Series: New Television
Program: New Television
Episode: 612
Date: 1990-01-01
Subject: Opera; Documentary films; Rock music; Interpersonal relations; Parodies; Carmen (Fictitious Character)
People: di Ferria, Paulo; Ellerman, Michelle; Emily XYZ; Isenberg, Michael; Mello, Arnolfodi (Dancer)Meyer, Steven; Steward, Clay; Williams, Brooks; Wooster, Ann-Sargent
Copyright Holder: Ann-Sargent Wooster

Clip Description
"A contemporary interpretation of the Bizet opera, this late twentieth century story of ill-fated romance set on New York's Lower East Side features Carmen as a rock-and-roll singer and Don Jose as a record producer. The drama is interrupted and examined through a series of audiovisual asides that serve as commentary, with images of fire and ice poetically illuminating the romantic and tragic elements. Carmen is played by New York musician Emily XYZ...." — WGBH press release.

In this piece written, directed, and produced by Ann-Sargent Wooster, a man and a woman reflect on their roles in an obsessive relationship. The work assumes a mock documentary style, as the story unfolds through interviews and confessions juxtaposed with the events depicted.

Music includes "Cloud" and "Fire and Water" by Brook Williams and Ann-Sargent Wooster, excerpts of Andrew Nadelman's "Tapestry" and "Rhapsody," clarinet solo by Michael Isenberg, and opera singing by Janeal Sugars, Meth Genies, and Clay Steward.

The work was broadcast as a segment of episode 612 (1990) of "New Television."

Series Description
The New Television Workshop originated at WGBH, a public broadcasting station in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1974 to support the creation and development of experimental video art. This experimental programming included dance, drama, music, performance and visual arts on video and film. As early as 1968, WGBH was committed to the development of video art through residency programs, with artists such as Nam June Paik, and the "Rockefeller Artists-in-Television" project. Many of these early works (pre-1974) were broadcast both locally and nationally.

As an umbrella for arts related programming, the Workshop included "Artist's Showcase, " "Frames of Reference, " "Dance for Camera, " "Poetry Breaks," and "New Television," as well as acquired arts programming. Individual works were created for "Visions," a series produced by WNET (New York), and "Alive From Off Center," a series produced by KTCA (St. Paul - Minneapolis). The Contemporary Art Television (CAT) Fund was co-founded by the Workshop and Boston's Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) in the 1980's, to commission works by video artists. In 1993 the Workshop ceased production at WGBH.

See also: http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/NTW/FA/TITLES/Carmen308.HTML