''The Indian Picture Opera'' is a

magic lantern The magic lantern, also known by its Latin name , is an early type of image projector that used pictures—paintings, prints, or photographs—on transparent plates (usually made of glass), one or more lenses, and a light source. Because a si ...

slide show A slide show (slideshow) is a presentation of a series of still images (Presentation slide, slides) on a projection screen or electronic display device, typically in a prearranged sequence. The changes may be automatic and at regular intervals o ...

by photographer

Edward S. Curtis Edward Sherriff Curtis (February 19, 1868 – October 19, 1952) was an American photographer and ethnologist whose work focused on the American West and on Native American people. Sometimes referred to as the "Shadow Catcher", Curtis travele ...

. In the early 1900s, Curtis published the renowned 20-volume book subscription entitled ''The North American Indian''. He compiled about 2400 photographs with detailed ethnological and language studies of tribes of the American West. In 1911, in an effort to promote his book sales, Curtis created a traveling Magic Lantern slide show, ''The Indian Picture Opera''. Stereo-Opticon projectors put Curtis's stunning images on screens in America's largest cities, one scene dissolving into another. A small orchestra played music derived from Indian chants and rhythms, and Edward Curtis lectured on the intimate stories of tribal life. This Magic Lantern show was played to breathless audiences, stunned by the humanity, fascinated by the imagery, and shamed by the destruction of Indian cultures. The shows received standing ovations and generous reviews. Curtis went on to produce and direct '' In the Land of the Head Hunters'' in 1914. This production was a full-length documentary motion picture of aboriginal North Americans. In 2006, there was a contemporary remake of the ''Picture Opera'' published on DVD. Following the original script, images and music were reconstituted into a modern-day multi-media production of ''The Indian Picture Opera''.

References

''The Indian Picture Opera''
Pictures and words by Edward S. Curtis, newly recreated on DVD
Magic Lantern Society of the United States & Canada
Native Americans in art Photographic collections and books 1910s in the United States 1911 works 1910s photographs {{photo-stub