A NEW PHILOSOPHY OF OPERA

An argument for the necessity of fresh thinking about—and new approaches to—a struggling art form.

Opera can seem like an expensive anachronism in the 21st century. Sharon, a MacArthur fellow and artistic director of Detroit Opera, believes that it is stuck in a creative cul-de-sac, with a small number of classic operas being performed every season. Yes, they are popular—or popular, at least, with the wealthy donors and conservative board members who dominate the opera scene—but they crowd out many of the talented, innovative composers and artists working to move the art form forward. The author chronicles the complex history of opera, underlining its overt artificiality and collaborative nature, and he punctuates his account with snippets about important moments and turning points, revealing some intriguing secrets. Sharon argues convincingly that opera has to get out of opulent concert halls and find alternatives to its image of elitism, an approach that he is pioneering with his work in Detroit. There has to be a new balance of storytelling, performance, production values, and relevance. As he demonstrates in the text, the author has been willing to take imaginative chances in many of his own projects, such as reversing the narrative structure of classic operas or staging an opera in a multilevel parking garage. Sharon offers many interesting ideas about opera and its future, although the narrative is not always easy to follow, with numerous detours and digressive anecdotes. Nonetheless, the author’s thesis is valid and relevant for any fan of fine art: Opera must strike out in a new direction if it is to avoid stagnation. A bonus is the Spotify “playlist of musical examples,” which is well worth a listen.

Sharon provides an authoritative view of how opera can and must return to its dynamic, populist roots.