- Ronald Chase
Ronald Chase (born
December 29 ,1934 ) is an Americanartist ,photographer , educator,independent film maker andopera designer. His work with projection and film has been called “one of the most exciting developments in the history of opera stage presentation.” Schoenberg, Harold (April 20, 1975). "Films-A New Dimension for Opera". "New York Times"]Life and work
Chase was born in
Seminole, Oklahoma . He studied dance, design and directing at Bard College, where he joined theJean Erdman Dance Group. He toured with theJose Limon Dance Company on their first European tour in the fall of 1956. After the tour he remained in Europe (Italy and Spain) to study painting. He then established a studio in the Gaspe Peninsula (Perce) in Canada. His first exhibits were at the Galerie Libre in Montreal (1962) and the Byron Gallery in New York City (1963). His work then entered the collections of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and theBoston Museum of Fine Arts . In the spring of 1964 he moved to San Francisco and continued his painting.Frankenstein, Alfred (April 21, 1966). "A Very Large Art Work". "San Francisco Chronicle"] Albright, Thomas (April 3, 1982). "Ronald Chase Returns to the Scene". "San Francisco Chronicle"]Photography
In the early 1980's Chase began experimenting with photography. He manipulated photographs using large format
Xerox copiers. His work with figures and abstract imagery was given a show at theGeorge Eastman House in 1984. His photographic work then entered the collections of theMetropolitan Museum of Art , the George Eastman House, and the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, New York among others.Film
In 1963, Chase began making short experimental films with "Fragments", written by
Mary Lee Settle and filmed in the Hudson Valley. In 1964, he began experimenting with using film projections in theater and dance performances. These experiments produced "The Covenant", a dance film made with Elizabeth Harris and the composerPauline Oliveros , followed by dramatic shorts including "Chameleon" and "Clown", which was featured at the 1969 Ann Arbor Film Festival, and "Parade", a short documentary of the first Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade in San Francisco.Chase produced and directed two features in the 1970's. "Bruges-La-Morte", starring
Richard Easton (and the film debuts ofNickolas Grace andAnthony Daniels ), premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival 1978 and was awarded the Critics Prize at the International Film Festival Ghent in 1980Pede, Ronnie (January, 1980). "USA Today: Ronald Chase". "Filmsgbeurem"] . "LULU", starringPaul Shenar and Elisa Leonelli and adapted from the play byFrank Wedekind , was screened at theBerlin International Film Festival , Filmex, and Rotterdam Film Festival, among othersMyles, Linda (1978). "A Thoroughly Modern Lulu". "Berlin International Film Festival program book"] . It was chosen as one of the 3 best films of 1978 byPariscope Chatelet, Francois (January 17-23, 1979). "Les meilleurs films de 1978". "Pariscope"] , but could not be released because of a copyright conflict with the estate ofAlban Berg .Film and Projection in Opera
Chase’s first combined film and opera with director Richard Pearlman, then head of the Washington Opera, in a production of Britten’s the Turn of the Screw (with Benita Velinti in her first dramatic role). Chase produced film and projections with Pearlman for the world premiere of
The Who's Tommy at the Seattle Opera in 1971. Around this time Chase met directorFrank Corsaro and their mutual interest in film led to their 40 year collaboration in opera, film and projection in a series of innovative productions including Berg’s Lulu at the Houston Opera in 1975, Korngold’sDie Tote Stadt at the New York City Opera in 1975, Poulenc’sLes mamelles de Tirésias at the Opera Theater of St. Louis in 1983 and Strauss'Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago in 1984. Due to injuries Corsaro suffered during a car crash,Gerald Freedman replaced him in collaborating with Chase on a production of Ginastera'sBeatrix Cenci that opened theJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on September 10th, 1971. The film Chase produced for Beatrix Cenci received the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s first SECA award in film in 1972.Shale, Conrad (October, 1989). "Merging Film with Opera". "Opera Monthly"] Chase produced his first animated films for theater in collaboration withMaurice Sendak for Ravel’sL'enfant et les sortilèges atGlyndebourne in 1987. In 1992 Chase and Corsaro reunited to produce Busoni's Doktor Faust at the New York City Opera.Educator
In 1993, Chase created the San Francisco Art & Film Program for Teenagers, a non-profit devoted to making the arts accessible and an important presence in young people’s lives. The program developed out of Saturday gallery walks for students of
San Francisco School of the Arts High School to include weekly film screenings, a film workshop, and free tickets to cultural events, available to all San Francisco Bay Area students. SF Art & Film has been cited as one of the most comprehensive art education programs in the United StatesFishburn, Rodes (October, 2006). "Celluloid Hero: Bringing Cultural Education to Kids". "Edutopia"] , and continues to serve more than 600 young people a year.References
Bibliography
* "Maverick", by Frank Corsaro, The Vanguard Press, Inc, 1978. ISBN 0-8149-0790-3
External links
* [http://www.ronaldchaseart.com The official website of Ronald Chase]
* [http://www.artandfilm.org San Francisco Art & Film for Teenagers website]
* [http://www.edutopia.org/celluloid-hero Rodes Fishburn’s article in Edutopa] Oct. 2006
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