Word: geishas
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Thus, the role of Butterfly is crucial. Whenshe is first wed to Pinkerton, Butterfly is only15 years of age. This is not to say that she wascompletely naive of the world. Rather, as thestory goes, Butterfly is forced into geisha-hoodbecause of the poverty inflicted upon her familyafter her father's death. So on many levels, oneimportant challenge to the vocalist is thejuxtaposition of the innocent child and therealistic woman...
...like the true cultural icon/diva/ice queen/anathema that she is and always has been, Madonna has found--and promptly appropriated--the newest fad. It was Erotica Madonna, then Evita Madonna, then Mama Madonna, then Om Shanti Madonna, and now--gasp!--it's Geisha Madonna. Obsessed with Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha, Madonna has turned into a pop culture juggernaut. She has declared herself "Hatsumomo," the malevolent nemesis of the book's protagonist. (In a recent interview she clued us in to the disturbing fact that baby Lourdes seems to like calling her mom "Hatsumomo...
True, Madonna is a shameless, shamefulappropriator. But she still is relevant (though noone can explain why), perhaps more so now thanever before. There is no better proof of this thanher newest piece of pop culture, her contributionto Geisha-rama--her newest video from Ray ofLight, "Nothing Really Matters" (which sheperformed lamely in Geisha garb at the GrammysWednesday night...
...video is deliciously subversive. In asense, Madonna consciously sheds layers of herpostmodern act during the 4:25 minute video,daring us to piece together its clues. At thebeginning, she stands upon a raised platform infull Geisha costume (eerily enough, she resemblesMarilyn Manson with a fluorescent band of makeupacross her eyes). She holds a baby wrapped inglowing plastic. The scene seems comfortablyserene--until we realize that Geisha Madonna isn'tholding a baby. The plastic bag is empty...
Random? Of course not. Realizing it's all thepieces of a puzzle, we grasp the stunning answer.Madonna is, in all truth, a modern-day Geisha. Sheis trapped within her corridor, without the leastprivacy, but she is free to perform...