Opera Paper

           

University of Tampa

The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya

Erik Lopez

Art and Technology

Professor Blanka Roundtree

9/27/2016

The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya

            The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya taught me a lot about opera. It showed how a simple play can captured the imagination of the audience and keep them entertain for several hours. As I was watching the opera I found myself being captivated by the beautiful scenery, and the story they where trying to tell the audience.

            The opera really surprised me with how you could feel the emotions of the characters through the actor’s voice. In some instances it gave me goose bumps and I could really feel their pain or happiness, depending on the scene. I have never really been a big fan of opera, but I am starting to understand why they are so popular all around the world. Opera accomplishes something movies cannot; they immerse you into the story and almost make you a part of it.

            If I had to guess how the audience reacted when this opera was first performed I would imagine that they felt similarly as I did. They where taken on a roller coaster of emotion’s ranging from ecstatic to gloomy. The scenery and the voices of the actor’s would have also captivated them making them really appreciate the story. I also think that the movement of the people holding the props such as the deer would at times distract the audience. In the end the audience would have been appreciative of the opera and relished its story.

            I think this particular opera was important to the chronology of opera. It shows that you can create almost anything into an opera from a historic event to an old national legend. In a way I believe it brought Russia together mostly because everybody knew the story and were intrigued on how it would be performed. It’s almost like you’re watching a movie based on a book but you still want to see it even though you have read the book and knowing the ending. There is still a part of you who wants to see if they will do the story justice. It also made a well-known story beautiful in its own way and got people thinking and talking about it all over again.

            The technology used in the opera was subpar compared to what is available to us today. The little technology they had available did make the story come alive. Changing the lighting from warm to dark colors gave the story a whole different perspective. Even though none of the scenery in the background really changed. Incorporating warm colors made the story feel upbeat and comforting. While changing the lighting to darker colors made you feel anxious and added more suspense.

            The opera also used a lot of props from cardboard deer, costumes, to the buildings in the background. This animated the story and made you feel that it was actually taking place in a forest or battleground depending on the scene. The props they used also made you pay attention to the small details and helped portray the story along with the actors.  Overall I think they did very well with what limited technology they had back then, and it really brought the story to life making it more enjoyable to watch.

            If I were a game designer in today’s era I would have fun making a game out of this opera. First I would make it into an RPG (role playing game) game. I would have a lot of small quest that would help connect the story, but would also immerse you into the world of the story. The game would have a lot of different fighting scenes. Incorporating parts where you can make your own decisions that would influence how the story will turn out. Making every decision you make in the game important. Allowing that you can play the game again and achieve many different outcomes. I would use simple cartoonish graphics and have some side quest and hidden Easter eggs (an unexpected or undocumented feature) giving you different special abilities. That will make the game easier to conquer. Last of all it would only be available for computers and laptops compatible with VR’s (virtual reality) so that you can fully immerse your self in the game and character.  

Works Cited

            https://youtu.be/48RCln26Rtk

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_the_Invisible_City_of_Kitezh_and  _the_Maiden_Fevroniya

            http://research.omicsgroup.org/index.php/The_Legend_of_the_Invisible_City_of_            Kitezh_and_the_Maiden_Fevroniya

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