Jono Starsmore (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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fandomhigh2018-02-23 06:25 am
furnaceface) wrote in fandomhigh2018-02-23 06:25 am
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Music Appreciation, Friday, 1st Period
Hannibal nodded at the students once they were seated. "Last week, we watched a story told in music. Today we will also begin with a bit of opera. For those of you who may not be aware, opera is another musical form of drama. It tells a story entirely in song, accompanied generally by an orchestra."
He wrote a title on the board. "Today we will listen to some of La Bohème, an opera by a composer named Giacomo Puccini. It was originally performed in 1896, and set in Paris in the 1840s. It follows a story of several bohemians - artists and such - and the romance of two of them, Rodolfo and Mimi."
He explained the plot briefly and then played excerpts from a traditional production. When that was done, he said, "Also, there has been a more recent production, set in the 1950s. As one example of how to modernize opera, we have this."
//On the other end of the spectrum,// Jono said, leaning back against a desk and holding up a CD for the class to see, //we have a more modern retelling still, prevalent on the Broadway stage, by the name ofmeta for RENT. They took it, set it in New York, and then worked in current themes and issues, such as drug abuse and homosexuality, and had AIDS taking the place of the tuberculosis from the original.// He wasn't going to launch into an explanation of those things for the less modern-era-Earth students in the class, because they would never get through the syllabus otherwise. Occasionally, Jono could be relatively short-winded. //The result is a rock musical that draws parallels to La Bohème in everything from plot elements and character names to samples of the music itself. Here...//
Jono put the disc into the CD player, hit a few buttons, and stood back, letting La Vie Bohème begin to play. Not work or school appropriate? Did Jono look terribly as though he cared?
Did Hannibal? These were clearly the coolest teachers in school, you guys.
//Anyway, now that you've listened to three examples of the same, or at least a very similar story told differently over the years, I want us to take some time to discuss it. Talk about what emotions the three pieces made you feel, or discuss the differences in the lyrics and themes between them. If you want to listen to more of one or the other, feel free to ask, and we'll play whatever we have time for through the class period. If you have questions about any of the themes in any of the above, again, ask, and we'll do our best to answer whatever we can.//
He wrote a title on the board. "Today we will listen to some of La Bohème, an opera by a composer named Giacomo Puccini. It was originally performed in 1896, and set in Paris in the 1840s. It follows a story of several bohemians - artists and such - and the romance of two of them, Rodolfo and Mimi."
He explained the plot briefly and then played excerpts from a traditional production. When that was done, he said, "Also, there has been a more recent production, set in the 1950s. As one example of how to modernize opera, we have this."
//On the other end of the spectrum,// Jono said, leaning back against a desk and holding up a CD for the class to see, //we have a more modern retelling still, prevalent on the Broadway stage, by the name of
Jono put the disc into the CD player, hit a few buttons, and stood back, letting La Vie Bohème begin to play. Not work or school appropriate? Did Jono look terribly as though he cared?
Did Hannibal? These were clearly the coolest teachers in school, you guys.
//Anyway, now that you've listened to three examples of the same, or at least a very similar story told differently over the years, I want us to take some time to discuss it. Talk about what emotions the three pieces made you feel, or discuss the differences in the lyrics and themes between them. If you want to listen to more of one or the other, feel free to ask, and we'll play whatever we have time for through the class period. If you have questions about any of the themes in any of the above, again, ask, and we'll do our best to answer whatever we can.//
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Lecture!
Discuss!
La Vie Boheme lyrics
La Bohème libretto in English
List of arias with synopses
Re: Discuss!
So she didn't have much to say, but she did at least come up with a question. "Why do all these boho stories always have to have someone tragically dying of some disease du jour?"
Re: Discuss!
//Besides just upping the tragedy points, you mean?// Jono actually looked faintly amused by the question. //I'd wager that in both the case of the original story and in the case of RENT, it's a tragedy that's meant to speak of particular social classes. Not that tuberculosis has ever been particularly easy to treat, but if you had money, at least you had the option of going comfortably. And AIDS in this era is a disease most commonly known for being most prevalent among certain social groups. Sure, you don't need to be a gay person having unprotected sex, but the odds weren't in your favour if you were, at one point.//
He shrugged.
//If the show were about some other social group, I imagine the disease would change to match.//
Legacy for mutants, for example.
Re: Discuss!
She shrugged. "It's literally drama, though, so I guess it goes with the genre."
Re: Discuss!
//It goes with the genre,// Jono agreed. //Not my usual go-to for entertainment, either, but it has its place.//
Jono was more a fan of stupid slasher flicks, admittedly.
//I'm sure if you were to delve deeper, you'd be able to find plenty of similar stories without the tragic disease angle. But today's lesson was less about tragedy and more about song and how it can evolve to tell the same story over time, since we're technically supposed to be a music class, not a literature class.// He paused. //Now I almost regret not teaching literature.//
Talk to the Teachers!
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Re: Talk to the Teachers!
OOC!
That's where I work, I dance.
Yes! They used to tie you up.
It's a living.