Visual Media

Abstract This chapter discusses opera’s relationship with film and other visual media, a fascinating example of media convergence. Scholars have approached opera and film from various perspectives and drawn from many fields, including film music, cinema studies, media studies, and sound studies. The genre of opera-film has emerged as a major focus. Though the operas of many composers have received filmic treatment and elicited critical interest, this article pays special attention to Puccini in film and especially his opera Tosca. Giuseppe Patroni Griffi’s “live film” Tosca (1992), broadcast live from the original locations at the designated times of day, is an experiment in authenticity and technology that advances a global agenda but reveals the inherent tensions of a “live film.” In contrast, Benoît Jacquot’s Tosca (2001) foregrounds the manufactured nature of opera-film by fragmenting elements and creating a hyper-realism that renders the film a highly innovative example of its genre.