The Total Work of Art provides a broad survey that incorporates many canonical artists into a single narrative. With particular attention to the influence of the Total Work of Art on modern theatre and performance, this brief introduction will also be of interest to students in such fields as film studies, music history, history of art, cultural studies, and modern European literatures.
'Smith's writing is adventurous and stimulating... fascinating reading.' - Studies in Musical Theatre
Matthew Smith is Assistant Professor of English at Boston University.
List of Illustrations. Acknowledgments. Introduction 1. The Total Work of Art in an Age of Mechanical Reproduction 2. Total Stage: Wagners Festspielhaus 3. Total Machine: The Bauhaus Theatre 4. Total Montage: Brechts Reply to Wagner 5. Total State: Riefenstahls Triumph of the Will 6. Total World: Disneys Theme Parks 7. Total Vacuum: Warhols Performances 8. Total Immersion: Cyberspace. Conclusion. Bibliography. Index