Abstract

This article is based on my experience during two performances of International Opera Theater’s 2013 production of the new opera Camille Claudel. I describe the experience in as much detail as necessary to convey its essence to the reader. I define the experience as spiritual, within a non-religious framework of spirituality. Subsequently I critically explore the experience in a range of relevant contexts of opera, theatre, performance and consciousness studies. My approach is part of the paradigm shift in consciousness studies from third person approaches to first person approaches, in so far as the experience I describe, and on which my argument is based, is at this point my own experience alone.