<p> The subject of this dissertation is the contemporary Russian composer and pianist Nikolai Kapustin. Being himself a virtuoso pianist, Kapustin has written a large repertoire for solo piano. During the last fifteen years, the popularity of Kapustin in the United States has grown enormously through performances, publications, presentations, and recordings. Kapustin's output has over 150 opus numbers in all major forms of Baroque, Classical and Romantic music, such as suite, invention, preludes and fugues, variations, sonata, concerto, and more. </p><p> Kapustin's style fuses the classical approach to form and the jazz approach to harmony and rhythm in a very unique way. His compositional style is strongly influenced by American jazz, particularly the style of Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Herbie Hancock, and Bill Evans. From the other side, his music is strongly influenced by composers of Classical music such as Alexander Scriabin, Sergei Rachmaninov, Frederick Chopin, Maurice Ravel, and Bela Bartok. </p><p> Kapustin composed twenty Piano Sonatas during the period of 1984-2011. There has been little research to this point regarding the music of Kapustin and no formal research has been completed concerning Piano Sonata No. 3. This sonata is the particular scope of this dissertation, as nearly every aspect of Kapustin's compositional style can be found in this work. </p><p> Sonata No. 3 was composed in 1990 and was published in August 2014. The Sonata is a one-movement work and it contains a quote of the "Dies Irae" theme, which sets this work apart from his other sonatas. </p><p> This dissertation will provide biographical information on Nikolai Kapustin, historical and musical background, and will include an analysis of Piano Sonata No. 3. </p><p> Fortunately, the author speaks the Russian language and had opportunities to meet with Nikolai Kapustin. The information obtained in personal interviews with the composer will also be presented. </p><p> Hopefully, this dissertation will promote further research, performance, and understanding of the music of one of the most outstanding modern day composers, Nikolai Grigorievich Kapustin.</p>

<p> <i>The Againness of Vietnam in Contemporary United States Antiwar Choreography</i> examines eight twentieth- and twenty-first century postmodern antiwar choreographies in order to uncover the reverberations of Vietnam antiwar protests in these dances. The choreographies I examine in this study are Yvonne Rainer&rsquo;s 1970 <i>M-Walk</i> and 1970 (and 1999) <i>Trio A with Flags</i>, Wendy Rogers&rsquo; 1970 <i> Black Maypole</i>, Ann Carlson&rsquo;s 1990 <i>Flag</i> and 2006 <i>Too Beautiful A Day</i>, Miguel Gutierrez&rsquo;s 2001, 2008, and 2009 <i>Freedom of Information</i> (<i>FOI</i>), Jeff McMahon&rsquo;s 1991 <i>Scatter</i> and Victoria Mark&rsquo;s 2006 <i>Action Conversations: Veterans.</i> I theorize a concept called &ldquo;againness,&rdquo; in order to think through the multiple ways that repetitions specific to these particular choreographies continue to exist and to enact effects through time. I argue that repeated choreographic embodiment offers immediacy, nuanced response over time, expression through the bodies of former soldiers, and sites of mediated resistance such as live-streamed dance protest, to the United States public&rsquo;s commentary on and critique of war. I conclude that choreography&rsquo;s irregular and inexact repetitions are one of the ways that dance is especially apt for commenting on the large, never-ending, and ongoing traumas of the world such as war. My research extends established discussions about choreographic repetition and ephemerality, exchanging in questions of exactitude for conversations about impact. In particular, I show how the changes inherent to bodily repetitions reflect societal change, raise energy, garner power, and/or respond to current events. I study how politicized dances do not disappear after the time/space event of the initial performance, but instead linger on and reappear in unexpected moments. I thus parse out the many unbounded ways that protest choreographies happen again and again.</p>

<p> This treatise is meant to increase awareness of a lesser-known work by Joseph Canteloube entitled <i>L'Arada</i>, a cycle of six songs for voice and piano based on the sonnets of Occitan poet Antonin Perbosc. The cycle is unique in that it represents an original vocal composition by Canteloube, with freely composed music not based on pre-existing folk melodies. Background information to the cycle is provided through 1) biographical sketches of both the composer and the poet, 2) general discussions of the poetry collection and the cycle as a whole, and 3) an overview of Occitan pronunciation. The final section of the treatise addresses the performance of the songs more directly, providing word-for-word translations, IPA transcriptions, and musical commentary for each piece.</p>

<p> Through associations and personal experiences, I settled on the overarching concept that, "The road is closed," for the stage design of <i>As You Like It.</i> Pulling from my surroundings as inspiration, I created a realistic road on the Studio Theatre's stage using found and borrowed objects to enhance the road's authenticity. With a blocked road as a metaphor for the characters' inner journeys to overcome their own prejudices and achieve an enlightened way of thinking, the audience joined the ensemble on their path of self-examination and discovery.</p>

<p> This thesis illustrates the effect of reality television singing competitions on Broadway musical theatre. Chapter 1 examines the current Broadway casting climate prioritizing name recognition. Chapter 2 explores the genesis of musical theatre singing styles. Chapter 3 offers Stanislayski and Uta Hagen's acting techniques as a guide for musical theatre acting, analyzes the Jukebox musical, and investigates the reality TV singing style and its relevance to the musical theatre actor. The chapter then scrutinizes the hypocritical stance taken by reality TV singing shows toward the Broadway singing style. Chapter 4 examines the loss of storytelling on musical theatre and advocates the seeking of mastery in the acting process. Chapter 5 explores the circumstances that allow for Broadway to incorporate pop music. Chapter 6 reinforces storytelling's importance to musical theatre.</p>

<p> German choreographer Pina Bausch is recognized as one of the original creators of 20th century Dance Theater through her seamless synthesis of stage design elements and movement. Through her choreographic methodology she is able to combine the everyday gesture of the body with the functionality of objects to create an emotionality that is authentic and transcendent on stage. The objects/props on stage illuminate the object world where objects are animated by our desires, fears, and the need to express the human condition. I will look at the procedure that Bausch employs through the lens of the psychoanalytic theory of object relations, the theories of Alice Miller, D.W. Winnicott, and the sociology of Herbert Blumer to prove the objects on stage in Bausch's work offer a physical and emotional obstacle for the dancers to contend with. </p><p> In this study I will unfold the history and functionality of stage properties and the role of the "prop" in terms of German Theater revolutions, exploring the ideas of the prop as a hindrance as well as an object of amplification for the stage action. I will delve into the theatrical models of Antonin Artaud, Bertolt Brecht, and Vsevolod Meyerhold, acknowledging the procedure and significance of theater objects through stage design. From here I will connect Bausch to the evolution of the German modern dance pioneers- Rudolph Laban and her mentor, Kurt Jooss. Through the work of Kurt Jooss, with whom Bausch studied at the Folkwang Schule in Essen, Germany, and specifically <i>The Green Table </i>, we begin to see the great influence that Jooss had on Bausch. I will discuss his use of props in his work as a means to illuminate his ideas of politics and war. This will then narrow in on the personal dance history of Bausch and her evolution as an artist, focusing on the mentorship she received in her career. The discussion will conclude with an analysis of her creative process and the use of specific objects that reflect meaning through the seminal works of Bausch: Caf&eacute; Mueller, Kontakthof, Bluebeard, and Waltzer. </p>

<p> David Mamet's book of essays <i>True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor</i> boldly claims that formal training, particularly of the academic variety, is of no use to aspiring theater artists. This thesis argues for the importance and validity of such training. It is a defense of both formal training and ofStanislavski--the father of almost all contemporary training systems and a figure particularly irksome to Mamet. The thesis is supported by examples gleaned from my own formal education in theater and from insights gained directing student actors on my final project for my MFA, Kira Obelensky's play <i>Lobster Alice</i>.</p>

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--New York University, School of Education, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 267-274). Also available in electronic format on the World Wide Web. Access restricted to users affiliated with the licensed institutions.