La Fanciulla del West was the first of the 2016 Director’s discussions.Tthe four individuals — the director, the scenic designer, the lighting designer, and the choreographers — who came to discuss their production of The Girl of the Golden West were from the English National Opera Company (ENO). As this was a co-production with the ENO, the philosophical characteristics and production details had already been determined for the original presentation in England.
The setting for the opera is during the California 1848 Gold Rush with a few modern touches, for example, neon and florescent lights. The team has emphasized the details such as the card game, the dance, and the whiskey drinking.
Great emphasis was placed on the differences of each company’s stage. The stage at SFO is very different from that of ENO. Consequently, the presentation concentrated on the different stage sizes and shapes and the alterations in the sets and lighting necessary to adapt the production to Santa Fe. Here the chorus is smaller but has more sound because of its quality. The painted mountainous backdrop is missing because SFO has its own picturesque setting (although the audience never sees it).
After answering several questions posed by the production staff, the team answered questions from the audience.This format was significantly different from the usual sessions where the presentation of the opera was first conceived for The Santa Fe Opera.
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