Life History of Archives and Objects: The Material Culture of Chinatown Opera Theaters
Time: Oct. 25, 2024, 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: 304 Tolley Humanities Building
Sponsored by the CNY Humanities Corridor
Nancy Rao (Rutgers University)
In this seminar hosted by the Global Music Perspectives working group of the CNY Humanities Corridor, participants analyze the life history of objects, in particular, the material culture of Chinatown opera theaters. In musicology, it is common for scholars to use objects as evidence and proofs to support specific historical narrative. For example, Chinese playbills, photographs, papers with lyrics can be primarily deemed as both bearing witness and providing names, repertoire and faces to the history of Chinatown theaters in early 20th century. As material culture, they were objects through which theatrical culture were created, shaped, and disseminated. Not only were significant meanings inscribed in their usage, but these meanings tell a great deal about the everyday of the community. In fact, contextualization of these objects is necessary to unseal the specific meanings embedded with them. A discovery of these dimensions could also force a rethinking of the conventional understanding of the role of Chinatown theaters in Chinese America.
Space is limited; please contact Serena Wang to RSVP by 10/18.
Additional supporters:
- Art and Music Histories
- College of Arts and Sciences