WEBVTT

00:01.700 --> 00:05.033
>>> ARBOR OPERA THEATER IN
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, USES OPERA

00:05.100 --> 00:08.466
TO COMBAT THE STIGMA OF
DEPRESSION AND OTHER ILLNESSES.

00:08.534 --> 00:11.499
RECENTLY, THE GROUP DECIDED TO
PERFORM AN ADAPTATION OF

00:11.567 --> 00:14.999
LA TRAVIATA TO INCREASE
AWARENESS OF THESE ISSUES.

00:16.600 --> 00:21.166
[ MUSIC ]
>> ARBOR OPERA THEATER WAS

00:21.233 --> 00:24.299
FOUNDED IN 1999 BY THREE SINGERS
WHO HAD FINISHED THEIR SCHOOLING

00:24.367 --> 00:26.632
AND WERE LOOKING FOR
PROFESSIONAL-LEVEL PERFORMANCE

00:26.700 --> 00:29.033
OPPORTUNITIES.
THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION

00:29.100 --> 00:31.866
WAS TO HELP THE EMERGING
PROFESSIONAL ARTIST TO BRIDGE

00:31.934 --> 00:34.266
THE GAP BETWEEN THE ACADEMIC
WORLD AND THE PROFESSIONAL

00:34.333 --> 00:37.666
WORLD.
>> FOR THE FIRST, OH, I'D SAY

00:37.733 --> 00:42.632
SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS THAT THE
COMPANY EXISTED, THAT WAS REALLY

00:42.700 --> 00:46.499
THE FOCUS, JUST HOW CAN WE
PROVIDE THESE EXPERIENCES FOR

00:46.567 --> 00:51.832
SINGERS AND I THINK ALSO TO
PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH AN

00:51.900 --> 00:54.699
EXTENSION OF THE EXISTING ARTS
PROGRAMMING.

00:54.767 --> 00:57.433
>> WE INCORPORATED AND PRODUCED
OUR FIRST OPERA, LUCIA DI

00:57.500 --> 01:01.199
LAMMERMOOR, IN 2000 AND HAVE
TYPICALLY DONE AN OPERA EACH

01:01.267 --> 01:04.500
JUNE ALONG WITH CHAMBER OPERAS,
RECITALS, AND CABARETS

01:04.567 --> 01:07.865
THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR.
>> AOT DECIDED TO DO THIS

01:07.933 --> 01:12.832
PARTICULAR ADAPTATION OF
LA TRAVIATA TO DRAW AWARENESS TO

01:12.899 --> 01:19.433
THE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL ILLNESS
THAT OFTEN RESULTS IN SUICIDES.

01:19.501 --> 01:22.898
AND WE WERE INFLUENCED BY THE
DEATH OF ROBIN WILLIAMS AND ALSO

01:22.966 --> 01:26.366
SOME OF US HAD EXPERIENCED
SUICIDE IN OUR OWN FAMILIES.

01:27.334 --> 01:34.600
[ MUSIC ]
>> SO THE STORY HAS BEEN AROUND

01:34.666 --> 01:38.099
FOR A LONG TIME.
AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS STORY

01:38.167 --> 01:41.500
AND I DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING
TO BE DOING THIS PRODUCTION, I

01:41.567 --> 01:44.533
REALLY WANTED TO BREAK IT DOWN
AND SAY, WHY IS THIS STORY SO

01:44.601 --> 01:49.566
RELEVANT 163 YEARS LATER?
WHY DO AUDIENCES STILL LIKE IT?

01:49.633 --> 01:52.433
IT HAS THIS BEAUTIFUL MUSIC,
BUT THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN JUST

01:52.501 --> 01:54.999
THE MUSIC.
SO WHEN I REALLY BROKE DOWN THE

01:55.066 --> 01:59.732
CHARACTERS AND LOOKED AT SORT OF
THE ARCHETYPES OF VIOLETTA AS

01:59.799 --> 02:05.299
THE VICTIM AND ALFREDO AS THE
KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR AND THE

02:05.366 --> 02:09.066
FATHER REPRESENTING SOCIETY AND
THE FORCES THAT TRY TO KEEP THEM

02:09.133 --> 02:12.999
APART, I REALIZED THAT THE STORY
WASN'T SO MUCH ABOUT A COURTESAN

02:13.067 --> 02:17.965
AND TUBERCULOSIS AND DEATH BUT
MORE ABOUT THE SOCIETAL STIGMA.

02:18.033 --> 02:21.132
SO AS I UPDATED THE STORY,
I REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON WHAT

02:21.200 --> 02:24.666
WOULD BE A SOCIETAL STIGMA IN
OUR CURRENT TIME.

02:24.733 --> 02:28.432
AND AS I SORT OF QUERIED WITH
PEOPLE AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEY

02:28.500 --> 02:31.465
THOUGHT THAT WAS, MANY IDEAS
CAME UP, BUT THE THEME OF MENTAL

02:31.533 --> 02:33.932
ILLNESS KEPT COMING UP OVER AND
OVER AGAIN.

02:34.000 --> 02:36.299
>> TO TELL THE STORY IN THIS WAY
ABOUT SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS SO

02:36.366 --> 02:39.332
MANY PEOPLE -- DEPRESSION,
ANXIETY, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST

02:39.400 --> 02:42.765
BIPOLAR DISORDER BUT ANY SORT OF
MENTAL ILLNESS -- IT'S A

02:42.833 --> 02:46.066
PROFOUND THING TO HAVE SOMEONE
IN YOUR LIFE WHO IS AFFECTED BY

02:46.133 --> 02:49.399
THOSE OR TO BE AFFECTED BY THOSE
THINGS AND TO SHARE THAT STORY

02:49.466 --> 02:53.732
THROUGH THIS INCREDIBLE MUSIC,
SO BEAUTIFUL, BUT TO SHARE THIS

02:53.800 --> 02:56.532
IN A WAY, I THINK IT'S GOING TO
TOUCH A LOT OF PEOPLE AND BE A

02:56.600 --> 03:01.365
REALLY CATHARTIC EXPERIENCE FOR
BOTH THOSE OF US IN IT AND THE

03:01.432 --> 03:03.166
AUDIENCE.

03:05.399 --> 03:08.199
>> I THINK THE ATTRACTION OF
LA TRAVIATA IS NOT ONLY IS IT

03:08.266 --> 03:12.066
ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED OPERAS
OF ALL TIME, BUT ALSO IT HAS

03:12.134 --> 03:14.899
THEMES THAT ARE READILY
TRANSFERABLE.

03:14.967 --> 03:18.265
SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT A
SPECIFIC HISTORICAL EVENT OR

03:18.332 --> 03:21.866
SPECIFIC HISTORICAL FIGURES OR
SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING ON IN

03:21.933 --> 03:24.199
HISTORY.
IT'S ABOUT SPECIFIC THEMES.

03:24.266 --> 03:28.866
THEMES ARE MORE EASILY ADAPTED
TO DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS.

03:28.933 --> 03:33.365
>> I ACTUALLY KNEW THE
LA TRAVIATA STORY.

03:33.432 --> 03:39.498
I KNEW ABOUT ITS THEME.
I KNEW ABOUT THE TURMOIL.

03:39.566 --> 03:44.331
I KNEW ABOUT VIOLETTA'S DEATH,
THE STIGMA THAT KIND OF LED TO

03:44.399 --> 03:47.265
THE PROBLEMS THAT SHE HAD HAD
WITH FAMILY MEMBERS OF SOMEONE

03:47.332 --> 03:52.032
SHE LOVED.
AND WE NEEDED TO ADAPT IT TO THE

03:52.100 --> 03:55.899
CURRENT DAY AND AGE TO CHANGE
THE STORY.

03:55.967 --> 03:59.732
SO THAT WAS DONE WITH THE GOAL
OF MAKING IT RELEVANT TO WHAT

03:59.800 --> 04:03.332
THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF
DEPRESSION CENTERS DOES,

04:03.399 --> 04:06.998
WHICH IS TO ATTACK DEPRESSIONS
AND BIPOLAR ILLNESSES.

04:07.066 --> 04:12.265
SO IN THIS RENDITION,
THIS ADAPTATION, SHE HAS BIPOLAR

04:12.333 --> 04:23.165
ILLNESS, AND WE'RE USING THE
BRINGING TOGETHER OF ART, MUSIC,

04:23.233 --> 04:26.498
AND SCIENCE TO REALLY MOVE US
FORWARD.

04:27.733 --> 04:33.998
[ MUSIC ]
>> THE REALLY INTERESTING THING

04:34.066 --> 04:37.232
THAT I FOUND OUT IN WORKING WITH
SOME OF THE CAST MEMBERS IS HOW

04:37.300 --> 04:41.632
MANY OF THEM HAVE IN THEIR
FAMILIES OR PERSONALLY

04:41.700 --> 04:46.365
THEMSELVES HAVE MENTAL ILLNESS.
AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO

04:46.433 --> 04:50.765
HEAR WHAT THEY SAID.
ONE OF THE CAST MEMBERS TALKED

04:50.833 --> 04:54.065
ABOUT HOW REALLY EMOTIONAL IT
WAS FOR HER AT REHEARSALS

04:54.133 --> 04:59.098
BECAUSE THIS WAS SO PERSONAL AND
HAS HIT SO CLOSE TO HOME.

04:59.166 --> 05:03.132
>> MENTAL ILLNESS ACTUALLY RUNS
ON ONE SIDE OF MY FAMILY.

05:03.200 --> 05:07.332
I HAVE A GRANDMOTHER WHO IS
BIPOLAR AND HER SISTER WAS

05:07.400 --> 05:12.965
SCHIZOPHRENIC.
MY MOTHER AND I BOTH HAVE

05:13.033 --> 05:16.532
STRUGGLED WITH DEPRESSION ON AND
OFF, ANXIETY.

05:16.600 --> 05:19.999
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I ACTUALLY
STRUGGLED QUITE A BIT WITH

05:20.066 --> 05:22.932
CUTTING AND WITH
SELF-MUTILATION.

05:23.000 --> 05:27.999
THAT'S KIND OF HARD TO ADMIT AND
TO TALK ABOUT ON CAMERA BUT WHAT

05:28.066 --> 05:32.165
BETTER PLACE TO SHAKE THAT FOR
MYSELF, TOO, THAN WITH THIS

05:32.233 --> 05:35.232
PRODUCTION.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT FOR ME

05:35.300 --> 05:38.532
WAS A LONG JOURNEY.
>> SO YOU HAVE AN ILLNESS THAT

05:38.600 --> 05:41.165
IS TREATABLE, BUT PEOPLE ARE
RELUCTANT TO OFTEN GO GET HELP.

05:41.233 --> 05:43.732
WHY IS THAT?
BECAUSE THERE IS STILL A BIT OF

05:43.800 --> 05:46.899
PREVAILING SHAME.
WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS, BUT THAT

05:46.966 --> 05:50.532
STIGMA GETS IN THE WAY, AS
SOMETIMES I AM FOND OF SAYING.

05:50.600 --> 05:53.999
I DON'T LIKE IT, BUT STIGMA
KILLS.

05:54.066 --> 05:58.266
AND IN SOME CASES PEOPLE WHO
DON'T GET TREATED EVEN GET SO

05:58.333 --> 06:02.032
MUCH IN DESPAIR THAT THEY DIE OF
SUICIDE.

06:02.100 --> 06:09.465
SO WE'RE TRYING TO ESSENTIALLY
USE A MEDIUM OF ART AND MUSIC TO

06:09.533 --> 06:13.766
SEND A SIGNAL THAT MOVES PEOPLE
EMOTIONALLY AS WELL AS

06:13.833 --> 06:18.799
SCIENTIFICALLY TO UNDERSTAND
BETTER WHILE GOING INTO A

06:18.867 --> 06:22.332
FRAMEWORK OF I'M GOING TO BE A
VOICE TO TAKE THESE THINGS ON.

06:23.566 --> 06:31.999
[ MUSIC ]
>> WE KNOW FROM BRAIN RESEARCH

06:32.066 --> 06:36.332
THAT MUSIC IMPACTS ANOTHER PART
OF THE BRAIN AND THAT PEOPLE

06:36.400 --> 06:39.732
REACT TO MUSIC IN OTHER WAYS AND
TO ART THAN THEY DO JUST THE

06:39.800 --> 06:43.032
SPOKEN TEXT.
SO THIS IS A WAY OF REALLY

06:43.100 --> 06:45.299
MOVING PEOPLE AT A DIFFERENT
LEVEL THAN THEY WOULD BE MOVED

06:45.367 --> 06:49.432
IF THEY WENT TO A SYMPOSIUM ON
MENTAL ILLNESS OR THEY READ

06:49.500 --> 06:53.266
FACTS ON THE NNDC WEBSITE OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

06:53.333 --> 06:56.532
>> AND, INEVITABLY, THIS AND
OTHER APPROACHES LIKE THIS ARE

06:56.600 --> 06:58.932
THE WAY THAT YOU CUT THROUGH
STIGMA.

06:59.000 --> 07:01.565
WE'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT
THESE THINGS.

07:02.466 --> 07:09.932
[ MUSIC ]
>> I LOVE OPERA, AND WHEN I MET

07:10.000 --> 07:14.066
SHAWN AND HE FIRST STARTED
TALKING ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION,

07:14.133 --> 07:16.531
I WAS ABSOLUTELY MESMERIZED
BY THE IDEA.

07:16.599 --> 07:21.565
I THOUGHT, OH, MY GOSH, TO BRING
TOGETHER SOMETHING THAT WAS SO

07:21.632 --> 07:26.698
IMPORTANT TO SOMEONE THAT I
LOVED SO MUCH, MY BROTHER, WITH

07:26.766 --> 07:31.598
WHAT ENDED UP KILLING HIM, IT'S
JUST MEANT TO BE.

07:31.666 --> 07:36.433
AND IN LOOKING AT THE FINISHED
PRODUCT, IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL

07:36.499 --> 07:39.966
PERFORMANCE FOR ME, ESPECIALLY
THE FIRST TIME I SAW IT.

07:40.033 --> 07:43.698
IT REALLY HIT HOME, WHICH IS WHY
I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR

07:43.766 --> 07:45.565
PEOPLE TO SEE IT.

07:46.566 --> 07:52.132
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE

07:52.200 --> 07:53.832
VISIT: