Students in the Opera Philadelphia's Sounds of Learning program saw Theodore Morrison and John Cox's Oscar at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia on February 4th, 2015.
Poetic injustice.
Legendarily flamboyant Oscar Wilde was the toast of the literary world—until a scandalous love affair with Lord Alfred Douglas ruined his reputation and devastated his private life. Oscar chronicles the acclaimed writer’s trial and imprisonment for “the love that dare not speak its name.” As Wilde, David Daniels electrifies the stage with a “mix of arrogance and vulnerability” (The New York Times). Philadelphia favorite William Burden and soprano Heidi Stober, in her company debut, costar as Wilde's loyal friends. Dwayne Croft stars as Wilde’s friend and supporter, Walt Whitman. A mixture of haunting music, Wildean witticisms, and operatic virtuosity, the East Coast Premiere of Oscar celebrates the life and love of one of literature’s most daring voices.
Participating students are encouraged to share their thoughts on the opera by posting their reviews here. All reviews, positive and negative, will be accepted, just make sure to include your:
- FIRST NAME
- GRADE
- SCHOOL
Tell us what you liked about the story, the sets, your favorite character, or your favorite scene, and more.
Don't forget to support your opinion in 50 words or more!
Thanks!
Comments
Bosie's dancing was simply captivating, specifically when he was dancing on Oscar's cell. My favorite scene, however was the court scene with all the strange characters. On the flip side, the bitonality/use of tritones was a bit overwhelming and overused in my opinion
Grade 11
Wilmington Friends School
My favorite part of the play was the orchestra. They depicted the mood of the play very well throughout. Bosie also stood out to me because of how prominent a character he was in the play without saying a word which is very rare in operas. All in all, I very much enjoyed the play.
I enjoyed the opera, I thought that having a character like Bosie, who danced instead of singing, had a powerful effect in communicating the underlying messages of the opera. For my expectations of the music, I was happily surprised by the complexity and I thought the pit orchestra did a wonderful job accompanying the singers. My favorite part was the parody of the court room scene because it was captivating and exceeded my expectations of the opera.
11th Grade
Wilmington Friends School
I really enjoyed the opera. I found the story very fascinating. I never really knew much about who Oscar Wilde was. I think that the major themes are very important to what is going on in the world right now in terms of gay rights. My favorite scene was the court room scene. I love how it was portrayed as almost a joke because Oscar was going to most definitely going to be charged guilty for something that isn't a crime at all.
11th Grade
Wilmington Friends School
I really enjoyed the opera. I found the story very fascinating. I never really knew much about who Oscar Wilde was. I think that the major themes are very important to what is going on in the world right now in terms of gay rights. My favorite scene was the court room scene. I love how it was portrayed as almost a joke because Oscar was going to most definitely going to be charged guilty for something that isn't a crime at all.
GRADE: 12th
SCHOOL: Wilmington Friends School
My favorite part of Opera Philadelphia's production of Oscar was the story's faithfulness to Oscar Wilde's intellectual journalism. Although this opera's primary thematic focus was on Wilde's trial for gross indecency and a social commentary upon said trial's morality, I was pleased to see wholesome representation of Oscar's entirety, not just his controversy. Oscar's flamboyant provocativeness and humanistic sensitivity were inherent aspects of his character, and they manifested in his aestheticism and refusal to be coerced into cowardice by critics of his life choices. While it would've been easier for the production to make a strawman of Oscar's persona and only illustrate what was vilified in the public court of opinion, they took the time to incorporate allusions to Wilde's critical success and triumphs as well. I think the tragedy of Oscar's imprisonment is magnified by a contextual understanding of his contributions to literature, art, and society, even if these endeavors are tangentially related to the trial in turn.
I thought the opera made a lot of bold choices that were beneficial to the story. The contrasts of mood to setting were very impacting such as the courtroom scene where the toys came to life. It was very powerful overall.
The Opera was a very exciting experience. It taught a lot of lessons but the most valuable lesson I learned was to not judge people. Even if they may be gay or a different colored skin its not right to judge people. That was a really important thing that the opera was teaching the students.
Grade 8
Labrum School
The opera I learned about this week was Oscar Wilde. This opera was really good. I enjoyed it a lot because it showed how this one man lost his rights and was locked up because of what he likes. He couldn't be gay. He just wasn't allowed to and thats not fair. I would like to go to the opera again.
I had never been to an opera before so I had no idea what to expect. I thought the show took a lot of risks, which was cool. There were so many elements that made it unique - the subject matter alone, plus the use of dance to represent a main character, the elaborate scenery, the countertenor role, the on-stage hanging, and more. However, I feel like perhaps there might have been too much going on at some points. Individually, the pieces were all really cool and interesting - as a combination, I am not quite sure if it entirely worked. I did enjoy the experience, however. The cast was incredible. David Daniels has such a stellar voice that is unlike anything I had ever seen. Frank Harris was my favorite character, and William Burden played him wonderfully. He had an amazing voice and incredible stage presence and was very expressive and genuine. Reed Luplau is a beautiful dancer. Absolutely beautiful. The orchestra was impressive, as well.
Overall, I think watching this gave me an idea of what opera can be and has taken away my previous notions of opera being boring. Though I was a little confused by all the elements, it was still enough for me to want to see more operas.
The opera was absolutely fantastic. It was one of the very first opera's I saw and I loved it. One of my favorite characters was Bosie. This is because he did an amazing job at dancing and portraying his part. He did a great job of grabbing everyone's attention without using any words. I also loved how the orchestra always set the mood the right way. My favorite scene was when Bosie came out as Death. He did an amazing job with being spooky and scary. The orchestra also made the scene perfect by playing the music creppily. This was one of my most favorite operas. I would love to see it again.
The opera was amazing, everything about it kept me on the edge of my seat. The actors portrayed their parts beautifully, I felt everything they had and the connection between the actors seemed so real especially Bosie and Oscars love. Also, Bosie dancing was fabulous he told the story without once moving his lips. I loved the part when the toys came to life as the court, that was especially entertaining and the costumes were so realistic. Overall the opera was amazing, definitely 5 stars.
I was extremely impressed with the way the opera was executed. The lead "Oscar" handled each of the notes with such conviction and strength despite the complexity of the music. The voices were beautiful and the portrayal of Boise as a dancer was ingenious. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the opera and would definitely see it again!
To have had the opportunity to attend a performance of "Oscar" was truly eye opening!This program allows students to be fully engaged with their learning experience and provides access to both the performing and visual arts.
Senior at Arcadia University
I enjoyed the heavy subject of this opera and how that was reflected through the powerful use of high contrast lighting and music that was rarely melodic. The set design might have been my favorite aspect of Oscar and how fluidly environments would change simply by rotating a door or lowering a bridge. I think my favorite set piece was the crib that turned into a cell.
Oscar Wilde, the opposite of a happily ever after story, was appropriate in the way that it enhanced the agony Oscar went through. Although much of the play had graphic scenes dealing with death,it seemed to be well thought out and added to the Opera's overall grueling nature. It was a great experience to see this Opera, especially in Philly.
Junior
Arcadia University
Oscar is a fascinating opera with a powerful story. Oscar Wilde is one of my favorite writers and it was wonderful to learn more about him as a person through this show. My favorite character was Bosie, a major character despite not saying a single word. Furthermore, it is also important that the root of the problem in the opera - Wilde's love for another man - is still an important issue in society today. While not punishable in the same way Wilde was, gay rights are still something that many people are still fighting for. The opera is a powerful way of relaying some of these messages.
Freshman
Arcadia
I found the portrayal of Bosie as a mute dancer to be the most interesting choice of the Opera. Bosie, being a pivotal character and the impetus for Oscar's condemnation, it is understandable to think that he would have a very large narrative role, or at least a greater clarifying act. However, his presentation as this spectral force, swaying Oscar's choices without words, but with movement, it capture's his grace and charisma. perfectly. It is a bold choice that could have easily come across as a missed opportunity or a misstep, pays off in a way that illustrates the ethereal pull that love has over a person. As if the very thought of him creates a physical manifestation of him, Oscar's love is ultimately his downfall. Within the context of the story and interpretation of his life, this sickly sweet and morbidly beautiful dancer encapsulates their affair.
I thought that "Oscar" was a very good opera to watch and all of the elements that were used blended well together. The choices that were made such as Bosie without any lines and the actor for Oscar as a countertenor changed the effect and added to the experience watching an opera for the first time. The opera highlighted many issues that are still occurring today and I think that this is a very good opera to attract a younger audience and create an area open for discussion for in and out of class.
Senior at Arcadia University
I had some mixed feelings after seeing Opera Philadelphia's production of 'Oscar'. I appreciated many things about it, but had a lot of trouble connecting with the often dissonant, unmelodic music. I liked the faithfulness to the true story of Oscar Wilde's life. I thought that the sets and costumes were effective and beautiful. I also thought that the choice to have Bosie represented by an unsinging dancer was inspired and effective. Since Bosie is mostly represented in the ardent daydreams of Oscar, it made sense that his presence was ethereal and 'silent'. I wish I had liked the music more because the performers were all extremely talented and did an excellent job, but the story and various other artistic elements made it an extremely worthwhile experience.
My favorite part about the play was definitely the flow between set changes and the character interaction with the set itself. Seeing the scenes change to portray different areas in the jail was the most interesting to see. In addition to this aspect, Bosie's dancing around the props was very invigorating and seeing the various movements of the body and the set combined with the musical score itself was stimulating to say the least.
First-year
Arcadia University
I found the opera performance to be very interesting. It portrays the public disapproval of homosexuality that even exists in modern day so it was definitely a situation that the audience can relate to.
It was very interesting to see how the sets could be easily transformed and the orchestra's music performance matched the story line very well.
I also found Bosie's character very intriguing. He did not recite lines but danced his role instead. His dancing was very expressive and he is a character that makes people think. For example when the doctor and the "death" character took off their disguise, revealing Bosie, it made me think of how Bosie correlates with his representations.
I was fascinated by how Bosie was represented as a phantom-like character. He was almost never shown as physically being in a scene, rather, being shown as a spirit or memory haunting Oscar throughout his life. I enjoyed the haunting tone this brought to the opera.
1st year
Arcadia University
What I liked most about "Oscar" was the love line between Bosie and Oscar.
It is hard to choose between Oscar or Bosie as my favorite character. Oscar has an undying love for Bosie which is admirable. I also really respect his knowledge and journalism- especially his quotes. Bosie, who had no lines throughout the whole opera but his dancing was powerful and expressive. Bosie did an excellent job of portraying Oscar Wilde's lover.
Freshman
Arcadia University
The performance of Oscar was such an amazing show, the vocals of Oscar Wilde was astounding and still baffles my mind. This show was a great interpretation of his life and his struggles. I did feel bad for the singer who had to play Ada, but her understudy sang beautifully. I used to have the normal stereotypical thoughts on what Operas are, but after a performance like that I see how this style of theatre has remained for centuries. This was an incredible matinee, on every aspect of the production, and how could only imagine how successful opening night was.
First Year
Arcadia University
I loved the performance of Oscar at the opera. I found that the actors portrayed the characters in the play perfectly. I think my favorite part was how Boise was portrayed as a dancer because you could actually see his emotions and turmoil through his choreography. Overall I thought it was a great experience and a great performance.
I really enjoyed this opera! I was captivated by the set. The most memorable part was when one of the prisoners was hanged. The prisoner immediately fell threw the floor and the body just dangled in the air. I thought that the lighting and the music reflected the coldness and sadness of this scene. Musically, I understand why bitonality was used throughout the show. It appropriately fits the storyline. It's society against Oscar Wilde, but I feel as if the bitonality took away from the beauty of the show because it was overused. It was distracting because instead of admiring the voices that were singing, my ear was too busy listening to the unsettling dissonance that did not sound right to my ears. But overall, the opera conveyed a compelling part of history that should not be forgotten.
YouthBuild Philly
I liked the story the most. I like when everyone was together and they did not want the to guys to date but no matter what they did, and he will always love him. I liked that because it is important to stand up for what you believe in. And he did not run away wit his friends. It was not right how they treated him.
YouthBuild Philadelphia
My Favorite Part was the beginning when they were all singing & coming together, the seats this time was awesome I got a better view of what was going on in the story, my favorite character is the one that was hiding on the banner , the first scene is my favorite if I had a chance to watch it over again , my answer will be no , because it's to long .
YouthBuild Philadelphia
I loooved the opera. This time I enjoyed it more because it was in English. Also because the main character was a gay man. My favorite character was the young guy who was a dancer and doing ballet the whole time. My favorite scene was when they held court and the toys in the baby's room came to life.
YouthBuild Philadelphia
I thought that the opera was good and I was able to enjoy it, I liked the concept of the opera, I understood everything and my favorite scene was when oscar was released from.prison...I had a good time and I can't wait to see another one
Dante
South Philadelphia High School
Grade 11
South Philadelphia High
11th grade
Camille
South Philadelphia High School
Grade 11
Being able to have the opportunity to watch and enjoy an amazing opera for free has been a phenomenal experience. I loved the way the stage was set up and how the show actually started. I enjoyed Rodrigo's character because he was very consistent with his acting and his singing was very enjoyable. The orchestra made the scenes more dramatic when it came to action. I also liked how Eboli still managed to sing even though she was sick. Bosie was very fun to watch because of the dancing. The costumes were very well chosen and every act went very fluently except one part where the hat was left on the floor. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be there or not but that was the only minor mistake that I have seen. Other than that, the whole performance went well and the timing with the singer and orchestra were well constructed with each other.
Grade 6
Bala Cynwyd Middle School
Seeing La Traviata made my perspective about Operas change, I thought Operas were boring and was just about people singing. La traviata had people moving and dancing so much more than other Operas that I’ve seen. The story line was also so emotional and exciting I almost couldn’t keep up with what was going on. The music was very dramatic and quick at some times like the times when they were arguing, but was also very slow and soft at others times like when Violetta was crying. I loved this Opera’s storyline and how it was performed that I want to watch it again.
I loved how Verdi told the performance dramatically using yelling, emotional scenes, and loud music. I was very engaged in the story of how this hard working, smart, courtesan ends up loving this man called Alfredo, giving up all her beauty, money, and life for him. Alfredo expresses so much love to Violetta making her love him even more. Alfredo loves her so much that it pushes her to the point that she extremely loves Alfredo and wants to marry him. Then there is Germont, Alfredo’s dad is selfish, unkind, and only cares about his family honor. He refuses Alfredo to marry Violetta and convinces Violetta urging her to break up with Alfredo because she is a courtesan and he wants nothing to do with her. In the end he realizes that Violetta was good enough to be apart of their family.
I also loved the orchestra in the little orchestra pit. The pieces they played seemed very hard and advanced to play, especially with the Opera singers singing too. The music and Opera flowed together and I could hear the melody of the orchestra playing very well. The music also helped put the story together by having their actions go with the music. Also, when they had arguments it seemed that they repeated some words to really emphasize their argument. In the beginning Violetta’s singing was all jumpy because she was being funny, but when it got closer to the end her singing was more and more serious. The duets seemed to be a bit more intense than airas but arias weren’t peaceful at all.
The set and costume designing was also very interesting. There were chandeliers to show wealth and in differents places there were different amount of chandeliers. There were different mood of lights like in parties it was well lighted, but in Violetta’s little apartment it was poorly lighted. The costumes also changed too, when in parties Violetta dresses nicely, in her house she dresses formally, and in her poor apartment she dresses in a bloody nightgown. The setting of the story was in the 1950s in and around the city Paris. The story was in the 1950s because it showed the conservative time period when women were treated differently.
The Opera La Traviata was spectacular and so amazing that I would love to see it again with my family, friends, and even people I don’t know because that is how amazing this Opera is and how well everyone performed it. The production was amazing and I would believe that others would say so too. The music and singing was especially special and it made the experience a once in a lifetime one.
Grade 6
Bala Cynwyd Middle School
Seeing La Traviata made my perspective about Operas change, I thought Operas were boring and was just about people singing. La traviata had people moving and dancing so much more than other Operas that I’ve seen. The story line was also so emotional and exciting I almost couldn’t keep up with what was going on. The music was very dramatic and quick at some times like the times when they were arguing, but was also very slow and soft at others times like when Violetta was crying. I loved this Opera’s storyline and how it was performed that I want to watch it again.
I loved how Verdi told the performance dramatically using yelling, emotional scenes, and loud music. I was very engaged in the story of how this hard working, smart, courtesan ends up loving this man called Alfredo, giving up all her beauty, money, and life for him. Alfredo expresses so much love to Violetta making her love him even more. Alfredo loves her so much that it pushes her to the point that she extremely loves Alfredo and wants to marry him. Then there is Germont, Alfredo’s dad is selfish, unkind, and only cares about his family honor. He refuses Alfredo to marry Violetta and convinces Violetta urging her to break up with Alfredo because she is a courtesan and he wants nothing to do with her. In the end he realizes that Violetta was good enough to be apart of their family.
I also loved the orchestra in the little orchestra pit. The pieces they played seemed very hard and advanced to play, especially with the Opera singers singing too. The music and Opera flowed together and I could hear the melody of the orchestra playing very well. The music also helped put the story together by having their actions go with the music. Also, when they had arguments it seemed that they repeated some words to really emphasize their argument. In the beginning Violetta’s singing was all jumpy because she was being funny, but when it got closer to the end her singing was more and more serious. The duets seemed to be a bit more intense than airas but arias weren’t peaceful at all.
The set and costume designing was also very interesting. There were chandeliers to show wealth and in differents places there were different amount of chandeliers. There were different mood of lights like in parties it was well lighted, but in Violetta’s little apartment it was poorly lighted. The costumes also changed too, when in parties Violetta dresses nicely, in her house she dresses formally, and in her poor apartment she dresses in a bloody nightgown. The setting of the story was in the 1950s in and around the city Paris. The story was in the 1950s because it showed the conservative time period when women were treated differently.
The Opera La Traviata was spectacular and so amazing that I would love to see it again with my family, friends, and even people I don’t know because that is how amazing this Opera is and how well everyone performed it. The production was amazing and I would believe that others would say so too. The music and singing was especially special and it made the experience a once in a lifetime one.
Grade 6
Bala Cynwyd Middle School
Seeing La Traviata made my perspective about Operas change, I thought Operas were boring and was just about people singing. La traviata had people moving and dancing so much more than other Operas that I’ve seen. The story line was also so emotional and exciting I almost couldn’t keep up with what was going on. The music was very dramatic and quick at some times like the times when they were arguing, but was also very slow and soft at others times like when Violetta was crying. I loved this Opera’s storyline and how it was performed that I want to watch it again.
I loved how Verdi told the performance dramatically using yelling, emotional scenes, and loud music. I was very engaged in the story of how this hard working, smart, courtesan ends up loving this man called Alfredo, giving up all her beauty, money, and life for him. Alfredo expresses so much love to Violetta making her love him even more. Alfredo loves her so much that it pushes her to the point that she extremely loves Alfredo and wants to marry him. Then there is Germont, Alfredo’s dad is selfish, unkind, and only cares about his family honor. He refuses Alfredo to marry Violetta and convinces Violetta urging her to break up with Alfredo because she is a courtesan and he wants nothing to do with her. In the end he realizes that Violetta was good enough to be apart of their family.
I also loved the orchestra in the little orchestra pit. The pieces they played seemed very hard and advanced to play, especially with the Opera singers singing too. The music and Opera flowed together and I could hear the melody of the orchestra playing very well. The music also helped put the story together by having their actions go with the music. Also, when they had arguments it seemed that they repeated some words to really emphasize their argument. In the beginning Violetta’s singing was all jumpy because she was being funny, but when it got closer to the end her singing was more and more serious. The duets seemed to be a bit more intense than airas but arias weren’t peaceful at all.
The set and costume designing was also very interesting. There were chandeliers to show wealth and in differents places there were different amount of chandeliers. There were different mood of lights like in parties it was well lighted, but in Violetta’s little apartment it was poorly lighted. The costumes also changed too, when in parties Violetta dresses nicely, in her house she dresses formally, and in her poor apartment she dresses in a bloody nightgown. The setting of the story was in the 1950s in and around the city Paris. The story was in the 1950s because it showed the conservative time period when women were treated differently.
The Opera La Traviata was spectacular and so amazing that I would love to see it again with my family, friends, and even people I don’t know because that is how amazing this Opera is and how well everyone performed it. The production was amazing and I would believe that others would say so too. The music and singing was especially special and it made the experience a once in a lifetime one.
Grade 6
Bala Cynwyd Middle School
Seeing La Traviata made my perspective about Operas change, I thought Operas were boring and was just about people singing. La traviata had people moving and dancing so much more than other Operas that I’ve seen. The story line was also so emotional and exciting I almost couldn’t keep up with what was going on. The music was very dramatic and quick at some times like the times when they were arguing, but was also very slow and soft at others times like when Violetta was crying. I loved this Opera’s storyline and how it was performed that I want to watch it again.
I loved how Verdi told the performance dramatically using yelling, emotional scenes, and loud music. I was very engaged in the story of how this hard working, smart, courtesan ends up loving this man called Alfredo, giving up all her beauty, money, and life for him. Alfredo expresses so much love to Violetta making her love him even more. Alfredo loves her so much that it pushes her to the point that she extremely loves Alfredo and wants to marry him. Then there is Germont, Alfredo’s dad is selfish, unkind, and only cares about his family honor. He refuses Alfredo to marry Violetta and convinces Violetta urging her to break up with Alfredo because she is a courtesan and he wants nothing to do with her. In the end he realizes that Violetta was good enough to be apart of their family.
I also loved the orchestra in the little orchestra pit. The pieces they played seemed very hard and advanced to play, especially with the Opera singers singing too. The music and Opera flowed together and I could hear the melody of the orchestra playing very well. The music also helped put the story together by having their actions go with the music. Also, when they had arguments it seemed that they repeated some words to really emphasize their argument. In the beginning Violetta’s singing was all jumpy because she was being funny, but when it got closer to the end her singing was more and more serious. The duets seemed to be a bit more intense than airas but arias weren’t peaceful at all.
The set and costume designing was also very interesting. There were chandeliers to show wealth and in differents places there were different amount of chandeliers. There were different mood of lights like in parties it was well lighted, but in Violetta’s little apartment it was poorly lighted. The costumes also changed too, when in parties Violetta dresses nicely, in her house she dresses formally, and in her poor apartment she dresses in a bloody nightgown. The setting of the story was in the 1950s in and around the city Paris. The story was in the 1950s because it showed the conservative time period when women were treated differently.
The Opera La Traviata was spectacular and so amazing that I would love to see it again with my family, friends, and even people I don’t know because that is how amazing this Opera is and how well everyone performed it. The production was amazing and I would believe that others would say so too. The music and singing was especially special and it made the experience a once in a lifetime one.