The Sound of Identity
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The Sound of Identity
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Sound of Identity is a documentary about American opera singer Lucia Lucas and the 30 days leading up to the premiere of her starring in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Tulsa Opera in 2019. Lucas plied her trade in Europe for 10 years before making her debut in the United States, and she's the first trans woman to take on the lead role of Don Giovanni. In an open, honest, and intimate 90 minutes, The Sound of Identity shows a casual and candid behind-the-scenes approach to filming Lucas preparing for a long rehearsal day, talking with her wife over video chat, relaxing with video games, and reaching out to the public about opera and why people should try to get into it. There are direct interviews with other actors and crew, fly-on-the-wall rehearsal footage, and conversations about the ethics of marketing their opera. No violence, sex, or language, but a few adults smoke cigarettes in the background of a few scenes. The toxic masculinity and creep status of Don Giovanni in Mozart's opera is briefly discussed.
What's the Story?
In THE SOUND OF IDENTITY, American opera singer Lucia Lucas has been in Europe for the last 10 years making a career for herself. But Tobias Picker, composer and artistic director for the Tulsa Opera, has convinced her to take on the lead role of Don Giovanni in Mozart's Don Giovanni, a groundbreaking decision in itself. Will the people of Tulsa, Oklahoma, buy tickets to see their opera? Will Lucas survive her grueling schedule, the demands of singing at the highest level, and her own earnest ambition to put on a great show?
Is It Any Good?
Even though the task seems impossible in the United States, Lucia Lucas wants to do her part to save opera. The main focus and star of The Sound of Identity, Lucas is captivating and commands the screen even when she's not singing. She's open, candid, and in a way plain, which is to say, plainly comfortable in her own skin, comfortable in a role no woman has ever played before (let alone trans woman), and comfortable in the various ways her company and the Tulsa Opera could be marketing their show. Lucas acknowledges that "being trans is such a small part of who I am," but also recognizes that her playing Don Giovanni fascinatingly coincides with her own gender identity. Given that Don Giovanni is a "master of disguise" and at times disguises himself as women during the opera, Lucas must wrestle with inhabiting and embodying the role of a man (often times staying in character during rehearsal) who sometimes performs as a woman, a kind of performance and performing Lucas knows all too well.
She later suggests that "gender is all performance," evoking the (early) ideas of gender studies and feminist theorist Judith Butler. And even still, Lucas shares through experienced tears that "if you're good, people will like [the art] ... but you can't make everyone like you."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about movies about music. How does music help The Sound of Identity tell its story?
What do you think opera has to do to survive in the United States? How can opera gain new audiences, entice young people, and become easier to get into for newcomers?
In your opinion, what is the sound of identity?
What character strengths does Lucia Lucas embody?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 1, 2021
- Cast: Lucia Lucas, Tobias Picker, Denni Sayers, Michael Cooper
- Director: James Kicklighter
- Studio: Shout! Studios
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Activism, Music and Sing-Along
- Character Strengths: Communication, Courage, Perseverance
- Run time: 90 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: December 23, 2022
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