The validity of the traditional arts in contemporary society is often questioned by the wider public. This
dissertation argues that one of the ways in which the arts attain value is through their function as
political activism. In order to do so, it investigates the characteristics of resistance art. This is followed
by a discussion of contemporary opera. While this genre is a minority interest when compared to
popular music forms, it is, nevertheless, a form of resistance art that has the potential to fulfill a social
and political function. The dissertation focuses on two case studies: John Adam's The Death of
Klinghoffer (1990) and Paul Ruders's The Handmaid's Tale (2000), and concludes that contemporary
opera can be relevant and effective socio-political critique. / Thesis (M.Mus.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nwu/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/1360 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Laycock, Frances Catherine |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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