Some exciting news from the U.S.: the small Michigan Opera Theater (MOT) has just announced its new artistic director, Yuval Sharon, in a major shakeup for the midwestern opera company. Sharon is the founder of the experimental company The Industry in Los Angeles, and plans to bring his groundbreaking approach to opera in the rust belt.
The New Frontier: Opera on Wheels? Photo: Brett Sayles
MOT will inaugurate Sharon's first season with a production that not only responds to the needs of the moment vis-a-vis COVID-19, but also honors MOT's tradition of site-specific opera, Detroit's connection with the auto industry, and Sharon's own love of mobile, in-car opera experiences, such as the world premiere of Hopscotch: A Mobile Opera for 24 Cars. To quote the LA TImes:
To kick off his new position in Detroit, Sharon will stage a version of Wagner’s biggest opera, “Götterdämmerung” (which concludes the “Ring” cycle) next month in a parking garage that the Michigan company happens to own next to its opera house. Audience members, staying safe in their cars, will wend their way up the seven-story structure throughout the performance. It stars a leading Wagnerian soprano, Christine Goerke, who is also the artistic advisor for the production, called “Twilight: Gods.”
Sharon is "not a fan of digital opera" and feels that it needs to be a live experience. It will be fascinating to see how his five-year tenure with MOT unfolds!