Catya Carrington discussed listening to the opera, Fellow Travelers,
by Gregory Spears
Interview Summary
The participant listened to the opera Fellow Travelers by Gregory Spear for a project when they were 19 years old. They chose the piece because they were able to relate and felt emotional to the storyline and friendships. While listening to the piece, they felt excitement, heartbreak, and deep feelings for the piece. One low point was when there was betrayal in the opera. The participant felt heartbroken. From experiencing the opera, the participants gained more knowledge on music theory, politics, and human connection/emotion. They believed that there was a purpose to the opera because the main characters were 2 gay men. The participant learned more about the struggles and the perspective of men and women as well as their own beliefs about topics that were present in the opera. The participant doesn’t fully believe in ultimate meaning and didn’t have any supernatural experience.
Interview Transcript
Introduction
1
Interviewer: In this interview, we are interested in asking you to tell us about interacting with an artwork created by another artist. We're going to ask you to describe this experience in detail. Do you have any questions?
2
Participant: No.
3
Interviewer: Okay Perfect.
4
Interviewer: We like you to focus on your interaction with the particular artwork that someone else created. This may be a famous artwork or a work that's not well known. It can be an artwork created by anyone other than you. The artwork can be from any of the following domains: painting, drawing, sculpture, stained glass, installation, music, songs, dance, performance, art, film, literature, theater, crafts, mixed media, architecture interior design, plastic arts, or any other art form not mentioned. The work does not necessarily have to be the most important to you, but it should be meaningful and emotionally salient. It helps if your memories are more vivid, but you don't have to remember everything. Please choose your work and tell me what it is.
Description
5
Participant: It is music. Okay so it's this opera that I listen to. I only listen to it. And I was looking at the score and it is called Fellow Travelers by Gregory Spears. Based off the book. Fellow Travelers.
6
Interviewer: Okay, can you tell me any important details about it or describe it to me just like the plot or the music itself. Whatever works best for you, whatever is easier.
7
Participant: Okay. Well, I feel like this. I really like how the music and the plot like match up. I feel like the composer, the composer, Gregory Spears does a really great job kind of setting up the scenery and the emotion of the opera of the drama that's going on and so I feel like my favorite part about it is like. I mean like this, like romantic interest that goes on throughout it. There's like some political stuff, but I don't really understand it. So I mostly just like, like the storyline of like the friendships and all that.
Why did you choose this one? (Specialness)
8
Interviewer: What made you choose this one to talk about?
9
Participant: I had recently done a project on it like a little presentation, and I remember I don't think I've ever like cried after listening to an opera and I could. This one made me cry, and I felt I've never felt so emotional and so like related like the storyline, was almost relatable, and I felt like I could feel what was going on in the artwork. I was like, oh, my God! This happened to me before, and it was like the same like type of feelings. So it was a really weird experience. But yeah.
Process of Interacting
What led up to the interaction? What motivated you to explore this piece?
10
Interviewer: Now, please tell me about the experience and process of interacting with the work by answering the following series of questions. What led up to the interaction, and what motivated you to explore the piece?
11
Participant: What led up to it? Wait! Can you repeat that?
12
Interviewer: Yeah, What led up to your interaction, and what motivated you to explore it?
13
Participant: I was motivated to explore it because of the project, because I had only like saw one scene from it before. So it was like oh, I liked it. Let me just explore it more because it seemed cool. From what like a little part of what I'd seen and I would like loved it even more after exploring it one
When and where did the work happen? Who was involved besides you (if anyone)?
14
Interviewer: When and where did the experience happen? And was anybody involved besides you?
15
Participant: it was mostly. Oh. I feel like the biggest moment that I remember was like the second half. I was like sitting on my floor and I was just by myself, and there was one time I was listening to it when I was in an airplane. So
What were you thinking and feeling at different times throughout the process of interacting with the artwork?
16
Interviewer: what were you thinking and feeling at different times throughout the process of interacting with the work. For example, the beginning, middle, and end.
17
Participant: what was I feeling? I feel like there were feelings of excitement, of like what's to come but then like with like the plot line, I also like, felt like an like a heartbreak feeling. And yeah, they were like very deep feelings.
Can you describe any high points, low points or challenges, or turning points along the
way?
18
Interviewer: Can you describe any high points, low points or challenges, or turning points along the way?
19
Participant: I feel like there is a high point. It was like time toward like 3/4, so like 4/5 of the way in, when there was like this ultimate like betrayal, and I feel like that's what I keep referencing. I feel like there was like this huge feeling of like heartbreaking like I feel like it was very relatable, and I almost like, I feel like I can feel the character. And so what was it? Really? Yeah.
Let’s talk about the impact of the artwork on yourself and others.
What did you learn from the process of interacting with this artwork? Did you learn anything about yourself?
20
Interviewer: Let's talk about the impact of the work on you and your life. What did you learn from the process of interacting with the work? And did you learn anything about yourself?
21
Participant: Hmm. I feel like. what did I learn? I feel like looking into it more if you like. I definitely learn things from a music theory, kind of perspective, which is more like academic, which is what I was looking at before. But I feel like I was also learning. I don't know there was some political stuff I was learning for sure, and like something with history, and also just Sorry i'm trying. Is it? Okay, if it takes me a second kind of like maybe this experience of like human emotion connection like I learned that it is possible through art to feel like such a high amount of emotion, because I feel like I don't always get that often, but it's almost like a feeling of okay when I do the research. When I put the work in you can feel amazing or great.
Do you think that the artists intended the work to affect others or the world in any particular ways?
22
Interviewer: Do you think that the artists intended for the work to affect others or the world in any particular ways.
23
Participant: I think so. I think especially because this opera was, I think it's only like one of the I don't know any operas that have like the main point of it, the plot runs about like 2 gay men, and I feel like that's the first time it's happened, so I feel like that was definitely a big thing in society, and it like it was it's actually for like a new opera, it's been like done like actually like, maybe 6 times already, which is really impressive. so I feel like that's a really big deal. Yeah, it has an effect for sure.
24
Interviewer: Definitely
Did your experience with the artwork affect your understanding of others or “the world?”
25
Interviewer: Did your experience with the work of that, your understanding of others or the world?
26
Participant: I feel like it did, for sure I feel like it helped me understand a struggle. You know. Sometimes I don't understand as being a woman, because sometimes I feel like I don't know, like different expectations for men and women in like the time period. But like, if, like, we're seeing the world very binary.
27
Interviewer: Yeah.
When some people think about themselves, they see parts of themselves as deeply true, real, or authentic.
If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about your true nature during the process of interacting with the artwork? Did you have any insights about your own authentic (or inauthentic) self?
28
Interviewer: When some people think about themselves, they see some parts as deeply true, real or authentic. If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about your true nature during the process of interacting with the work? Did you have any insights about your own authentic or inauthentic self?
29
Participant: Oh, I feel like I feel like sometimes I like. I feel like there's sometimes certain ideas that I'm struggling to understand. If, like they're an idea from society versus an idea that, like I truly believe in, and I feel like this definitely made me question some things especially like I don't know Like with gay rights and stuff like that. I don't know. So yes, I don't know. Do I need to go deeper?
30
Interviewer: No, I think that was fine.
Some people believe in ultimate meaning. This is defined as deep, underlying meaning
that transcends subjective, personal meaning. It is about the nature of existence and
identity, and it may include ideas about the significance of suffering, as well as
spirituality.
If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about ultimate meaning during the process of interacting with the artwork?
31
Interviewer: Some people believe in ultimate meaning. This is defined as deep underlying meaning that transcends subjective personal meaning. It is about the nature of existence and identity, and it may include ideas about the significance of suffering as well as spirituality. If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about ultimate meaning during the process of interacting with the work?
32
Participant: I feel like I definitely like understood, felt like certain things maybe not like fully. This was like only an experience of that, but kind of maybe like made me think about it a little bit more. like now
Some people believe or perceive a reality beyond the physical or material world. This
may include religious beliefs/experiences (such as perceived interactions with God) but also may include mystical or transcendent experiences, or interaction with spirits.
Did you have any kind of these experiences during the interaction with the artwork?
33
Interviewer: some people believe or perceive a reality beyond the physical or material world. This may include religious beliefs or experiences such as perceived interactions with God but may also include mystical or transcendent experiences or interactions with spirits. Did you have any of these kinds of experiences during your interaction with work?
34
Participant: no. I feel like it was a very personal experience. I don't think it had any other outside sources except for myself.
Even if you did not have an experience like this, you may have felt some sort of inspiration, guidance, or encouragement from the nonphysical or supernatural. Or you may have felt some sense of presence or connection.
Did you have any kind of these experiences during the interaction with the artwork?
35
Interviewer: Well just a follow up, anyway. Even if you did not have an experience like this you may have felt some sort of inspiration, guidance, or encouragement from the non physical or supernatural, or you may have felt some sense of presence or connection. Did you have any of these kinds of experiences during the interaction with the work?
36
Participant: Maybe not. I don't know if it would be like a supernatural or something, but maybe like a connection with society, a different type of connection with society, or like how I view other people. But No?
37
Interviewer: Okay.
How old were you?
38
Interviewer: Just some general follow questions. How old were you during this
39
Participant: nineteen
How do you perceive the quality of the work?
40
Interviewer: and how did you perceive the quality of the work?
41
Participant: I thought it was great. I don't know wait what. What happened? sorry it froze for a second? the quality. I thought the quality was great. Do you hear me? I hear you. You kind of lagging. But yeah. okay, just let me know. The quality was pretty good, I know. I feel like the recording. I feel like there are some things that could have been better personally. But like the artistry, wise like I don't know that's exactly what you mean, but I feel like some of the artistry like maybe wasn't something I preferred, but altogether it was pretty great.
What was going on in your life around the time that you interacted with the artwork?
42
Interviewer: And one last question, was there anything in particular going on in your life around the time that you interacted with the work?
43
Participant: so any I feel like I feel like there was kind of something going on like that. It was so that happens week and I feel like for some reason, after like having a really hard time in the semester. I felt really good and I like I was having like this almost like this, high of like excited to live my life and to go to class and do all these things, and I feel like it might have even been because I was like listening to that music, and like connecting with this so deeply and very excited to give a presentation on it, that I, it gave me this high. It was really great, so
44
Interviewer: oh, that's great.
The participant listened to the opera Fellow Travelers by Gregory Spear for a project when they were 19 years old. They chose the piece because they were able to relate and felt emotional to the storyline and friendships. While listening to the piece, they felt excitement, heartbreak, and deep feelings for the piece. One low point was when there was betrayal in the opera. The participant felt heartbroken. From experiencing the opera, the participants gained more knowledge on music theory, politics, and human connection/emotion. They believed that there was a purpose to the opera because the main characters were 2 gay men. The participant learned more about the struggles and the perspective of men and women as well as their own beliefs about topics that were present in the opera. The participant doesn’t fully believe in ultimate meaning and didn’t have any supernatural experience.
Interview Transcript
Introduction
1
Interviewer: In this interview, we are interested in asking you to tell us about interacting with an artwork created by another artist. We're going to ask you to describe this experience in detail. Do you have any questions?
2
Participant: No.
3
Interviewer: Okay Perfect.
4
Interviewer: We like you to focus on your interaction with the particular artwork that someone else created. This may be a famous artwork or a work that's not well known. It can be an artwork created by anyone other than you. The artwork can be from any of the following domains: painting, drawing, sculpture, stained glass, installation, music, songs, dance, performance, art, film, literature, theater, crafts, mixed media, architecture interior design, plastic arts, or any other art form not mentioned. The work does not necessarily have to be the most important to you, but it should be meaningful and emotionally salient. It helps if your memories are more vivid, but you don't have to remember everything. Please choose your work and tell me what it is.
Description
5
Participant: It is music. Okay so it's this opera that I listen to. I only listen to it. And I was looking at the score and it is called Fellow Travelers by Gregory Spears. Based off the book. Fellow Travelers.
6
Interviewer: Okay, can you tell me any important details about it or describe it to me just like the plot or the music itself. Whatever works best for you, whatever is easier.
7
Participant: Okay. Well, I feel like this. I really like how the music and the plot like match up. I feel like the composer, the composer, Gregory Spears does a really great job kind of setting up the scenery and the emotion of the opera of the drama that's going on and so I feel like my favorite part about it is like. I mean like this, like romantic interest that goes on throughout it. There's like some political stuff, but I don't really understand it. So I mostly just like, like the storyline of like the friendships and all that.
Why did you choose this one? (Specialness)
8
Interviewer: What made you choose this one to talk about?
9
Participant: I had recently done a project on it like a little presentation, and I remember I don't think I've ever like cried after listening to an opera and I could. This one made me cry, and I felt I've never felt so emotional and so like related like the storyline, was almost relatable, and I felt like I could feel what was going on in the artwork. I was like, oh, my God! This happened to me before, and it was like the same like type of feelings. So it was a really weird experience. But yeah.
Process of Interacting
What led up to the interaction? What motivated you to explore this piece?
10
Interviewer: Now, please tell me about the experience and process of interacting with the work by answering the following series of questions. What led up to the interaction, and what motivated you to explore the piece?
11
Participant: What led up to it? Wait! Can you repeat that?
12
Interviewer: Yeah, What led up to your interaction, and what motivated you to explore it?
13
Participant: I was motivated to explore it because of the project, because I had only like saw one scene from it before. So it was like oh, I liked it. Let me just explore it more because it seemed cool. From what like a little part of what I'd seen and I would like loved it even more after exploring it one
When and where did the work happen? Who was involved besides you (if anyone)?
14
Interviewer: When and where did the experience happen? And was anybody involved besides you?
15
Participant: it was mostly. Oh. I feel like the biggest moment that I remember was like the second half. I was like sitting on my floor and I was just by myself, and there was one time I was listening to it when I was in an airplane. So
What were you thinking and feeling at different times throughout the process of interacting with the artwork?
16
Interviewer: what were you thinking and feeling at different times throughout the process of interacting with the work. For example, the beginning, middle, and end.
17
Participant: what was I feeling? I feel like there were feelings of excitement, of like what's to come but then like with like the plot line, I also like, felt like an like a heartbreak feeling. And yeah, they were like very deep feelings.
Can you describe any high points, low points or challenges, or turning points along the
way?
18
Interviewer: Can you describe any high points, low points or challenges, or turning points along the way?
19
Participant: I feel like there is a high point. It was like time toward like 3/4, so like 4/5 of the way in, when there was like this ultimate like betrayal, and I feel like that's what I keep referencing. I feel like there was like this huge feeling of like heartbreaking like I feel like it was very relatable, and I almost like, I feel like I can feel the character. And so what was it? Really? Yeah.
Let’s talk about the impact of the artwork on yourself and others.
What did you learn from the process of interacting with this artwork? Did you learn anything about yourself?
20
Interviewer: Let's talk about the impact of the work on you and your life. What did you learn from the process of interacting with the work? And did you learn anything about yourself?
21
Participant: Hmm. I feel like. what did I learn? I feel like looking into it more if you like. I definitely learn things from a music theory, kind of perspective, which is more like academic, which is what I was looking at before. But I feel like I was also learning. I don't know there was some political stuff I was learning for sure, and like something with history, and also just Sorry i'm trying. Is it? Okay, if it takes me a second kind of like maybe this experience of like human emotion connection like I learned that it is possible through art to feel like such a high amount of emotion, because I feel like I don't always get that often, but it's almost like a feeling of okay when I do the research. When I put the work in you can feel amazing or great.
Do you think that the artists intended the work to affect others or the world in any particular ways?
22
Interviewer: Do you think that the artists intended for the work to affect others or the world in any particular ways.
23
Participant: I think so. I think especially because this opera was, I think it's only like one of the I don't know any operas that have like the main point of it, the plot runs about like 2 gay men, and I feel like that's the first time it's happened, so I feel like that was definitely a big thing in society, and it like it was it's actually for like a new opera, it's been like done like actually like, maybe 6 times already, which is really impressive. so I feel like that's a really big deal. Yeah, it has an effect for sure.
24
Interviewer: Definitely
Did your experience with the artwork affect your understanding of others or “the world?”
25
Interviewer: Did your experience with the work of that, your understanding of others or the world?
26
Participant: I feel like it did, for sure I feel like it helped me understand a struggle. You know. Sometimes I don't understand as being a woman, because sometimes I feel like I don't know, like different expectations for men and women in like the time period. But like, if, like, we're seeing the world very binary.
27
Interviewer: Yeah.
When some people think about themselves, they see parts of themselves as deeply true, real, or authentic.
If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about your true nature during the process of interacting with the artwork? Did you have any insights about your own authentic (or inauthentic) self?
28
Interviewer: When some people think about themselves, they see some parts as deeply true, real or authentic. If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about your true nature during the process of interacting with the work? Did you have any insights about your own authentic or inauthentic self?
29
Participant: Oh, I feel like I feel like sometimes I like. I feel like there's sometimes certain ideas that I'm struggling to understand. If, like they're an idea from society versus an idea that, like I truly believe in, and I feel like this definitely made me question some things especially like I don't know Like with gay rights and stuff like that. I don't know. So yes, I don't know. Do I need to go deeper?
30
Interviewer: No, I think that was fine.
Some people believe in ultimate meaning. This is defined as deep, underlying meaning
that transcends subjective, personal meaning. It is about the nature of existence and
identity, and it may include ideas about the significance of suffering, as well as
spirituality.
If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about ultimate meaning during the process of interacting with the artwork?
31
Interviewer: Some people believe in ultimate meaning. This is defined as deep underlying meaning that transcends subjective personal meaning. It is about the nature of existence and identity, and it may include ideas about the significance of suffering as well as spirituality. If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about ultimate meaning during the process of interacting with the work?
32
Participant: I feel like I definitely like understood, felt like certain things maybe not like fully. This was like only an experience of that, but kind of maybe like made me think about it a little bit more. like now
Some people believe or perceive a reality beyond the physical or material world. This
may include religious beliefs/experiences (such as perceived interactions with God) but also may include mystical or transcendent experiences, or interaction with spirits.
Did you have any kind of these experiences during the interaction with the artwork?
33
Interviewer: some people believe or perceive a reality beyond the physical or material world. This may include religious beliefs or experiences such as perceived interactions with God but may also include mystical or transcendent experiences or interactions with spirits. Did you have any of these kinds of experiences during your interaction with work?
34
Participant: no. I feel like it was a very personal experience. I don't think it had any other outside sources except for myself.
Even if you did not have an experience like this, you may have felt some sort of inspiration, guidance, or encouragement from the nonphysical or supernatural. Or you may have felt some sense of presence or connection.
Did you have any kind of these experiences during the interaction with the artwork?
35
Interviewer: Well just a follow up, anyway. Even if you did not have an experience like this you may have felt some sort of inspiration, guidance, or encouragement from the non physical or supernatural, or you may have felt some sense of presence or connection. Did you have any of these kinds of experiences during the interaction with the work?
36
Participant: Maybe not. I don't know if it would be like a supernatural or something, but maybe like a connection with society, a different type of connection with society, or like how I view other people. But No?
37
Interviewer: Okay.
How old were you?
38
Interviewer: Just some general follow questions. How old were you during this
39
Participant: nineteen
How do you perceive the quality of the work?
40
Interviewer: and how did you perceive the quality of the work?
41
Participant: I thought it was great. I don't know wait what. What happened? sorry it froze for a second? the quality. I thought the quality was great. Do you hear me? I hear you. You kind of lagging. But yeah. okay, just let me know. The quality was pretty good, I know. I feel like the recording. I feel like there are some things that could have been better personally. But like the artistry, wise like I don't know that's exactly what you mean, but I feel like some of the artistry like maybe wasn't something I preferred, but altogether it was pretty great.
What was going on in your life around the time that you interacted with the artwork?
42
Interviewer: And one last question, was there anything in particular going on in your life around the time that you interacted with the work?
43
Participant: so any I feel like I feel like there was kind of something going on like that. It was so that happens week and I feel like for some reason, after like having a really hard time in the semester. I felt really good and I like I was having like this almost like this, high of like excited to live my life and to go to class and do all these things, and I feel like it might have even been because I was like listening to that music, and like connecting with this so deeply and very excited to give a presentation on it, that I, it gave me this high. It was really great, so
44
Interviewer: oh, that's great.
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