Expansion and contraction: The play spaces of todd and the vampire

Abstract

What happens when the music production processes and spaces of a traditionally live art form such as opera are digitized? What is the relationship between community and isolation for artists when their workspace is lifted from the theatre-with its interpersonal connections-and placed in the virtual world? What opportunities and what risks does this pose for performers? Are there parallels to other art forms that developed or expanded as the result of new media technologies? This article will explore these issues by considering the production processes of the animated YouTube opera/movie Todd and the Vampire, composed and created by Ronen Shai, with contributions by musicians and visual artists working simultaneously, but independently, around the world. How does this piece utilize technology to challenge and transcend traditional notions of space and identity? What are the implications of this somewhat disembodied process for performers, audiences, and for the art form itself?.