You hear the term “robot opera” and think: this could really only go one of two ways. It’s either going to be embarrassing turbo-charged nerd-slop, or else it’s going to be epic spectacle with a sense of humor that could challenge your ideas about the form.

“Death and the Powers” is the latter. It hits the target with a laser beam. What’s more, its dazzling hi-tech stagecraft completely serves it’s a story, an epic worthy of heightened language and song style that really does capture the zeitgeist of information age anxiety.

As we learn from a chorus of Operabots with tubular bodies and glowing white pie-wedge heads, “Death and the Powers” is conceived as a ritual performed by robots in a time in which the wholly computerized have inherited the Earth. It’s a reenactment of the historic first uploading of a human being into “The System,” the act that led directly to The Singularity.

The uploader, performed by gut-grabbing baritone, James Maddalena, is Simon Powers, the trillionaire who invented “The System” itself—which could be thought of as a kind of Web 3.0, an even more all-encompassing Internet. The tragedy is that Powers leaves behind more than a failing heart at the center of a meat sack full of fat and sugar (as the libretto frequently describes it). He also leaves behind his loving wife Evvy, played by soprano Emily Albrink, and his even more skeptical young daughter Miranda, played by Sara Heaton, who wrestle with this loss and strive reconcile themselves to what the great patriarch has become.  Even if he can “still write checks” as he assures them in a refrain. Further, it turns out that once you become a being of pure mind, you kind lose touch with the world. And when you own as much of it as Powers does and suddenly start liquidating your assets—people notice. Things get heavy on the outside, and the outsiders won’t stay there for long.

Once Powers has entered The System (and Maddalena has physically left the stage) he communicates in a number of ways. Firstly, he has an interpreter, Nicholas, the excellent tenor, Hal Cazalet.  Secondly, he has a giant gyroscope-looking, spoked chandelier, which at one point descends from the ceiling, envelopes Evvy and uses some kind of enhanced surround-sound vibration technique to make love to her. The third way is through a giant wall of LCD screens which produce what is essentially a series of meter readings, represented by fluxuating bars of light, that correspond to the off-stage actor’s movements and voice, tracked by a series of sensors. It’s a brand new process termed “Disembodied Performance.”

At this point it should come as no surprise that this bizzare creation was stitched together in an M.I.T. laboratory. It’s the brainchild of Tod Machover, a professor of music and media, composer, and inventor of such notable music technologies as Hyperinstruments—the things you use in Guitar Hero and Rock Band. The show was given legs by A.R.T. artistic director, Diane Paulus and speech by B.U. professor, former poet laureate, and now librettist, Robert Pinsky, with story contributions by Paulus’s husband, OBERON producer Robert Weiner.

Because of it’s fairly atonal score, “Death and the Powers” didn’t pull too hard on my heart strings, but it was and continues to be a rich, spiced banquet for my mind. Pinsky’s libretto mines the modern myth for its richest questions: can one be human without an organic body? Is it misguided to view technology as somehow outside of nature when its created and utilized by animals? Is cybernetics the inevitable next phase of evolution? What happens to society when capital becomes merely an idea, no longer corresponding to physical output? It’s all there in poetry, with frequent allusion to Yeats and others, and sung with proverbial tongue-in-cheek. The words are as pleasing as the spectacle.

Also, did I mention the robot stuff is just really cool?

Presented by the American Repertory Theatre, “Death and the Powers” plays at the Cutler Majestic Theatre through March 25.

PARIS –‚ A trip to Paris is not complete without a visit to the Palais Garnier, the beautiful and historic theater once home to the Paris Opera.

Located in the heart of Paris’ aptly named opera district, the Palais Garnier is the perfect destination for those travelers keen to avoid tourist-magnets like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Moulin Rouge.

Not only is the theater removed from the crowds but tours and unaccompanied visits run daily for as little as 4-8 Euro, making the Palais Garnier one of the cheapest attractions in Paris.

Commissioned by Napoleon III and designed by Charles Garnier, the theater is an excellent example of neo-baroque design with an opulence that rivals that of the Chateau de Versailles.

Since its official opening in 1875, the Palais Garnier has hosted some of the world’s most famous opera productions including‚ La Traviat‚ and‚ Tristan and Isolde.

However you do not need to be a fan of the opera to enjoy the awe inspiring architecture and rich decadence of the theater itself.‚ The red velvet and gold embellishment of the main auditorium coupled with the elegance and Gothic beauty of the Grand Foyer is simply staggering.‚ 

The giant chandeliers illuminate the beautiful artistry of the ceilings whilst casting a golden light over the lavish baroque settings.‚ A giant marble staircase leading to the upper levels is flanked by intricate bronze statues, carved in the likeness of ethereal female deities.

Beneath the Grand Staircase is the member’s rotunda, a sumptuous but somewhat eerie room filled with elaborate floor mosaics and dimmed wall lights, which bath the room in a gloomy shadow.‚ Everything about the Palais Garnier is excessive, making a simple walk around the theater an absolute feast for the eyes.

For those visitors keen to learn a little more about the theater and the productions it has played host to, the library-museum houses an extensive collection, documenting the three-century long history of the Paris Opera.

Specialized exhibits are held throughout the year but the permanent display includes stage designs, scale models and drawings used in past opera and ballet performances.

The most intriguing feature of the Palais Garnier, however, is not locked away in the library-museum but lies beneath the theater floors.‚ Located deep within the foundations is a subterranean lake, which inspired (in part) Gaston Leroux’s Gothic novel‚ The Phantom of the Opera, the story of a disfigured musical genius who haunts the Parisian opera house.

Not only does the presence of the lake give credence to the Phantom’s myth but amazingly enough the water level also acts as ballast, supporting the weight of the stage above.‚ Visitors are free to wander through the foyers and auditorium of the Palais Garnier, however entrance to the underground lake is strictly forbidden to tourists.

Luckily, the theater’s upper levels are so amazing there is very little need to venture into the lake’s murky depths.‚ If there truly is a Phantom of the Opera he would be a fool to waste his time underground when he could explore the majesty and opulence of the Palais Garnier above.

The Palais Garnier is open for tours everyday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed January 1‚ and May 1.

Puccini for Beginners is a witty romantic comedy that borrows heavily from the Woody Allen-type, offbeat humor. The title speaks to the fact that the main character, Allegra, (Elizabeth Reaser) is a lesbian opera fan who finds herself getting into overly dramatic situations that are commonplace in opera.

Allegra, whose girlfriend had recently broke up with her due to Allegra’s unwillingness to commit, is depressed until she ends up spending an evening with a man named Philip, (Justin Kirk). She and Philip surprisingly hit it off immediately, and he drives her into a sexual identity crisis. She also happens to meet a girl named Grace, (Gretchen Mol) to whom she finds herself attracted. She starts seeing them both, and if that wasn’t enough, the kicker is that Grace and Philip are recent ex’s.

The movie starts with the ending scene, and the rest is a re-telling of the story with a narrative by Allegra. Even though we already know what will happen in the end, the journey is an entertaining trail of situational comedy supported by a well-written script. Through the telling of the story, we find out what is going on long before any of the characters find out, which makes for some entertaining encounters and humorous stories.

Another great point to the movie is that the minor characters are absolutely hilarious. These characters include the sushi chefs at Allegra’s favorite restaurant, who would give their input on the situation in Japanese while looking in on the situation, as well as Allegra’s friends who, with their quick humor, manage to make every situation into an enjoyable time.

One problem with the film is that the main characters are very shallow. Not much is done to develop them and because of this, it’s hard to feel sympathetic for their situations. The good thing about this, however, is that it’s very easy to find humor in their misfortunes. Because of the lack of character development, Puccini for Beginners feels like a sitcom where instead of focusing on characters, every scene tries to milk out as many laughs as possible. Fortunately, the film is very good at this and will keep you laughing.

It is very easy to recommend people to see Puccini for Beginners. This romantic comedy will keep you laughing from beginning to end with its sharp humor. If you are a Woody Allen fan it really is a must see. However, Woody fan or not; see this movie and enjoy.