lntro to Western Music- Assignment Due Tuesday, October 16, 2012 OEDIPUS REX Assignment: Write an essay responding to this question: Treating this production of Stravinsky's "Oedipus Rex" as a "visual" experience, how does the director Julie Taymor connect the very different elements of the work - actors, singers, dancers, puppets, Japanese ·theater techniques, and Western theater tradition to tell all the various stories involved? As you watch Stravinsky 's Opera-Oratorio based on Sophocles's tragedy Oedipus Rex, consider the following . 1. The original Greek text was translated into modern French by Jean Cocteau, and then translated into Latin. The whole wo rk is sung in Latin . 2. The music is by one of the great 201h century composers , Igor Stravinsky , who was Russian. lri composing the opera-oratorio , Stravinsky agreed, reluctantly , that there would be a narrator who would explain the story of the opera in the local vernacular language. This was in case there were people in the audience who did not understand Latin. 3. This particular production was created as part of a music festival in Japan. The local vernacular language is , therefore , Japanese. 4. The director of the performance was the American director Julie Taymor, who directed The Lion King and Spiderman on Broadway . A major part of her training involved the study of traditional Japanese art forms - Bunraku puppetry techniques , and Kabuki theater- which she employs in this production , as well as artwork from the very earliest days of Greek civilization. What do you think is the role of a director? 5. Taymor uses a number of symbols to tell the story as the music is being performed . What, for instance , do you think the circular platform might mean? Or the red ribbons? What about the relative sizes of the principal figures in the drama? What other symbols do you observe , and what do you think they might mean? 6. The Greeks believed that birds and their flight patterns foretold the future . There are many references to birds in the play. How does Julie Taymor introduce birds into her direction? Use the notes you took while watching the performance to inform your writing. You are being asked to demonstrate your understanding of the play , your understanding of the musical version of it, and how all the very different influences work together. Be clear. Do not use florid language; it doesn 't help . Essay format: Printed, your choice of readable font, 12 pt, double-spaced, AT LEAST two pages Handed in to me, note-mailed. A11" [email protected] 'el c t5 ,~ .. . ' : '· ... , . .. NOTES· for "OEDIPUS REX"- An Opera-Oratorio by Igor Stravinsky, written in 1927. This production was directed by the American director Juli e Taymor. It was performed at the 1993 Saito Kinen Music Festival, in Matsumoto, Japan. The sung text is in Latin, the spoken narration is in Japane se, and is given in a style associ ated with Japane ...

1. lntro to Western Music- Assignment
Due Tuesday, October 16, 2012
OEDIPUS REX
Assignment: Write an essay responding to this question:
Treating this production of
Stravinsky's "Oedipus Rex" as a "visual" experience, how does
the director Julie
Taymor connect the very different elements of the work -
actors, singers, dancers,
puppets, Japanese ·theater techniques, and Western theater
tradition to tell all the
various stories involved?
As you watch Stravinsky 's Opera-Oratorio based on
Sophocles's tragedy Oedipus Rex, consider the
following .
1. The original Greek text was translated into modern French by
Jean Cocteau, and then
translated into Latin. The whole wo rk is sung in Latin .
2. The music is by one of the great 201h century composers ,
Igor Stravinsky , who was Russian. lri
composing the opera-oratorio , Stravinsky agreed, reluctantly ,
that there would be a narrator who
would explain the story of the opera in the local vernacular
language. This was in case there
were people in the audience who did not understand Latin.
3. This particular production was created as part of a music

2. festival in Japan. The local vernacular
language is , therefore , Japanese.
4. The director of the performance was the American director
Julie Taymor, who directed The Lion
King and Spiderman on Broadway . A major part of her training
involved the study of traditional
Japanese art forms - Bunraku puppetry techniques , and Kabuki
theater- which she employs in
this production , as well as artwork from the very earliest days
of Greek civilization. What do you
think is the role of a director?
5. Taymor uses a number of symbols to tell the story as the
music is being performed . What, for
instance , do you think the circular platform might mean? Or the
red ribbons? What about the
relative sizes of the principal figures in the drama? What other
symbols do you observe , and
what do you think they might mean?
6. The Greeks believed that birds and their flight patterns
foretold the future . There are many
references to birds in the play. How does Julie Taymor
introduce birds into her direction?
Use the notes you took while watching the performance to
inform your writing. You are being asked to
demonstrate your understanding of the play , your
understanding of the musical version of it, and how
all the very different influences work together. Be clear. Do not
use florid language; it doesn 't help .
Essay format:
Printed, your choice of readable font, 12 pt, double-spaced, AT

3. LEAST two pages
Handed in to me, note-mailed. A11" [email protected] 'el c t5
,~ .. . '
: '· ... , . ..
NOTES· for "OEDIPUS REX"- An Opera-Oratorio by Igor
Stravinsky, written in 1927.
This production was directed by the American director Juli e
Taymor.
It was performed at the 1993 Saito Kinen Music Festival, in
Matsumoto, Japan.
The sung text is in Latin, the spoken narration is in Japane se,
and is given in a style associ ated with
Japanese Kabuki Theater. The puppetry is derived from
Bunraku, which is a highly developed stylized
Japanese puppetry technique .
Taymor uses large stage props and puppets to reinforc e and
explain much of the story. Make notes
here about your thoughts concerning the following:
The large suspended circular platform:
-~ ~ ~,,4-f(,.-hk {A ~lAS 4
/- R-e~~~ 4k l/f7nrb

4. The use of red ribbon s:
-/,~~~- e».t:-4~1 ~
.? Wt7Md ~~ ~ ~
The puppet in the chariot that is carried across the stage:
!4xH/Y<; f__l ws ~;-1-.
IN ADDITION:
How does Taymor incorporate the riddle of the Sphinx?
How does Taymor show us the idea of "catharsis" at the end of
the production?
q// ~ h
·~ ~PhUJ ~
#//c~
Use these notes as the basis for your essay.