The world’s first streaming opera is here, and there are no Viking helmets involved!
It’s called Vireo, and it’s about mansplaining throughout history. Seriously. It will be broken up into 12 mini-episodes that will roll out one-by-one until the spring of 2017.
The project is the result of years of planning from singer and classical composer Lisa Bielawa, who was first inspired by the subject matter at grad school in the 1990s.
“I encountered this rash of young girls caught up in these stories involving various men and communities of men who were fascinated by their visionary experiences,” Bielawa told L.A. Weekly. “It was so weird to find this phenomenon rearticulated over and over again throughout history.”
Now, Bielawa is the artist in residence at the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, California, and her vision is becoming a reality.
“I’m interested in how people will consume it,” she said. “Each [10- to 13-minute] episode is so rich. In a way, watching the entire thing is like eating 12 pieces of chocolate torte cake. I’m not sure if binge-watching is the best way to experience it. But I love the fact that it is in this format that allows people to decide how they want to see it.”
Two episodes are available to stream now, and more will be coming.
H/T L.A. Weekly