Orpheus Reconsidered: The Life and Times of the Transnational Performer
Orpheus, the performer celebrated in life and death, enchanted all creatures, soothed mariners in peril, and defied many norms. Although shaped by constructions of nationhood, modern men and women traverse cultural and linguistic boundaries to enchant in the midst of wars and social strife, often in tandem with the forces of empire and other times against it. The class will be dedicated to studying Orpheus in three specific historical contexts: the World War II era with performers such as Josephine Baker and Carmen Miranda; the Cold War with the transnational performers from the film Black Orpheus; and in the contemporary period we will look at immigrant icons such as Celia Cruz and the transnational performances of Michael Jackson. Students will be encouraged to compare these examples to other transnational performers from around the world. 3 hrs. sem.