Studies of Two Opera Singers (recto and verso)

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent's sketch, "Studies of Two Opera Singers," made with graphite on paper. The figures are so dramatic! What do you see in this fleeting glimpse of operatic passion? Curator: It's like catching a storm in a teacup, isn't it? Sargent's quick strokes, those gaping mouths, suggest a world of feeling. I wonder what opera stirred him so. Is it tragedy, comedy, or some grand historical drama playing out before us? Editor: The costumes are evocative. I wonder if he saw a performance? Curator: Perhaps, or perhaps he imagined it all. Sargent's genius lies in hinting at stories, inviting us to complete them. Doesn’t it make you want to write your own opera? Editor: It does, actually. It is all wonderfully dramatic!