What does it mean for a work of art to be infused with the spirit of a particular place? Does the locus of creation necessarily permeate a work? Are distant locales and traditions fair game for artists to evoke and imitate, or is that a form of opportunistic exoticism, an indulgent tourist’s travelogue? And in what ways can we expect the city of Rome to make itself felt in the art we’ll be producing here? A look and a listen at a few approaches to these questions, drawn from Christopher Trapani’s recent compositions.

Trapani is the Luciano Berio Rome Prize Fellow in Musical Composition at the American Academy in Rome.

The lecture will be held in English.