Video Takes Over Bastille Opera in Sellars' Messiaen Production

Key facts

• Peter Sellars used hundreds of televisions in his production of Messiaen's opera at the Bastille Opera.
• The video provides resplendent doubles for the characters of Saint Francis of Assisi.
• Actors and singers do not have to move; the video moves in their place.
• Bob Wilson first opened a breach for video on the Bastille stage with his production of The Magic Flute.
• The eighth Vidéoformes festival, a festival of video installations, took place concurrently.
• Vidéoformes presented about ten works as each year.
• The production is described as total art enabled by the video technology.
• Sellars' approach allows the video to replace physical movement of performers.