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Synopsis
The opera begins with a disembarking from the SS Arizona in 1882, when customs asked Oscar Wilde, hitherto unknown in America, whether he had anything to declare. “Nothing … except my genius,” he replied. Thus began a hilarious 12-month lecture tour across the United States, where Wilde created an enduring template for becoming famous for being famous. A personality first and poet later, his flair for self-promotion inspired ads, fashion, and music, and he amassed friends and foes alike. His greatest triumph, however, was in Leadville, Colorado, where he won over an audience of miners by lecturing on home decor, proving that art can bridge any divide. Riffing on Wilde’s use of persona and gender as stagecraft, opera legend Stephanie Blythe steps into his iconic patent leather pumps via her alter ego, Blythely Oratonio. Wilde quipped, “One should be a work of art or wear a work of art.” The “genderfull” Oratonio gives us both in abundance.
OPERA America/Opera.ca Grants Awarded
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| GRANT NAME | YEAR | Opera Grants for Women Composers: Discovery Grants | 2022 |
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Title Information
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