This document summarizes an opera performed by Opera San Jose called "Twitter Lab! An Opera in 140 Characters". The opera explores the stages of a relationship through the lens of social media and using only 140 characters. It is presented in 3 acts: the blind date, falling in love, and exploring the relationship. Opera San Jose engaged their audience on Twitter throughout the performance and held a competition where audience members summarized operas in 140 characters, demonstrating how to be social on the platform. The analysis concluded the second year of the competition focused more on social engagement than the medium itself.

1. Opera San Jose, 2010 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) Twitter Lab!An Opera in 140 Characters A West Coast Premiere!

3. Start by listening

4. Be yourself

5. ReTweet with a thoughtful commentMagda’s Advice:

6. Opera San Jose, 2010 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) Act II: Falling In Love Prunier’s Tips: Learn about your audience Identify influencers Identify/develop shared interests

7. Opera San Jose, 2010 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) NetNewsWire You’re not paranoid- people *are* talking about you. Do you know what they’re saying?

8. TweetDeck Opera San Jose, 2010 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) TweetDeck helped us connect with followers & learn about *their* interests (and Play #operaplot!).

9. Opera San Jose, 2010 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) OSJ’s #Operaplot Winners! @Pattyoboe: Leaving your husband & child isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In the end she finally gets on track. @Mlaffs: Buona sera my friend, but you’re blocking the end. Rosina’s a bride. Her love, he must hide, ‘til Basilio’s will they can bend. @FunWithIago: Of all the artist lofts in the world, that consumptive dame had to light her candle in mine. Well, we’ll always have Paris.

11. How well do I really know you?

13. Opera San Jose, 2010 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) #operaplot Analysis 2nd annual competition: less about the medium and more about being social Young & Postmodern: pop culture references used to summarize an opera!

14. Opera San Jose, 2010 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) The Grand Finale Play more, promote less!