How much of what we did was good?

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Publication Type honors thesis
School or College College of Fine Arts
Department Music
Faculty Mentor Elizabeth Craft
Creator Norton, Alexander Santillano III
Title How much of what we did was good?
Date 2019
Description Many media commentators often remark that today's political climate is unhealthy and divisive. They speak of better days when people used to sit down in the same room, listen to each other, and find common ground. I believe that art, in the form of ‘music theater,' can achieve this goal. I note that John Adams's opera Nixon in China and Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton: An American Musical are two works that tackle mythic, historical, and politicized people and events in America. The composers provide their own views of Richard Nixon and Alexander Hamilton, and they invite the audience to observe. I compare Adams's and Miranda's portrayals of their characters, their musical styles, and the backgrounds and sizes of their audiences. Adams attempts to depoliticize Nixon and portray him as a typical opera protagonist, whereas Miranda writes Hamilton as a great American immigrant hero. I then track audience reception of both works from inception to the present-day.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Language eng
Rights Management (c) Alexander Santillano Norton III
Format Medium application/pdf
Permissions Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6wx36t8
ARK ark:/87278/s6jm80s1
Setname ir_htoa
ID 1589427
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6jm80s1
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