Oct. 15, 2020 — A poster designed by Nathan Amstutz, senior communication design student, was selected to promote UNT Opera's upcoming production of "Lucia di Lammermoor," a tragic opera in three acts written in 1835 by Gaetano Donizetti. A poster design competition was conducted among members of the UNT American Institute of Graphic Arts Student Group sponsored by Douglas May, assistant professor, Communication Design: Graphic Design, in the CVAD Department of Design.
"The poster I created is a digital illustration that started life as a digital sketch. In Professor Eaton's version of "Lucia di Lammermoor," Lucia deals with not only her physical reflection in the mirror of her isolation ward but with her internal reflection on her past actions as well, used rather cleverly as a storytelling device," said Amstutz. "The concept for my poster is based on this motif of reflection, with the reflection in the blades of the bloodied scissors showing her reflected in her mirror as well."
Professor Jonathan Eaton, the Margot and Bill Winspear Chair in Opera Studies, UNT College of Music, made the final selection of the winner and two runners-up, Jessica Cobb and Ashley Linch, senior communication design students, who received a cash prize and admission to the opera for their outstanding efforts.
“This collaboration is a perfect use of talent and resources — the Opera Program needs marketing materials and has the budget and resources to print and disseminate them, and graphic design students need real-life experience. This competition is a wonderful way to meet both needs. As someone who has worked for more than 20 years in the professional opera world with many designers, I am delighted with the creativity and craftsmanship that these AIGA Student Group designers have brought to the project and look forward to many more successful similar competitions. Many thanks to Professor Douglas May for his vision in bringing the collaboration about,” said Eaton.
The winning poster’s image will be applied to print and digital promotion across campus and social media channels for the upcoming performances this month.
For information about the upcoming performances, visit the UNT Opera website.
