This week we watched Stravinski's opera, Oedipus Rex. Write about the opera. What did you like; what didn't you like? Also, have a great holiday weekend and come back on Monday burning to learn. --Mr. S
Well I am only able to watch the first part of the Opera because I am leaving to Arizona for Thanksgiving! I liked the movement on stage and the outfits. It was kinda hard to keep focused because I had to read the subtitles. Also the singing in general just got a bit annoying.
After watching the opera there were things that i liked and didn't like. First I liked the use of Cycladic art. I thought it gave the opera a bigger depth than just having costumes alone. It added interest to the opera. I also liked the costumes. I thought they were unexpected and not something that you would see in every opera. I guess the whole set up of the opera and stage gave it so much interest. I didn't really not like anything, but if I had to choose it would have to be the subtitles. I know that they were needed to understand what the actors were saying but they got distracting to me. Other than that i enjoyed seeing the opera.
I enjoyed the fantastic costumes in the Opera. I also enjoyed listening to how powerful the voices were. It was amazing how big of a space the stage was, it gave the actors a really great place to perform. Although I did think that some of the way the actors acted and had their make-up was frightening. And the Japanese lady who narrated the Opera sounded a bit evil every time she talked. It was interesting to see the view on the Opera in a different way, I had pictured the costumes and the set in a very different way. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
The opera in one word: creepy, but it was a good creepy. The costumes were out of this world and the actors were really into it. My favorite part of the whole opera was probably the orchestra because the music was just so powerful to what the singers were conveying. The stage setting was massive and really cool. The Japanese narrator made the opera seem more creepy probably just because of the how harsh sounding Japanese is. As a whole, what I did not like was the weird vibe of movement and the dead like actors in the fog at the beginning.
I thought that overall the opera was well choreogrphed. THe costumes and singing fit the theme of the story. The singing didn't seem to have much range, or enough to keep me entertained. The ending seemed unexpected/slow/boring. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I was going to.
I enjoyed how the motif of the red satin ribbon was integrated into the majority of the opera.It tied in a lot of the scenes. I also enjoyed the makeup, it was very well done, and the costuming, although the hands were interesting. I think Jocasta was the best singer, although Schindler was nearly as talented/ and more entertaining then the entire cast combined :).. haha. The asian women was extremely frightening. I didn't enjoy how she started off in a regular speaking tone and then just randomly started yelling.. kind of scary! Also it was very hard to follow what was happening many times.
I am not a huge fan of operas to start but this opera was very well done. I liked it a lot because it was not just people on stage singing but there was a lot of action and acting in the whole opera. The costumes were done incredibly. The way they had so many people on stage all in costume and makeup was amazing. I think that they did a very good job of really acting out and telling the whole story and it was interesting how they incorporated Japanese and other languages into the whole performance. Some of the scenes were a bit scary and gross such as at the beginning with the dead people lying on the ground from the plague. Also the way they had the red ribbon appear throughout the opera in different times but was always related to Oedipus. Overall I enjoyed the opera more than I had anticipated and was very impressed by the production they put on. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
I thought the opera was very interesting. It took a different apporach then the book. I thought the costumes and stage sets were great. I am not the biggest fan of opera, but I could tell it was very well done. I like to get different persepctives, and I believe the opera showed a different side of the story. Also how plays are interpreted around the world. In this case their were many Japanese styles mixed into the picture.
I have always gone to ballet performances, but never an opera, so watching the film was the first time I had actually seen an opera. I really enjoyed the set and costumes, but from time to time the story got a little irritating. Personally, I disliked the constant interruptions from the narrator. felt as though it detracted from the story as a whole. I enjoyed the end of the film because I missed reading it with the class.
The opera was interesting, I liked the blend of different cultures. It was interesting to blend the Japanese theater with the Cycladian art, and the opera being sung in Latin. The costumes were interesting and it was kinda cool that they had a guy acting out the story as it was being sung.
After watching the opera there were a few things that I liked and disliked. The first thing I disliked was some scenes seemed to be drawn out longer than they should have been. However, I really enjoyed the costumes and the different props. The music was also very interesting and I think it fit the opera very well. Plus, the way that the red ribbon was intertwined with the opera to show death was also interesting. Lastly, I liked how an opera that was Greek was portrayed through the Japanese point of view. This put a different twist on the production which influenced the characters and the visuals.
I found the opera to be intriguing. I really liked the costumes, how they incorporated Greek art and how they were able to use the masks when Iocasta hung herself and when Oedipus stabbed his eyes. It was a bit frustrating trying to read the subtitles especially when they would just flash on the screen because the narrator talked so quickly. The opera did stick to the storyline and portrayed it very well. One thing that would have made it more appealing for me would have been more variation in the lyrics of the songs. Sometimes they seemed to be kind of repetitive and seemed to drag on.
I thought the opera was really well done. The staging and the makeup and costumes helped to bring the story to life. I especially liked how they used the red ribbon as a symbol of life, or of a life line. It was fun to see how the director saw the play and how he staged it. I learned a lot about how they did Japenese styles of operas in the past.
I thought the actual singing of the opera was well done, it kept me interested for the most part but it seemed to jump around a lot. The narrator seemed to pop up at random times and thats really the only thing the threw it off. You'd get to a pretty important part, then the narrator would talk and it would then go back to the singing. It just made it hard to keep interested. The scenes and the costumes were interesting too which made watching it more exciting. The people had large hands and heads and it was just different then what Im used to. Overall though I found it pretty enjoyable.
Overall I really enjoyed the opera. I liked the costumes and especially the setting, the stage was huge, and contrary to what other people were saying, I really liked the japanese narrator. I also found it really interesting that the opera was sung in latin, but if I had to choose something that I didn't like, it probably would be the subtitles. but overall it was pretty cool to read the play, and then see it in an operatic form.
I really enjoy watching the Opera play. It was different from what I expected to be; I think I was forgetting about the period that it should be played in. I didn't like that it was dark all the time, but I did like the decoration and the way they portray the play. I like the way they use the red robbin to establish death. And especially the scene where Oedipus walks through the water, I think it was pretty cool! It is like the scene where he journeys through the wilderness to find salvation. As he walks through the water, he is gaining his salvation back. Also, I like the Japanese lady, although she was a little bit scary! She really projects her voice to capture the audiences' attenation to what will be occuring in the play.
I unfortunately had to miss the first part of the opera because i was absent. From what I saw of the opera i enjoyed the makeup and the choreography. They seemed to do an excellent job in keeping my attention. What I didn’t like about the opera was that it was an opera. i have never been too interested in watching people sing a story... but this has broadened my mindset. the subtitles made it a little hard to stay focused on what was going on on stage... but i understand that they were needed. all in all this opera was ok in my book.
Overall the opera was entertaining The costumes were interesting and must have taken so much work to put together. The movement on the stage definitely kept my attention and the giant hands caught my eye. The thing I didn't like about the opera was that it was hard to follow because of the subtitles and some of the characters were a little too intense for me. Other than that I think it was a good way to finish Oedipus Rex!
I actually enjoyed the opera, though ted and billy made fun of it at every chance due to how odd it seemed, but I think its "oddness" both helped the opera and hurt it, I actually liked the costumes it added an interesting way to look at the opera, I didn't like the old naked japanes man though, that was a little odd. I also didn't really like the choice of "actors" for oedipus and jocasta, they sang well enough, but they just didn't seem to fit, why was oepidus played by a 60 year old white man while his mother was played by a 30 year old black woman? I guess it just struck me as odd and I couldn't get that part out of my head...
My favorite part of the opera was the set and the costumes. With only one set and no costume changes, I think the set was built perfectly to adapt to different situations and songs. The costumes were something that I had never seen before, as the main characters had those huge hats with faces and huge hands. I liked how they incorporated them into their preformances. One of the few things that I did not like was how the Japanese lady spoke. I thought that her short, angry beathes of words were too much of a contrast from the beautiful Latin songs that the cast was singing. Also, have of the subtitles were missing, but that was okay because we had previously read the story in class so I knew what was going on.
In the Opera of Oedipus, I didn't like the fact that we had to read the subtitles to understand what was going on. I also didn’t like the costumes for the chorus because I get creeped out easily. However, I did like most of the costumes besides those ones. The faces on top of the heads of the singers/actors. I also liked the quickness of the play; it didn't take forever to go through the entire story line. On the down side to that the storyteller couldn't go into much detail with that. But overall I enjoyed the Opera very much.
I really enjoyed the plot of Oedipus Rex. I think it follows the whole theme of corruption that we have been working with this whole year. I have never really seen an opera so it’s hard for me to follow the point of some of the things that the characters will say but I guess it is a puzzle. I really enjoyed the movie, I think that the costumes were really scary and set the mood of the opera. The one thing I really didn’t enjoy was the ending. I think it should have been more gory or brutal. I know this sounds really sick but if you really think about the plot and the words that they use, the ending didn’t even amount to the ending that it could have had.
The opera was...interesting. I was a little creeped out at first. Some of the looks on the singers' faces were deathly. But I was very impressed with the singing. It's amazing how perfect opera singers are. They make no mistakes. It was much easier to follow the events in the story when it was acted out. The representations of the blood and the death of the king and queen were very well done. Simple props make a huge difference in this opera.
There were some things about the opera that I liked and a couple of things I didn't. First of all, I liked the way the whole plot of the story was performed, and it really helped fill me in on the details of the ending since I was gone the 2nd day we read the story. I also liked the way imagery was used throughout the play (ie the crows at the beginning bringing plague and sickness, the actual death etc.) One thing I didn't like was how we had to read subtitles. If i wanted to read, I'd get a book! All in all, even though I have not seen many operas, this is one of the few that actually captured (most) of my attention.
Like many people have already stated, I thought that the subtitles were a little bit distracting but I thought that the actors did a wonderful job with their choreography. You could almost completely understand what was going on just by watching their movements. The costumes were a bit creepy but I think they were quite fitting for the tone of the opera. I really enjoyed the performance given by Jocasta (who I believe was played by Jessye Norman?) I find her voice extremely impressive. She was definitely my favorite part.
In Stravinski's opera, Oedipus Rex, I really appreciated the narrative done by the Japanese woman. Her sharp and rapid tongue helped to set the tone of the background. Furthermore I liked how the mix of Japanese and Greek theater came to the scene to produce a truly dynamic Opera scene. However, I did not like the costume of the actors, the oddly shaped wood headresses seemed to be out of place for an opera like Oedipus Rex.
In Stravinski's Oedipus Rex, the plot and characters were portrayed very accurately and surprisingly this was accomplished in a short amount of time. I enjoyed the set design, costumes, and overall appearance of the show. The motif of the red ribbon symbolizing blood was very interesting and humble. I felt it appropriately represented the major themes of Japanese culture which often include simplicity and modesty, it also made the opera seem more majestic. One thing I didn't like about the opera was the face make up. It seemed much too overbearing and the characters could have been well represented without it.
I enjoyed watching the opera in class. Oedipus Rex was interesting and i enjoyed the scary vibe it gave off and the singing,dancing and costumes. However, I did not like that the opera was not in English.
I liked the costumes alot and how cool the set looked. The use of the long necks and the head were weird, but I did not notice the extended heads much. The hands were also big and brought attention to them aswell. I also liked how Oedipus had an actor and a singer. I was unaware that they were both Oedipus until later.
Parts of the Opera I enjoyed were the big hands included in the costumes of the preformers. I thought it was an interesting way to show movement. The blood coming out of Oedipus Rex's eyes was very creative. The Japenese Lady ruined the mood of the story for me. Her angry voice was intimidating and prohibited the actors from telling their own story.
I personaly liked the opera. Oedipus Rex was the first opera that I have ever watched all the way through. I found the costumes to be my favorite part of the opera. The super lanky arms were quite amusing. I also liked the use of the reocering red ribon. On a more sour note, I disliked the brevity of the opera. I think that the plot was cut a little short. Some key points where lost. Maybe the subtitles were to blame. Overall I enjoyed the opera and would enjoyed watching the opera.
I enjoyed watching the opera and regret that I didn't get to see the end. I thought it was strange a little confusing with the singer Oedipus and the actor Oedipus as well as all the different languages being spoken. It was interesting to see the changes they made in dialogue for the adaption and to see the costumes they chose to represent each character.
I rather liked the opera. I thought the music was well done (I'm a small fan of Stravinsky). I felt it kept close to the plot, but what i really liked were the symbols that they incorporated. For example the red ribbon, and the use of red seemed to represent his life and the turmoil that appears based on it (the red noose that chokes Jocasta).
I have a funny feeling some of the dialogue of the narrator was cut off (something with the DVD) because i missed some of what she was saying. I think it was done pretty well, i just didn't see the point of the narrator. I think it could've been done just as well without one. Maybe an introduction, but nothing throughout the opera itself.
Also, i found the ending very interesting in terms of hidden meanings. It sort of represents Oedipus's loss of respect and honor and his slow sad departure from his town.
I thought the opera offered a great image to correspond with the story we read in class. I found it interesting how they portrayed the setting as well as the people in the town. It seemed almost as if everyone was lifeless except for the main characters such as Oedipus and Jocaste, which really stressed how the story was only focused on the people of the town inadvertantly through the story of Oediupus. I also found the costumes and movement of the characters in the opera very interesting and i thought that it brough a better sense of what the story was about.
personally i'm not a big opera fan but i did enjoy this one. I liked the costumes and I was quite intrigued by the movement and dances. It was definitely the best opera i've watched but i've only seen a couple of them before.
I really liked the set, I thought it was really appealing to look at and fitting for the opera. I also liked the costumes and I thought the singing was spot on and very well acted out. The only thing that really bothered me was the narrator, I thought it took away from the opera and it was kind of annoying when she screamed really loud. The subtitles also took away from the opera, but I didn't mind them as much.
summer087After watching the opera I was a bit confused. I felt that the casting was a little off and that narrorator was very annoying. I also did not like the statue heads and hands i felt that it subtracted from the opera. The one thing that i did like about the play was the opening with the plauge although I did find it a bit disturbing. I lost interest after jocasta started singing because i felt that her character just didnt fit.
I thought the opera was strange. The costumes did not fit a greek society especially Oedipus who looked like a pharoah and I thought the over large hands really distracted from the opera itself. I enjoyed the music and I thought the singing was good. I found the red ribbon to be an interesting but unnecessary way to tie the story together. I would not have pictured it the way it was performed.
I thought this opera was a good cap on the book, but the thing is, I don't like operas. But for me not liking operas this one wasn't terrible. I liked the outfits and how loud the narater was but I had trouble concentrating when it was in a language I didn't understand. I also don't like how operas make everything seem like a horror play, because they aren't usually.
The opera was an interesting take on this greek myth done in a traditional japanese acting style. I thought that it was very dramatic how the narrator spoke loudly and with force so that way every syllable could be heard. At the same time I didn't fully understand why the main characters needed to have statues on them and what they represented. Overall I thought that the singing, and that the choreography and movement done by the background actors made it much more interesting to watch.
I thought the opera was kind of weird. It portrayed the play really well, but I had to read the subtitles the whole time. The singing was really interesting style wise, but it got really repetitive, especially because I had no idea what they were saying. Overall the opera kept me interested, but I wouldn't watch it again.
My favorite component of this opera was the african american woman (Jocasta?) and her intonations on the word 'oracle'; it was weirdly intriguing. The costumes were also very well done and creative, and definitely added a hint of greek culture to the opera. Although the movement and some of the formations were good, the dancing just didn't keep my attention. The opera couldn't keep me completely captivated the entire time for the subtitles were dsitracting and the plot was difficult to follow. Yet I really did enjoy the cacophonic narrator, she definitely kept me focused. Molly Riegel
I thought the opera was very interesting. I cannot decide if it was a good interesting or a bad interesting or if I liked it or not. I don’t think that I have every seen anything like it, which almost attracted me to it in some odd way. My favorite part would have to be the chorus with their lively makeup and their powerful, unified voices. The costumes were very intricate and eye catching and the voices were stunning. It was a little difficult for me to follow parts of the plot, but the subtitles helped out. I think I would like to watch it again to pick up on more details I might have missed the first time.
The opera was very different than I had imagined it would be, but with the brief background of Greek and Japanese history it made sense. I did not really like the merger of Japanese and Greek art and clothing, but I did like the japanese narrator. She gave a new dimension to the story, and a new perspective. The Chorus' costumes and their kills were very interesting. Overall it was a solid opera.
The most striking theme throughout the opera was the use of giant hands and faces. And by striking I mean annoying and detracting from the whole experience. There was no real purpose that I could see that would require the actors to have large hands. I could understand that they were trying to have a bit of Greek culture in there but there must have been better ways than large heads and hands. The best I thought was the red thread. The contrast it made between the dark colors of the characters added a better definition to both.
I liked the movie just because of the make-up jobs and strange costumes. but I loved reading the story because I can go at my own pace. I guess I'm not one who favors long operas. I like the music and singing ability, but when it takes a minute to say one subtitle line, I think it lasts too long. I like getting all the information at once. some lines were repeated and just seemed like overemphasized lines got boring. but it was very good all together. one to mention to my since she loves opera
Overall, I enjoyed the opera even though I do not normally watch them. The costumes were very interesting and I think that the characters were visually portrayed very well. However, some parts of the opera seemed to be more drawn out than necessary. The subtitles were also somewhat distracting. However, my favorite part was the music because it really helped accentuate the character's actions.
I really enjoyed how well the set was done. I thought that it was very creative and helped to make the story much better. The costumes were also very interesting but also added to the show. It was a very interesting interpretation of how it would look but I think it made for a cool looking play and something different than I have seen before.
I really enjoyed the set i thought the set was a good usage of space and i thought that the head on the costumes were also creative. The heads represent the time era and I though that was especially creative. I did think however that some of it overall was a little creepy and that the story did not make it come across that scary.
53 comments:
Well I am only able to watch the first part of the Opera because I am leaving to Arizona for Thanksgiving!
I liked the movement on stage and the outfits.
It was kinda hard to keep focused because I had to read the subtitles. Also the singing in general just got a bit annoying.
After watching the opera there were things that i liked and didn't like. First I liked the use of Cycladic art. I thought it gave the opera a bigger depth than just having costumes alone. It added interest to the opera. I also liked the costumes. I thought they were unexpected and not something that you would see in every opera. I guess the whole set up of the opera and stage gave it so much interest. I didn't really not like anything, but if I had to choose it would have to be the subtitles. I know that they were needed to understand what the actors were saying but they got distracting to me. Other than that i enjoyed seeing the opera.
I enjoyed the fantastic costumes in the Opera. I also enjoyed listening to how powerful the voices were. It was amazing how big of a space the stage was, it gave the actors a really great place to perform. Although I did think that some of the way the actors acted and had their make-up was frightening. And the Japanese lady who narrated the Opera sounded a bit evil every time she talked. It was interesting to see the view on the Opera in a different way, I had pictured the costumes and the set in a very different way.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
The opera in one word: creepy, but it was a good creepy. The costumes were out of this world and the actors were really into it. My favorite part of the whole opera was probably the orchestra because the music was just so powerful to what the singers were conveying. The stage setting was massive and really cool. The Japanese narrator made the opera seem more creepy probably just because of the how harsh sounding Japanese is. As a whole, what I did not like was the weird vibe of movement and the dead like actors in the fog at the beginning.
I thought that overall the opera was well choreogrphed. THe costumes and singing fit the theme of the story. The singing didn't seem to have much range, or enough to keep me entertained. The ending seemed unexpected/slow/boring. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I was going to.
I enjoyed how the motif of the red satin ribbon was integrated into the majority of the opera.It tied in a lot of the scenes. I also enjoyed the makeup, it was very well done, and the costuming, although the hands were interesting. I think Jocasta was the best singer, although Schindler was nearly as talented/ and more entertaining then the entire cast combined :).. haha. The asian women was extremely frightening. I didn't enjoy how she started off in a regular speaking tone and then just randomly started yelling.. kind of scary! Also it was very hard to follow what was happening many times.
I am not a huge fan of operas to start but this opera was very well done. I liked it a lot because it was not just people on stage singing but there was a lot of action and acting in the whole opera. The costumes were done incredibly. The way they had so many people on stage all in costume and makeup was amazing. I think that they did a very good job of really acting out and telling the whole story and it was interesting how they incorporated Japanese and other languages into the whole performance. Some of the scenes were a bit scary and gross such as at the beginning with the dead people lying on the ground from the plague. Also the way they had the red ribbon appear throughout the opera in different times but was always related to Oedipus. Overall I enjoyed the opera more than I had anticipated and was very impressed by the production they put on. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
I thought the opera was very interesting. It took a different apporach then the book. I thought the costumes and stage sets were great. I am not the biggest fan of opera, but I could tell it was very well done. I like to get different persepctives, and I believe the opera showed a different side of the story. Also how plays are interpreted around the world. In this case their were many Japanese styles mixed into the picture.
I have always gone to ballet performances, but never an opera, so watching the film was the first time I had actually seen an opera. I really enjoyed the set and costumes, but from time to time the story got a little irritating. Personally, I disliked the constant interruptions from the narrator. felt as though it detracted from the story as a whole. I enjoyed the end of the film because I missed reading it with the class.
The opera was interesting, I liked the blend of different cultures. It was interesting to blend the Japanese theater with the Cycladian art, and the opera being sung in Latin. The costumes were interesting and it was kinda cool that they had a guy acting out the story as it was being sung.
After watching the opera there were a few things that I liked and disliked. The first thing I disliked was some scenes seemed to be drawn out longer than they should have been. However, I really enjoyed the costumes and the different props. The music was also very interesting and I think it fit the opera very well. Plus, the way that the red ribbon was intertwined with the opera to show death was also interesting. Lastly, I liked how an opera that was Greek was portrayed through the Japanese point of view. This put a different twist on the production which influenced the characters and the visuals.
I found the opera to be intriguing. I really liked the costumes, how they incorporated Greek art and how they were able to use the masks when Iocasta hung herself and when Oedipus stabbed his eyes. It was a bit frustrating trying to read the subtitles especially when they would just flash on the screen because the narrator talked so quickly. The opera did stick to the storyline and portrayed it very well. One thing that would have made it more appealing for me would have been more variation in the lyrics of the songs. Sometimes they seemed to be kind of repetitive and seemed to drag on.
I thought the opera was really well done. The staging and the makeup and costumes helped to bring the story to life. I especially liked how they used the red ribbon as a symbol of life, or of a life line. It was fun to see how the director saw the play and how he staged it. I learned a lot about how they did Japenese styles of operas in the past.
I thought the actual singing of the opera was well done, it kept me interested for the most part but it seemed to jump around a lot. The narrator seemed to pop up at random times and thats really the only thing the threw it off. You'd get to a pretty important part, then the narrator would talk and it would then go back to the singing. It just made it hard to keep interested. The scenes and the costumes were interesting too which made watching it more exciting. The people had large hands and heads and it was just different then what Im used to. Overall though I found it pretty enjoyable.
Overall I really enjoyed the opera. I liked the costumes and especially the setting, the stage was huge, and contrary to what other people were saying, I really liked the japanese narrator. I also found it really interesting that the opera was sung in latin, but if I had to choose something that I didn't like, it probably would be the subtitles. but overall it was pretty cool to read the play, and then see it in an operatic form.
I really enjoy watching the Opera play. It was different from what I expected to be; I think I was forgetting about the period that it should be played in. I didn't like that it was dark all the time, but I did like the decoration and the way they portray the play. I like the way they use the red robbin to establish death. And especially the scene where Oedipus walks through the water, I think it was pretty cool! It is like the scene where he journeys through the wilderness to find salvation. As he walks through the water, he is gaining his salvation back. Also, I like the Japanese lady, although she was a little bit scary! She really projects her voice to capture the audiences' attenation to what will be occuring in the play.
``Mea Pen``
I unfortunately had to miss the first part of the opera because i was absent. From what I saw of the opera i enjoyed the makeup and the choreography. They seemed to do an excellent job in keeping my attention. What I didn’t like about the opera was that it was an opera. i have never been too interested in watching people sing a story... but this has broadened my mindset. the subtitles made it a little hard to stay focused on what was going on on stage... but i understand that they were needed. all in all this opera was ok in my book.
Overall the opera was entertaining The costumes were interesting and must have taken so much work to put together. The movement on the stage definitely kept my attention and the giant hands caught my eye. The thing I didn't like about the opera was that it was hard to follow because of the subtitles and some of the characters were a little too intense for me. Other than that I think it was a good way to finish Oedipus Rex!
I actually enjoyed the opera, though ted and billy made fun of it at every chance due to how odd it seemed, but I think its "oddness" both helped the opera and hurt it, I actually liked the costumes it added an interesting way to look at the opera, I didn't like the old naked japanes man though, that was a little odd. I also didn't really like the choice of "actors" for oedipus and jocasta, they sang well enough, but they just didn't seem to fit, why was oepidus played by a 60 year old white man while his mother was played by a 30 year old black woman? I guess it just struck me as odd and I couldn't get that part out of my head...
My favorite part of the opera was the set and the costumes. With only one set and no costume changes, I think the set was built perfectly to adapt to different situations and songs. The costumes were something that I had never seen before, as the main characters had those huge hats with faces and huge hands. I liked how they incorporated them into their preformances. One of the few things that I did not like was how the Japanese lady spoke. I thought that her short, angry beathes of words were too much of a contrast from the beautiful Latin songs that the cast was singing. Also, have of the subtitles were missing, but that was okay because we had previously read the story in class so I knew what was going on.
In the Opera of Oedipus, I didn't like the fact that we had to read the subtitles to understand what was going on. I also didn’t like the costumes for the chorus because I get creeped out easily. However, I did like most of the costumes besides those ones. The faces on top of the heads of the singers/actors. I also liked the quickness of the play; it didn't take forever to go through the entire story line. On the down side to that the storyteller couldn't go into much detail with that. But overall I enjoyed the Opera very much.
I really enjoyed the plot of Oedipus Rex. I think it follows the whole theme of corruption that we have been working with this whole year. I have never really seen an opera so it’s hard for me to follow the point of some of the things that the characters will say but I guess it is a puzzle. I really enjoyed the movie, I think that the costumes were really scary and set the mood of the opera. The one thing I really didn’t enjoy was the ending. I think it should have been more gory or brutal. I know this sounds really sick but if you really think about the plot and the words that they use, the ending didn’t even amount to the ending that it could have had.
The opera was...interesting. I was a little creeped out at first. Some of the looks on the singers' faces were deathly. But I was very impressed with the singing. It's amazing how perfect opera singers are. They make no mistakes. It was much easier to follow the events in the story when it was acted out. The representations of the blood and the death of the king and queen were very well done. Simple props make a huge difference in this opera.
There were some things about the opera that I liked and a couple of things I didn't. First of all, I liked the way the whole plot of the story was performed, and it really helped fill me in on the details of the ending since I was gone the 2nd day we read the story. I also liked the way imagery was used throughout the play (ie the crows at the beginning bringing plague and sickness, the actual death etc.) One thing I didn't like was how we had to read subtitles. If i wanted to read, I'd get a book! All in all, even though I have not seen many operas, this is one of the few that actually captured (most) of my attention.
Like many people have already stated, I thought that the subtitles were a little bit distracting but I thought that the actors did a wonderful job with their choreography. You could almost completely understand what was going on just by watching their movements. The costumes were a bit creepy but I think they were quite fitting for the tone of the opera. I really enjoyed the performance given by Jocasta (who I believe was played by Jessye Norman?) I find her voice extremely impressive. She was definitely my favorite part.
In Stravinski's opera, Oedipus Rex, I really appreciated the narrative done by the Japanese woman. Her sharp and rapid tongue helped to set the tone of the background. Furthermore I liked how the mix of Japanese and Greek theater came to the scene to produce a truly dynamic Opera scene. However, I did not like the costume of the actors, the oddly shaped wood headresses seemed to be out of place for an opera like Oedipus Rex.
In Stravinski's Oedipus Rex, the plot and characters were portrayed very accurately and surprisingly this was accomplished in a short amount of time. I enjoyed the set design, costumes, and overall appearance of the show. The motif of the red ribbon symbolizing blood was very interesting and humble. I felt it appropriately represented the major themes of Japanese culture which often include simplicity and modesty, it also made the opera seem more majestic. One thing I didn't like about the opera was the face make up. It seemed much too overbearing and the characters could have been well represented without it.
I enjoyed watching the opera in class. Oedipus Rex was interesting and i enjoyed the scary vibe it gave off and the singing,dancing and costumes. However, I did not like that the opera was not in English.
I liked the costumes alot and how cool the set looked. The use of the long necks and the head were weird, but I did not notice the extended heads much. The hands were also big and brought attention to them aswell. I also liked how Oedipus had an actor and a singer. I was unaware that they were both Oedipus until later.
Parts of the Opera I enjoyed were the big hands included in the costumes of the preformers. I thought it was an interesting way to show movement. The blood coming out of Oedipus Rex's eyes was very creative. The Japenese Lady ruined the mood of the story for me. Her angry voice was intimidating and prohibited the actors from telling their own story.
I personaly liked the opera. Oedipus Rex was the first opera that I have ever watched all the way through. I found the costumes to be my favorite part of the opera. The super lanky arms were quite amusing. I also liked the use of the reocering red ribon. On a more sour note, I disliked the brevity of the opera. I think that the plot was cut a little short. Some key points where lost. Maybe the subtitles were to blame. Overall I enjoyed the opera and would enjoyed watching the opera.
I enjoyed watching the opera and regret that I didn't get to see the end. I thought it was strange a little confusing with the singer Oedipus and the actor Oedipus as well as all the different languages being spoken. It was interesting to see the changes they made in dialogue for the adaption and to see the costumes they chose to represent each character.
I rather liked the opera. I thought the music was well done (I'm a small fan of Stravinsky). I felt it kept close to the plot, but what i really liked were the symbols that they incorporated. For example the red ribbon, and the use of red seemed to represent his life and the turmoil that appears based on it (the red noose that chokes Jocasta).
I have a funny feeling some of the dialogue of the narrator was cut off (something with the DVD) because i missed some of what she was saying. I think it was done pretty well, i just didn't see the point of the narrator. I think it could've been done just as well without one. Maybe an introduction, but nothing throughout the opera itself.
Also, i found the ending very interesting in terms of hidden meanings. It sort of represents Oedipus's loss of respect and honor and his slow sad departure from his town.
Jonathan Rush
I thought the opera offered a great image to correspond with the story we read in class. I found it interesting how they portrayed the setting as well as the people in the town. It seemed almost as if everyone was lifeless except for the main characters such as Oedipus and Jocaste, which really stressed how the story was only focused on the people of the town inadvertantly through the story of Oediupus. I also found the costumes and movement of the characters in the opera very interesting and i thought that it brough a better sense of what the story was about.
personally i'm not a big opera fan but i did enjoy this one. I liked the costumes and I was quite intrigued by the movement and dances. It was definitely the best opera i've watched but i've only seen a couple of them before.
I really liked the set, I thought it was really appealing to look at and fitting for the opera. I also liked the costumes and I thought the singing was spot on and very well acted out.
The only thing that really bothered me was the narrator, I thought it took away from the opera and it was kind of annoying when she screamed really loud. The subtitles also took away from the opera, but I didn't mind them as much.
summer087After watching the opera I was a bit confused. I felt that the casting was a little off and that narrorator was very annoying. I also did not like the statue heads and hands i felt that it subtracted from the opera. The one thing that i did like about the play was the opening with the plauge although I did find it a bit disturbing. I lost interest after jocasta started singing because i felt that her character just didnt fit.
I thought the opera was strange. The costumes did not fit a greek society especially Oedipus who looked like a pharoah and I thought the over large hands really distracted from the opera itself. I enjoyed the music and I thought the singing was good. I found the red ribbon to be an interesting but unnecessary way to tie the story together. I would not have pictured it the way it was performed.
I thought this opera was a good cap on the book, but the thing is, I don't like operas. But for me not liking operas this one wasn't terrible. I liked the outfits and how loud the narater was but I had trouble concentrating when it was in a language I didn't understand. I also don't like how operas make everything seem like a horror play, because they aren't usually.
The opera was an interesting take on this greek myth done in a traditional japanese acting style. I thought that it was very dramatic how the narrator spoke loudly and with force so that way every syllable could be heard. At the same time I didn't fully understand why the main characters needed to have statues on them and what they represented. Overall I thought that the singing, and that the choreography and movement done by the background actors made it much more interesting to watch.
I thought the opera was kind of weird. It portrayed the play really well, but I had to read the subtitles the whole time. The singing was really interesting style wise, but it got really repetitive, especially because I had no idea what they were saying. Overall the opera kept me interested, but I wouldn't watch it again.
My favorite component of this opera was the african american woman (Jocasta?) and her intonations on the word 'oracle'; it was weirdly intriguing. The costumes were also very well done and creative, and definitely added a hint of greek culture to the opera.
Although the movement and some of the formations were good, the dancing just didn't keep my attention. The opera couldn't keep me completely captivated the entire time for the subtitles were dsitracting and the plot was difficult to follow. Yet I really did enjoy the cacophonic narrator, she definitely kept me focused.
Molly Riegel
I thought the opera was very interesting. I cannot decide if it was a good interesting or a bad interesting or if I liked it or not. I don’t think that I have every seen anything like it, which almost attracted me to it in some odd way. My favorite part would have to be the chorus with their lively makeup and their powerful, unified voices. The costumes were very intricate and eye catching and the voices were stunning. It was a little difficult for me to follow parts of the plot, but the subtitles helped out. I think I would like to watch it again to pick up on more details I might have missed the first time.
The opera was very different than I had imagined it would be, but with the brief background of Greek and Japanese history it made sense. I did not really like the merger of Japanese and Greek art and clothing, but I did like the japanese narrator. She gave a new dimension to the story, and a new perspective. The Chorus' costumes and their kills were very interesting. Overall it was a solid opera.
The most striking theme throughout the opera was the use of giant hands and faces. And by striking I mean annoying and detracting from the whole experience. There was no real purpose that I could see that would require the actors to have large hands. I could understand that they were trying to have a bit of Greek culture in there but there must have been better ways than large heads and hands. The best I thought was the red thread. The contrast it made between the dark colors of the characters added a better definition to both.
I liked the movie just because of the make-up jobs and strange costumes. but I loved reading the story because I can go at my own pace. I guess I'm not one who favors long operas. I like the music and singing ability, but when it takes a minute to say one subtitle line, I think it lasts too long. I like getting all the information at once. some lines were repeated and just seemed like overemphasized lines got boring. but it was very good all together. one to mention to my since she loves opera
Overall, I enjoyed the opera even though I do not normally watch them. The costumes were very interesting and I think that the characters were visually portrayed very well. However, some parts of the opera seemed to be more drawn out than necessary. The subtitles were also somewhat distracting. However, my favorite part was the music because it really helped accentuate the character's actions.
I really enjoyed how well the set was done. I thought that it was very creative and helped to make the story much better. The costumes were also very interesting but also added to the show. It was a very interesting interpretation of how it would look but I think it made for a cool looking play and something different than I have seen before.
I really enjoyed the set i thought the set was a good usage of space and i thought that the head on the costumes were also creative. The heads represent the time era and I though that was especially creative. I did think however that some of it overall was a little creepy and that the story did not make it come across that scary.
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