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| ARTIST'S STATEMENT3 "The Opera Project" - The Practical Vision | ||
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Balancing the vision with the practical side
of things was not easy. Back in the beginnings of the Opera Project, I envisioned a book
primarily of photographs, but with text too - captions, quotes, and excerpts from my own
journal. I did all the writing. Always knew I would. This project was so personal, it
would have been impossible for me to let go enough for anyone else to do it. The design of
the book is also mine, since I’d worked on that in many ways, arranging and changing
pictures in my head, as I made the daily photographs. For me, the most important thing was to observe and experiment, finding the order and inner rhythm for the images and words, rather than stubbornly trying to impose my own structure from without. This is a pattern that established itself during the photography, and would be followed again throughout the eight months of writing and publishing - a very intense eight months!
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As with everything else on this project,
things happened when they were ready to happen, and not just because I wanted them to.
Novelists talk about writing without knowing how the story will end, just allowing the
characters to set the pace and determine their own fate - the writer as observer. I never
used to believe any of that - but I do now. From the beginning, this project resisted most
of my attempts to steer it in any particular direction. I finally gave in, as it seemed
that my job was to show up, keep film in the camera, and figure out why at some
later date. To get the images and information I needed, I was attending rehearsals, meetings and performances anywhere from 2 to 12 hours a day. With a one-person operation, one of the hardest things to keep up with is the administrative side of things. For me, that involves the cataloguing of film: identifying, reviewing, labeling, filing, and generally keeping track on a daily basis of the hundreds of negatives and proof sheets. From September 1995 to May 1997, the project’s tally was 552 rolls of film (36 frames each - you do the math). I never added up the hours, because I didn’t want to know... and it doesn't really matter. I shoot what I need, and worry about editing it later.
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In May 1997, the photography part of the
project was done. This was the conclusion of my second opera season, and the Company
approached me to talk about publication of the book. Even though it had been quite clear
when I began that this was not part of our arrangement - I was, after all, freelancing,
and not in-house - they were impressed enough with my work to be seriously interested.
With self-publishing we were able to control the artistic decisions, meet our own timeline
on the publication date, and work out our own marketing program. They backed it; my one
condition was that I would have artistic control of the book, including the writing.
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Now my job was research.
Publishing, printers, pre-press, distribution, budgets – a very steep learning
curve! Many of the photographers on the FAB work in the printing business. They all
called or wrote, offering suggestions, advice, and support. Some days it was like a huge
supporting net, and some days it felt more like "Book-by-Committee!" Another of my FAB connections, Robert Godwin, worked then at Applied Graphics Technologies, an imaging firm with a nationwide reputation for quality. He got us in the door and AGT ended up handling the production. Robert became a colleague, a hand-holding problem-solver, a not-always-silent partner and (is still) another mentor. |
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| THE
OPERA PROJECT GETTING GOING THE PRACTICAL VISION FINAL COUNTDOWN WRAP UP PROJECT NAVIGATION |
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| EXPLORE FURTHER | ||
| EXPLORE MORE | |||||
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"This is the ideal book for everyone who loves opera."
"... a distinguished book with heart." |
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| OperaBasics
- An Introduction The Art of Making Opera - Inside the Book Explore More: Top 10 Ways to Fall in Love With Opera Principal Singers
& Singing WORDS
& MUSIC SHOP INDIVIDUAL OPERAS IN PHOTOGRAPHS... AND MORE
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original
content © copyright 1998 ML Hart and images/graphics ©
copyright 1996 - 2002 ML Hart except where noted no part of this page, site, or any components may be borrowed, downloaded, acquired, or otherwise used by any person(s) without the express written consent of ML Hart what is copyright all about? |
WEB GALLERY | AT THE OPERA | JAZZ
ON STAGE | THEATRE &
DANCE |
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