パンデミック下における広島大学のオペラの取り組み : オペラの人間形成的意義への可能性に着目して

This paper reports an opera concert which was held at Hiroshima University in November 2020 as well as the process surrounding this concert. Through an analysis, it aims to examine the educational significance of the Opera Project held at Hiroshima University. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had a tremendous influence on our lives. Almost all music concerts were canceled or postponed. Opera concerts faced especially greater challenges than other types of concerts, as singers cannot wear a mask when they sing and keeping a distance between performers is extremely difficult due to the nature of the performance. At first, an opera concert was to be held in April 2020 at Hiroshima University as part of a class entitled “Opera Ensemble”. Needless to say, it was also delayed to November 2020. In addition, the “Opera Ensemble” class could not be normally taught. Therefore, class activities were transformed. Students took and edited videos themselves on behalf of regular Ensemble in the first semester. Consequently, in this November concert, only solo arias were played, and the produced videos were displayed. Additionally, various measures were prepared to counter the spread of the virus. These measures aimed, for instance, to decrease the capacity of the hall, to provide ventilation between the pieces, to collect the addresses of spectators etc. Although the pandemic had a profound influence on us all, positive aspects which we would have never witnessed without the pandemic exist. In conclusion, three positive aspects were identified: (1) the possibility of breaking fixed ideas, (2) cultivating students’ information and communication technology (ICT) literacy, planning ability, and cooperation spirit, and (3) considering what essential music is.