Identity & making art when the world is broken.

[Boston Lyric]

This fall at Boston Lyric Opera, we read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay as we prepared for the World Premiere of Schoenberg in Hollywood by Tod Machover, which tells the story of composer Arnold Schoenberg wrestling with his artistic and religious identity in the wake of fleeing Europe at the start of World War II.

Reading this novel at the same time was a transformative experience and added so much richness to the story of Arnold Schoenberg (and vice versa, the opera added to the story of Sam & Joe).

For Sam & Joe (and Arnold), how did the changing world around them impact their art-making, and how they saw themselves as artists? How do you see their world views through their art? How does their art change as the world changes?