Online community deals with current issues using black humor
The first part of the world’s first online community opera project is now ready. The libretto has been completed. Opera By You project started a year ago and so far approximately 400 people around the world has participated in making of the opera.
Savonlinna Opera Festival launched Opera By You project in May 2010. In the project anyone can contribute to the creation of an opera. Hundreds of people around the world have participated in work and the project has thousands of followers. Iida Hämeen-Anttila who studies dramaturgy at the Theater Academy Helsinki works as a dramaturge of the project.
- The project has been a continuous learning process. Since nothing like this has never been done before we just had to try out different methodsbefore we found a suitable way to proceed. I think the result is harmonious, but exhilarating and rich at the same time, Hämeen-Anttila says.
Material to the libretto were collected on the internet through discussions and writing tasks. Finally Hämeen-Anttila united the texts of different people to a functional entity.
Unusual opera
In the Free Will opera god has had enough of all the misery that people are suffering and decides to send a couple of dead genius back to Earth to make things better. They are supposed to make a huge difference in science and art and create world peace.
So it is a classical good and evil struggle for power but according to Hämeen-Anttila, the opera is clearly different from normal.
- I think crowdsourcing has brought storytelling unconventional solutions. Unlike most operas it is not protagonist centred, despite the fact that among the individuals there are historical figures. Another unusual thing is use of black humor. Whether black humor suits opera or not, we won’t find out until in Savonlinna 2012.
The online community opera will be premiered at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in summer 2012. The opera examines social issues from globalization to climate exchange. Humor has a strong presence throughout the structure of the story and in the cheerful way of dealing with serious topics.
Work on musical composition, visualization and other areas of the opera still continues at Wreckamovie platform: http://www.wreckamovie.com/operabyyou.
Information:
Anyone can join in making an opera at wreckamovie.com/operabyyou
Press material at www.operabyyou.com
Attachments:
- Libretto
- Summary of the libretto
Inquiries:
Päivi Salmi, Project Manager, the Savonlinna Opera Festival
+358 40 774 0919
paivi.salmi@operafestival.fi
The Savonlinna Opera Festival in brief
The Savonlinna Opera Festival is the Finnish cultural event best known internationally and a leading Finnish tourist attraction. It records an annual total audience of around 60,000, a good 10 per cent from abroad. The Savonlinna Opera Festival is a modern pioneer in the world of opera, presenting not only the classics but also new and innovative productions. A visit to the Savonlinna Opera Festival is an all-round experience made up of first-class opera performances and concerts, the unique atmosphere of a medieval castle and the beautiful town of Savonlinna in summer, set amid lakes and forests. The Festival gets about 70% of its funding from ticket revenue, the rest in the form of grants from the Ministry of Education and the town of Savonlinna, and partnership agreements.
www.operafestival.fi
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