Aliza Nisenbaum: The Three Divas of Traviata at Gallery Met, curated by Dodie Kazanjian: The Metropolitan Opera, New York
Current exhibition
Overview
Now on display at the Metropolitan Opera House are four new paintings by Aliza Nisenbaum for Gallery Met, curated by Dodie Kazanjian. Over the course of a year, in anticipation of this exhibition, the artist was granted unparalleled access to the Opera’s backstage and the three Prima Donnas who were, at the time, each performing the lead character of Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata. The new paintings are comprised of three individual portraits of these divas installed on the Grand Tier, and a diptych on the Dress Circle that depicts the unseen world behind the stage: props, costumes, tools, and the multitude of people who make the Opera’s production happen, such as union workers, set designers, makeup artists, conductors, and many others.
Nisenbaum’s practice and portraiture involves spending time with her subjects and getting to know them over the course of many sessions. For the Diva portraits, Nisenbaum spent time with each singer as they prepared at dress rehearsals, in their dressing rooms, and then later as they got ready to perform. The character of "Violetta" is regarded as one of the most challenging characters to play in opera: a fraught female stereotype. Each of the three women–Angel Blue, Ermonela Jaho, and Nadine Sierra– have their own unique and various feelings, challenges, and approaches to playing her, reflected in these intimate portraits. Jaho has, as the title of her portrait notes, performed this character over 301 times.
Nisenbaum’s recent diptych paintings have focused on group portraiture. Here, she chose to focus on the larger community of the Opera house and its backstage world - paying homage to the multitude of people who remain behind the scenes but are utterly essential to the magic that unfolds each evening onstage for the audiences. These four remarkable works will remain on view to the public for a year at the Opera House.
Nisenbaum’s practice and portraiture involves spending time with her subjects and getting to know them over the course of many sessions. For the Diva portraits, Nisenbaum spent time with each singer as they prepared at dress rehearsals, in their dressing rooms, and then later as they got ready to perform. The character of "Violetta" is regarded as one of the most challenging characters to play in opera: a fraught female stereotype. Each of the three women–Angel Blue, Ermonela Jaho, and Nadine Sierra– have their own unique and various feelings, challenges, and approaches to playing her, reflected in these intimate portraits. Jaho has, as the title of her portrait notes, performed this character over 301 times.
Nisenbaum’s recent diptych paintings have focused on group portraiture. Here, she chose to focus on the larger community of the Opera house and its backstage world - paying homage to the multitude of people who remain behind the scenes but are utterly essential to the magic that unfolds each evening onstage for the audiences. These four remarkable works will remain on view to the public for a year at the Opera House.
Installation Views
Works
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Aliza Nisenbaum15 Minutes to Curtain, Soprano Angel Blue (MET Traviata), 2023 -
Aliza NisenbaumOpening Night, Soprano Nadine Sierra (MET Traviata), 2023
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Aliza NisenbaumVioletta for the 301st Time, Soprano Ermonela Jaho (MET Traviata), 2023
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Aliza NisenbaumBackstage at the MET, The Quick Change Booth (Traviata), 2023
