Aydin Pinar, Ritch Robert, O'Dwyer John
1 Eye and Neuro-Ophthalmology Clinic, Ankara - Turkey.
2 Einhorn Clinical Research Center, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York, NY - USA.
Eur J Ophthalmol. 2018 Jan;28(1):6-12. doi: 10.5301/ejo.5001071. Epub 2018 Feb 19.
The performing arts mirror the human condition. This study sought to analyze the reasons for inclusion of visually impaired characters in opera, the cause of the blindness or near blindness, and the dramatic purpose of the blindness in the storyline.
We reviewed operas from the 18 century to 2010 and included all characters with ocular problems. We classified the cause of each character's ocular problem (organic, nonorganic, and other) in relation to the thematic setting of the opera: biblical and mythical, blind beggars or blind musicians, historical (real or fictional characters), and contemporary or futuristic.
Cases of blindness in 55 characters (2 as a choir) from 38 operas were detected over 3 centuries of repertoire: 11 had trauma-related visual impairment, 5 had congenital blindness, 18 had visual impairment of unknown cause, 9 had psychogenic or malingering blindness, and 12 were symbolic or miracle-related. One opera featured an ophthalmologist curing a patient.
The research illustrates that visual impairment was frequently used as an artistic device to enhance the intent and situate an opera in its time.
表演艺术反映人类状况。本研究旨在分析歌剧作品中纳入视障角色的原因、失明或近乎失明的成因，以及失明在故事情节中的戏剧作用。
我们回顾了18世纪至2010年的歌剧作品，并纳入所有有眼部问题的角色。我们根据歌剧的主题背景，将每个角色眼部问题的成因（器质性、非器质性和其他）进行分类：圣经与神话类、盲人乞丐或盲人音乐家类、历史类（真实或虚构人物）以及当代或未来主义类。
在三个世纪的歌剧作品中，我们检测到38部歌剧中55个角色（2个为合唱团成员）存在失明情况：11例有与创伤相关的视力障碍，5例为先天性失明，18例失明原因不明，9例为心因性或诈病性失明，12例与象征意义或奇迹相关。有一部歌剧讲述了眼科医生治愈一名患者的故事。
该研究表明，视力障碍常被用作一种艺术手段，以强化歌剧的意图并使其契合所处时代。
