Abstract
Staged interpretations of Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka, kin to other aquatic fairy-tale characters such as Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” can situate the opera in trans-species, postcolonial, and new materialist approaches by positioning costume not simply as representational, but as matter actively performing moments, worlds, and transformations. Through distributed agency, the costuming of human-nonhumanity intersects multiple other power imbalances, particularly when engaging the pre-Christian rusalki, mythical antecedents that regulated elemental forces in Slavic folklore, illuminating ecofeminist readings pertinent in addressing climate change. Through costume, this fairy-tale opera raises consciousness on entangled social and environmental concerns, affecting performance and consequently the audience.
Recommended Citation
Barbieri, Donatella. "Trans-Species Fairy-Tale Femininities: The Criticality and Performativity of Human-Nonhuman Costuming in Antonín Dvořák’s Opera Rusalka." Marvels & Tales 38.2 (2025). Web. <https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/marvels/vol38/iss2/7>.
