Marisa Sottos performs an aria from Puccini's Turandot. Normally sung by the male lead, the octave or note range has been shifted to accommodate a higher vocal range. Based on the opera's story line, Sottos is presenting the aria as if the female lead, Turandot, is singing Nessun Dorma (none shall sleep), the boastful, declarative aria normally sung by Calif. She is examining the literal and figurative language used in the aria and is questioning the sincerity of the opera's characters and whether or not Turandot is truly getting what she wants.
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11.11.2016. Nessun Dorma // None Shall Sleep. A zine to accompany a live performance of Giocomo Puccini's aria, Nessun Dorma from the opera, Turandot. The zine provides the Italian lyrics and English translations reflected on one another. Nessun Dorma is traditionally sung by the male lead, Calaf (Tenor). In the live performance, the octave has been changed to be more suited for a mezzo-soprano. When the lyrics are sung by a female, the audience is forced to address how problematic the lyrics are within the opera in regards to contemporary sexism concerns. Mezzo-soprano type-casts are typically "witches, b*tches, and britches" (evil antagonist that challenge the mail protagonists, or older ladies).

Visit this link to view my live thesis performance:

https://vimeo.com/137388892

 

 

Thinking About Tomorrow, 2014

My first solo in 1997 paired with a new solo in 2014 at the filming site of the movie Annie to create a duet.

 

Untitled: Omegle Performances, 2015

I use the video chat site Omegle to sing to anyone who cares to listen. Omegle is a site similar to Chatroulette, it pairs you up with another person from around the world. You can chose to stay and interact with the other person, or skip to the next random selection. This video contains excerpts from my exploration into this part of internet. I've always had trouble singing in front of people, this was a way for me to sing with out having weight of a live audience. I chose to blindfold myself for my own protection and to prevent any interruptions that might have distracted from the performance.

 

Untitled: Love in Every Room, 2015

An exploration of album imagery.