Repo! Reflection

This past week, the American Opera Since 1950 class was introduced to Repo! The Genetic Opera. It was quite an interesting experience, and it lead to a lot of discussion. The basic premise seems to be something not too removed from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and seems to have cultivated a similar following. The music I find similarly addictive to that of Rocky Horror.


Repo! was, luckily, readily accessible on YouTube. Although the entire opera was not on there (and I am still eager to see the entire thing) there were MANY clips to watch. One particularly addictive clip, for me, was "Zydrate Anatomy". The song features The Graverobber, a sort of narrator character who looks very much like the traditional image of Riff-Raff in Rocky Horror. Another connection between those two characters is that in both Rocky Horror and Repo!, a key creator of the show played the character. "Zydrate Anatomy" gives a glimpse into the underworld of this near-future society, where plastic surgery and artificial organs are a standard part of life. Instead of cocaine or heroine or any other of the drugs that are so prominent in our society today, the drug that everyone is addicted to is something called Zydrate, which is apparently drawn from dead bodies. Thus, The Graverobber.

The music is very catchy, with a combination of slow rock singing and a more spoken sprechstimme style of delivery. The lyrics tell the story and keep the listener / audience engaged. I found it very effective, as I did all the clips I could find of this opera on YouTube.

Repo! was not universally enjoyed by the class. There are certainly elements that are shocking and vulgar, bloody and violent. And of course there was the questionable choice of casting, most controversial for a musical / opera being Paris Hilton and Sarah Brightman. However, I personally felt that the presentation is effective and enticing. While I certainly don't consider it a grand masterpiece, I certainly find it entertaining. After all, not every work needs to be La Traviata to have merit.