New Books in Critical Theory Caitlin Vincent, "Opera Wars: Inside the World of Opera and the Battles for Its Future" (Simon and Schuster, 2026)
Jan 9, 2026
Caitlin Vincent, a Senior Lecturer in Creative Industries and a librettist, dives deep into the opera industry, examining its past and future. She shares her multifaceted background as a singer, director, and researcher. The conversation highlights the ongoing battles over staging, casting diversity, and the pressures of gig economies on performers. Vincent also addresses the challenge of embracing new works while being anchored to traditional operatic canon. Her insights push for a reevaluation of how companies can attract modern audiences and innovate within this timeless art form.
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Printed Scores Freeze A Living Art
- The rise of music publishing created 'official' scores that froze versions and intensified debates over fidelity.
- Printed scores clash with live staging, fueling battles between traditionalists and progressive directors.
Staging Traditions Clash With Modern Values
- Problematic tropes and practices like yellowface and blackface persist in opera because many canonical works depict distant lands.
- Those staging traditions alienate modern audiences and complicate companies' relevance efforts.
Artists Are Gig Workers Too
- Opera performers are gig workers and lack typical workplace protections, making them vulnerable to abuse.
- Companies must recognize artists as workers and provide safer, more structured employment conditions.
