The Medievalism of John Adams's El Niño

Izaak Wesson

doi:10.26182/w8hc-zs22

The Medievalism of John Adams's El Niño

Izaak Wesson

Research output: Thesis › Master's Thesis

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Abstract

El Niño, John Adams and Peter Sellars’s Nativity opera-oratorio, incorporates premodern sources in its portrayal of a “feminine spirituality.” The work has also been given medievalist interpretations by John La Bouchardiere and Julia Bullock. In each presentation, medievalism constructs twentieth-century concepts of gender, spirituality, and in the more recent productions, race. Adams and Sellars’s gendered, corporeal mysticism evokes the premodern Cult of Mary—reflecting their feminist and New Age values. Bullock and La Bouchardiere’s interpretations reflect evolving attitudes towards El Niño’s key concepts. This is the first study of medievalism in El Niño, and the first analysis of its subsequent interpretations.

Original language	English
Qualification	Masters
Awarding Institution	The University of Western Australia
Supervisors/Advisors	Sun, Cecilia, Supervisor Collins, Sarah, Supervisor
Thesis sponsors	Australian Government Research Training Program
Award date	20 Feb 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.26182/w8hc-zs22
Publication status	Unpublished - 2023

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10.26182/w8hc-zs22

THESIS - MASTER OF MUSIC - WESSON, Izaak - 2023
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Cite this

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title = "The Medievalism of John Adams's El Ni{\~n}o",

abstract = "El Ni{\~n}o, John Adams and Peter Sellars{\textquoteright}s Nativity opera-oratorio, incorporates premodern sources in its portrayal of a “feminine spirituality.” The work has also been given medievalist interpretations by John La Bouchardiere and Julia Bullock. In each presentation, medievalism constructs twentieth-century concepts of gender, spirituality, and in the more recent productions, race. Adams and Sellars{\textquoteright}s gendered, corporeal mysticism evokes the premodern Cult of Mary—reflecting their feminist and New Age values. Bullock and La Bouchardiere{\textquoteright}s interpretations reflect evolving attitudes towards El Ni{\~n}o{\textquoteright}s key concepts. This is the first study of medievalism in El Ni{\~n}o, and the first analysis of its subsequent interpretations.",

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AB - El Niño, John Adams and Peter Sellars’s Nativity opera-oratorio, incorporates premodern sources in its portrayal of a “feminine spirituality.” The work has also been given medievalist interpretations by John La Bouchardiere and Julia Bullock. In each presentation, medievalism constructs twentieth-century concepts of gender, spirituality, and in the more recent productions, race. Adams and Sellars’s gendered, corporeal mysticism evokes the premodern Cult of Mary—reflecting their feminist and New Age values. Bullock and La Bouchardiere’s interpretations reflect evolving attitudes towards El Niño’s key concepts. This is the first study of medievalism in El Niño, and the first analysis of its subsequent interpretations.

KW - John Adams

KW - Peter Sellars

KW - El Niño

KW - medievalism

KW - postminimalism

KW - contemporary opera

KW - mysticism

KW - Mariolatry

U2 - 10.26182/w8hc-zs22

DO - 10.26182/w8hc-zs22

M3 - Master's Thesis

ER -

The Medievalism of John Adams's El Niño

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