Earlier this month, controversy erupted after a Fox News program reported on a certain New York City play. That “play” was Julius Caesar, written by William Shakespeare in 1599. In the play’s third act, a group of conspirators led by Brutus and Cassius (spoiler alert) assassinate the Roman dictator. Outrage over this recent production stems from the fact that the actor portraying Caesar is made to bear a resemblance to the current president of the United States. But this is hardly new, as productions of the famous play have long been updated to reflect a contemporary setting. A 2012 production featured a Caesar who resembled a certain president seeking re-election. In 2013, the action was set in a nondescript African location. A 1937 adaptation by Orson Welles included a Mussolini-like figure in the title role. The point is, works for stage that have formed a sort of canon have been updated time and time again for modern audiences — and that got us thinking about updated versions of classic operas. Let’s take a look at some from recent memory, and how they were received.
Giulio Cesare (Handel, 1724)
Of course we would start with this one. Handel wrote the opera back in 1724. Set in Ancient Egypt, it deals with the pursuit of revenge following the death of Caesar's military rival Pompey. But in 2005, David McVicar moved the action hundreds of years into the future, to a 19th-century British-occupied Egypt. It was well received, and commentators noted thematic parallels with the Iraq War. Time-appropriate firearms, airships, and naval craft advanced the modern interpretation.
Der Ring des Nibelungen(Wagner, completed 1874)
The sprawling Ring Cycle is a deep exploration of ancient Norse mythology. Naturally, traditional productions come with all the trappings expected of a fantasy epic. But more imaginative productions have been around since 1976 — the year that Patrice Chéreau staged a controversial Bayreuth production that sets the action during the industrial revolution. Warmly received by some and coldly rejected by others, the Los Angeles Times’ David Ng places it at front of a long line of many mold-shattering productions, including Kasper Bech Holten's 2006 interpretation, which he says “radically reinterpreted the story from a feminist point of view.”
Tristan Und Isolde (Wagner, 1865)
Another marathon of an opera, Wagner’s take on the medieval Celtic legend of the same name was given a stark update for the Metropolitan Opera’s 2016 season. Rickety wooden vessels gave way to modern battleships navigating wartime waters. While the music was praised, somecriticsdid not have an easy time making sense of the new setting.
Rigoletto(Verdi, 1851)
Verdi’s adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 1832 play Le roi s’amuse took place in 16th-century Mantua. But in 2013, Michael Mayer shifted the location across the ocean and into the future — to 1940s Las Vegas. It may not be a hit with everyone, but it was liked well enough for the Met to bring back the Rat Pack-inspired production for several seasons.
West Side Story (Based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, 1597)
A musical rather than an opera, but still fun to include on this list. Shakespeare’s culturally ubiquitous teen drama was originally set in Verona, Italy. But in 1957, West Side Story opened on Broadway. Featuring music from Leonard Bernstein, the timeless tale focuses on the antagonistic relationship between two rival New York City gangs instead of aristocratic Italian families.