Review 'Holmberg's special achievement lies in his acute attention not only to the aesthetic components of Wilson's work, but also to its aesthetic principles ... The book is organised according to clusters of ideas which with what feels like the help of a good editor, pulls together the prodigious amount of material Wilson has generated. Above all, it shows anyone who wishes to discover or rediscover Wilson just how marvellous he really is.' New Theatre Quarterly Read more Book Description Robert Wilson, the leading American avant-garde theatre director, revolutionised the stage by making visual communication more important than words. His productions cut across the boundaries that traditionally have defined theatre, dance, opera and the visual arts to create a total work of art. This book, the first comprehensive study of Wilson, traces the evolution of the director's astonishing career. It explains how Wilson renovated the stage and describes in detail major productions such as Deafman Glance, Einstein on the Beach and Civil Wars. Read more
G**P
The Most Creative Theater Artist of our Time
Robert Wilson is a genius. Simple statement. Simple fact. He has been altering the way we view language, staging, lighting, color, set design, dance, and presentation/direction since 1965 and his current projects dealing with the reinterpretation of opera are even more bold and thrilling than his earlier experimental works. He is getting better and more inventive and is a formidable force in the theater both here in the US and around the world.Arthur Holmberg's very fine book THE THEATRE OF ROBERT WILSON was published in 1996 as part of the DIRECTORS IN PERSPECTIVE series by Cambridge University Press. While the hardback version is not readily available, the paperback version is still out there in the rarebook stores. If you find one, buy it. Holmberg is not only a fine scholar, he also comes to his subject by means of extended interviews with Wilson. In this book he chronicles the life of Robert Wilson and his involvement in the theater up to the date of this publication. He devotes a large volume of the information to an essay on 'Contextualizing Wilson: from semiotics to semantics' and while the title breathes artspeak, the content is immensely readable and valuable in providing insights as to how Wilson arrived at his most creative view of 'theater'. Holmberg then wisely presents an in depth discussion with photographs of Wilson's major work at that time, 'the CIVILwarS' - a multimedia massive project that remains one of the most inventive works of theater in the repertoire.The now signature use of symbols for sets, Noh influenced movement, timeless black and white stark costume design, and immensely creative lighting effects are discussed but only to the point of the time of the book. Wilson's latest creations for the opera stage include the wholly successful spiritual experience of his 'Parsifal' now on the stage of the Los Angeles Opera and the equally stunning reductive 'Madama Butterfly' which follows next year. But also his designs and productions of Wagner's Ring cycle will be unveiled next year and promise to once again make that great work yet more meaningful to the audience.Sadly this book is outdated and the quality of the multiple photographs of Wilson's sets, costumes, and performances are little better than snapshot quality. But the information is fascinating and important. Surely there will begin appearing many books about the creative mind and works of Robert Wilson (perhaps Holmberg will re-do this one and update it) and hopefully those books will include color reproductions of the extraordinary stage pictures from his operas. But until those books come along, this book is well worth searching for. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, December 05
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