A couple weeks ago, Thomas Smith, an AI expert addressed Timothee Chalamet’s comments about ballet and opera in Fast Company.
Smith’s take was that amid all the AI generated content people are being deluged by, there is a growing desire to have real, tangible experiences. Among the examples he cites are his own experience attending Rigoletto at the San Francisco Opera last year.
The way he talked about his experience reminded me of Drew McManus’ annual Take A Friend to the Orchestra series which generally ran every April. Seems fitting that I came across this article in April as well.
Smith seems to feel a sense of relief in being able to leave the high-tech world of San Francisco behind as he entered the War Memorial Opera House. He expresses a degree of appreciation for the audience members glares and confrontation directed at anyone pulling their phones out during the performance.
Since this is the sort of behavior many newer attendees cite as alienating and a disincentive to attendance, I wouldn’t take his preferences–or those of any individual attendee–as representative of a growing trend.
He cites a number of growing analog trends like use of matchmakers, knitting, vinyl records, and app free flip phones which are mostly anecdotal or represent a small, if not respectable, segment of the general population. (Knitting and vinyl records have been on the verge of making a major comeback for about 20 years now)
I did appreciate some of his observations and insights:
As a total novice to the opera, I was shocked to learn that opera performers generally aren’t amplified. They fill a cavernous, multi-story auditorium using only the power of their voices.
[…]
And as a form, opera has plenty in common with the grabbiest content of today. If you think the AI slop videos churned out by Sora and Veo are dramatic, you’ve clearly never seen Rigoletto. There’s kidnapping, cuckolding, magical curses and (spoiler alert!) child murder.
[…]
Technology may have changed. But when it comes right down to it, the things humans find engaging (surprise, scandal, catchy music and a good story) were pretty much the same 200 years ago as they are today.
