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Abstract
Bringing together the fields of Intercultural Performance Theory and Opera Studies, this dissertation seeks to develop an analytical tool that allows scholars, directors, and performers to better understand the ways in which a work’s interculturalities impact the creation and performance of these works.Using Edward Said and his theory of Orientalism as a starting point, my work situates itself before contemporary intercultural analytical frameworks like HIT. While HIT is concerned with more contemporary 20th and 21st century works, the framework I put forth is more concerned with 18th and 19th century works.
The foregrounding of Orientalism in my framework creates a dramaturgical lens which I have coined Saidian-Informed Dramaturgy. This dramaturgical lens is the result of the framework I use: the Wagon Wheel model. This framework borrows ideas from Patrice Pavis, Erika Fischer-Lichte and Naomi Andre.
The Wagon Wheel model filters the work through ten spokes of analysis: Commissioning Party/Funding, Source Material, Lived Experience of the Composer and Librettist, Traditions and Norms of the Performance Genre, Musical Style and Influence, Social and Cultural Struggles at the Time of Creation, Expected Audience, Influence of the Director and Performers, Location of the Premiere, and Commercial Success.
To test my idea of Saidian-Informed Dramaturgy and the efficacy of the Wagon Wheel model I apply both of them to three case studies. First, I turn to Verdi and Ghislanzoni’s 1871 opera Aida, also taking into consideration the 1952 Broadway adaptation My Darlin’ Aida and Disney Theatrical’s 2000 Broadway adaptation also titled Aida. The second case study takes a look at Mozart and Schikaneder’s 1791 opera Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), and also considers the Schikaneder and Von Winter 1798 sequel Das Labyrinth, the Opera Al Fresco commissioned production of Jordan, Ravenscroft, and Barry’s 2018 prequel Queen of the Night, and the InSeries Opera commissioned Mozart and Lee’s 2022 adaptation Black Flutes. The final case study looks at Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1885 opera The Mikado, and also considers the 1939 Broadway productions of both Gilbert, Sullivan, and Warden’s The Swing Mikado and Gilbert, Sullivan, Todd, and Cooke’s The Hot Mikado.