Life History of Archives and Objects: The Material Culture of Chinatown Opera Theaters

About This Event

This seminar will consider the analysis of the life history of objects, in particular, the material culture of Chinatown opera theaters. In musicology, it is common for scholars to use objects as evidence and proofs to support specific historical narrative. For example, Chinese playbills, photographs, papers with lyrics can be primarily deemed as both bearing witness and providing names, repertoire and faces to the history of Chinatown theaters in early 20th century. As material culture, they were objects through which theatrical culture were created, shaped, and disseminated. Not only were significant meanings inscribed in their usage, but these meanings tell a great deal about the everyday of the community. In fact, contextualization of these objects is necessary to unseal the specific meanings embedded with them. A discovery of these dimensions could also force a rethinking of the conventional understanding of the role of Chinatown theaters in Chinese America.

Featured Guests

Nancy Rao, Distinguished Professor, Rutgers University

Co-sponsors

Department of Art and Music Histories, College of Arts and Sciences