The opera, as much performance today, included dance and multi-media in addition to the singers and to the musicians (Zeitgeist). The opera consisted of two 3-scene acts with an epilog. The opera is based on The Making of Americans, a book authored by Gertrude Stein that recounts the progression of a family across multiple generations. This concept is achieved by a lot of repetition on the opera. Dancers, for example, perform a couple of moves a multitude of times. The use of multimedia also helps to deliver this message. Video cameras mounted inside the house record what happens inside, only parts of which can be seen by the audience through an open door and a number of windows. However, most of the video is shown on the screen above the stage. Video is fragmented at times, so one sees two realities the action inside the house and the video projection.

Most of the singing happens outside. In fact, much of the primary action is outdoors, and so we see people getting merried and divorcing and people dying. The last scene includes a wonderful oratorio with spoken word the repeats in a number of cycles pushing those repetitions to the limit.

This was a nice change from the usual fare at the Walker. It was a very good performance. I think that this is the first time I see opera at the Walker. I am sure it won’t be the last.