Theater visionary Robert Wilson left a lasting impact, shaping the world of performing arts as the preeminent artist of our era.
Robert Wilson: A Visionary Pioneer Transforming Opera and Theater
Robert Wilson, an American director and theater visionary, passed away at the age of 83 in New York, leaving behind a profound impact on the world of opera and theater. His groundbreaking work, marked by innovative use of lighting, sound, space, and slow, highly stylized movement, revolutionized the artistic possibilities of these forms.
Wilson's influence was felt most significantly in Europe, where he staged groundbreaking experimental theater and opera in major cultural centers. His productions, known for their austere style and extreme scales, were often collaborations with major European opera houses and festivals. The 12-hour "The Life and Times of Joseph Stalin" and the seven-day "KA MOUNTain and GUARDenia Terrace" staged on an Iranian mountaintop are prime examples of his ambitious temporal and spatial scope. European cities like Vienna, Düsseldorf, and Sofia hosted his performances, contributing significantly to European avant-garde opera and theater.
In Los Angeles, Wilson's overall influence is noted in the broader American context, especially through ongoing collaborations with high-profile figures like Lady Gaga and Brad Pitt, which likely influenced the city's experimental theater scene. Wilson also established the Watermill Center in New York as a "laboratory for performance," acting as an incubator for innovative theatrical and operatic work that had transatlantic influence, including on American cultural centers like Los Angeles.
One of Wilson's most notable collaborations was with composer Philip Glass, most famously on "Einstein on the Beach" (1976), a landmark contribution to modern opera worldwide that helped define a new avant-garde aesthetic. This opera remains considered one of the most radical in recent history.
In Los Angeles, between 2004 and 2008, the Los Angeles Opera became the most supportive American opera company for Robert Wilson, staging his transformative productions of "Madame Butterfly" and "Parsifal." Other notable collaborations include "Rome Segment," with music by Philip Glass, performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1984, and "One Morning Turns Into an Eternity," a collaboration between Peter Sellars and Esa-Pekka Salonen, performed at the Salzburg Festival.
Wilson's first and most important inspiration for creating a theater outside of normal experience was John Cage. His death occurred during the Salzburg Festival, where his influence on opera as a form of theater was being demonstrated. Wilson returned to UCLA several more times with traveling shows, including a 2013 reading of John Cage's "Lecture on Nothing."
Wilson's legacy lies in transforming the artistic possibilities of theater and opera through his experimental productions in Europe’s foremost opera houses and theaters, as well as influencing the American theatrical avant-garde, including in Los Angeles, by fostering new experimental approaches and collaborative cross-disciplinary works. His impact will continue to be felt for years to come.
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In other news, the Salzburg Festival is currently hosting a new production of Donizetti's "Maria Stuarda," directed by Barrie Kosky. The queens and their courtiers in the production are depicted as being on giant rotating discs. Ulrich Rasche, the director of the new production, had a residency at Robert Wilson's Watermill Center on Long Island. Lisette Oropesa, an American soprano, is a thrilling Scottish queen in the production. Fleur Barron, a singer, performs with stunning intensity in the last movement, "Abschied," of Mahler's song-symphony "Das Lied von der Erde" in the collaboration.
A second Olympics arts festival is expected in three short years, and it is hoped that we are paying attention.
- The Salzburg Festival, currently hosting a new production of Donizetti's "Maria Stuarda," has been influenced by the experimental approach of Robert Wilson, as Ulrich Rasche, the director of the new production, had a residency at Wilson's Watermill Center.
- Fleur Barron, a singer, performs with stunning intensity in the last movement, "Abschied," of Mahler's song-symphony "Das Lied von der Erde" in a collaboration at the Salzburg Festival, showcasing the impact of Wilson's influence on various forms of music and art.
- Although primarily known for his groundbreaking work in opera and theater, Robert Wilson's collaborative spirit extended to the world of entertainment, as he worked with high-profile figures like Lady Gaga and Brad Pitt in Los Angeles.
- In the realm of politics, the Olympics Arts Festival demonstrates the potential for art to positively influence society, and it is hoped that we are paying attention to the possibilities for future festivals.
- The California-based city of Los Angeles has seen the ripple effects of Wilson's innovative work, with avant-garde productions influencing the local theatre scene and fostering new experimental approaches, such as collaborative cross-disciplinary works.
