and simulcast video. The author, Steigerwald Ille, argues that by moving opera outside of the opera house, The Industry's productions expose the economic and aesthetic structures key to the circulation of operatic performance while also deploying opera as a tool for digital listening, community engagement, popular entertainment, and commentary on systemic racism and settler colonialism. Through ethnographic work with the company's creators and performers and close examination of the company's first decade of work, the book reveals how The Industry paradoxically provides both a roadmap and boundary line for experimental and traditional companies trying to find new ways to approach operatic performance in the twenty-first century United States.

The Industry's first production, Crescent City (2012), was a site-specific work that took place in a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles. The production featured a cast of local musicians and actors, and it was designed to explore the history and culture of the city's African American community. The production was praised for its innovative use of technology, including live video streaming and interactive soundscapes.

The Industry's second production, Sweet Land (2020), was a simulcast video production that was broadcast live to multiple venues around the world. The production featured a cast of international musicians and actors, and it was designed to explore the history and culture of the American Midwest. The production was praised for its innovative use of technology, including live video streaming and interactive soundscapes.

One of the key themes of Opera for Everyone is the way that The Industry's productions expose the economic and aesthetic structures key to the circulation of operatic performance. The company's productions are often designed to be accessible to a wide range of audiences, and they are often produced in non-traditional venues, such as warehouses, parks, and community centers. This allows the company to reach a broader audience and to engage with a wider range of communities.

However, the company's productions also face challenges. For example, the cost of producing operatic performances can be high, and the company must rely on donations and grants to support its work. Additionally, the company's productions can be vulnerable to changes in technology and cultural trends.

To address these challenges, The Industry has developed a new production model that combines traditional operatic performance with new media and interactive performance. The model includes site-specificity, simulcast video, and interactive soundscapes, and it is designed to be accessible to a wide range of audiences.

The company's new production model has been successful in attracting new audiences and in engaging with a wider range of communities. For example, the company's production of Sweet Land was broadcast live to over 100,000 people around the world, and it received positive reviews from critics.

In addition to its experimental productions, The Industry has also been involved in a number of community engagement projects. For example, the company has worked with local schools to provide opera education programs, and it has hosted community events that feature opera performances.

Despite its success, The Industry faces several challenges in the future. For example, the company's reliance on donations and grants may become more difficult as the economy continues to struggle. Additionally, the company's productions may be vulnerable to changes in technology and cultural trends.

To address these challenges, The Industry is working to develop new strategies for funding and promoting its work. The company is also working to develop new technologies that will allow it to create more immersive and interactive performances.

In conclusion, Opera for Everyone is a comprehensive study that explores the acclaimed experimental productions of Los Angeles-based opera company The Industry. The book argues that by moving opera outside of the opera house, The Industry's productions expose the economic and aesthetic structures key to the circulation of operatic performance while also deploying opera as a tool for digital listening, community engagement, popular entertainment, and commentary on systemic racism and settler colonialism. Through ethnographic work with the company's creators and performers and close examination of the company's first decade of work, the book reveals how The Industry paradoxically provides both a roadmap and boundary line for experimental and traditional companies trying to find new ways to approach operatic performance in the twenty-first century United States.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472076642