Ariane et Barbe-bleue

Music by Paul Dukas, libretto by Maurice Maeterlinck, loosely based on the French literary tale “La Barbe bleue” by Charles Perrault. Stage direction by Alison Pogorelc, conducted by Jonathan Khuner. Produced by West Edge Opera at the Scottish Rite Center, Oakland, July 2022.

Three projectors illuminated five screens on the complex set. The two leftmost screens were lit by a very noisy house projector located house center, the middle screen by a long-throw projector on house left, and the rightmost two screens by a short-throw projector mounted on a truss at the right of the stage.

In Maeterlink's drama, Ariane, Bluebeard's latest wife, is left alone in the castle with her nurse. They open the doors to the treasure rooms one by one before discoving the secret door to where his five previous wives are (surprisingly) still alive. The projections include bespoke video of Bluebeard and the wives, along with ink-drop video portraying each of the treasure rooms.