A panel discussion in English on opera and its reception by the public, as part of the international series of panel discussions entitled Battle of Ideas. The event is organized by the Hellenic American College and the Hellenic American Union in cooperation with the Institute of Ideas in London on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at 19:30 in the 8th floor Rooftop, at 22 Massalias Street in Athens.
As Greek classical orchestras and opera companies find themselves in bleak financial situation due to government spending cuts, private funding seems to have offered a way out. At the same time, non-traditional venues such as metro stations have been used as opera stages, in an effort to promote it to new audiences. Some argue that the key lies in demystifying some of opera's difficulty by incorporating elements from popular culture and emphasizing its contemporary socio-political relevance. Yet others warn that such an approach risks alienating current audiences who are attracted to art precisely because it is so strange and diverts us from everyday concerns. They argue that the opera world – especially critics - should certainly focus their energies on inspiring and explaining opera's virtues for the curious, but accept that The Ring Cycle isn't for everyone.
Speaking at the event will be: Eugenia Arsenis (Director, Dramaturg, Center for Contemporary Opera, New York, Adjunct Professor, Hellenic American University), Nikos A. Dontas (Head of dramaturgy, Greek National Opera), Dimitris Kiousopoulos (Historian, columnist, Eleftherotypia), Ioannis Tselikas (Music Editor, Music Performer Assistant Professor at the Music Department, Hellenic American University), Dolan Cummings (associate fellow at Institute of Ideas, editor at Culture Wars and at Debating Humanism) Moderator: Alan Miller (Co-director of NY Salon, co-founder of London's Truman Brewery, partner in Argosy Pictures Film Company).
