Eighteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

This online poster presents the cultural statements made through the use of colours in performances of Guomo Puccini’s Opera Turandot (1926) around the world over the last century. Using the new IBM Cultural Colour Visual Recognition App commissioned by our Asian Canadian Artists in the Digital Age project, the hidden cultural statements behind the productions are revealed. The app analyses the proportionate use of colours and the use of objects through artificial intelligence and machine learning, extracting the emotional, psychological and cultural significance of colours, as well as the objects found in the production that are often missed in the theatrical experience. Cultural diversity is reflected in the interpretation of colours which are symbolism, meaning different qualities in different cultures. Productions of Turandot tended to be dominated by colours, such as the gold and yellow of the Chinese Emperor’s Court in the Metropolitan Opera’s production in 2017, the red in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Turandot production in 2017, and the striking black, white and red in the Canadian Opera Company’s (COC) 2019 performance. Turandot often features scenes crowded not only with people, but also with objects, until suddenly it reached the minimalist bare stage in the Robert Wilson 2019 COC production. Turandot productions in the past have been criticized as orientalist, racist, and presenting racial stereotypes. Through analysis by the cultural colour visual recognition app, I want to find out how transcultural global performances can be facilitated through the use of colours and objects augmented by artificial intelligence.